A system and method for translating vector description displays into raster images writes the vector description image, having some number of displayable colors, into more than one intermediate image file. Each intermediate image file can define only a number of colors which is smaller than the number of colors in the original display. Separate color translation tables are used to generate each intermediate file. Proper selection of the color translation tables causes each intermediate file to contain a portion of the full color information. The intermediate files are translated to intermediate raster files which are then combined into a single raster image which retains all of the colors of the original vector description image.