GRAPHIC FORMATS

Once the logo design process is over and the customer chooses a design as his logo, we provide him with a set of files. This article gives you a brief explanation about what those files are for.

Basically, we provide customers with graphic formats for 'web use' and for 'print use'.

Web use: GIF and JPEG files.

When we say 'web use', we're referring to graphic formats that result in small size files because they use compression algorithms. They actually have many other uses, such as email templates, office documents or e-books. All them have in common that are displayed on screen. As video screens are able to reproduce only 72 dots per inch, it sets the maximum image definition. It's quite low resolution compared to printing standards, which are above 300 dots per inch. All the logo drafts that we deliver throughout the design process are 72 dpi JPG files. They allow our customers to review the designs on screen, and are small enough to be sent by email requiring minimum data transfer. We deliver the final logo as gif file as well. As stated above, JPG and GIF files relies on compression algorithms that are able to dismiss graphic data without being noticeable by the human eye. So, although the resulting image seems to look complete, it is not. And more important: each GIF/JPEG file is optimised for the size that it was created. If you vary its size, it will lower its quality.

Print use: AI and CDR files.

Both AI and CDR files are vector formats. This means that they aren't bitmaps, but vector graphics. The image is composed of lines and shapes defined by connected points. These are the types of files that the designer uses to create a logo. As a result, the design is actually a geometric composition that can be edited and modified at any time. This is why they're called native formats.


This is the way the design software represents vectors:

And this is the way the same logo is shown on screen:

We are used to seing the bitmap image, while the designers work with vector images. End users are usually unable to edit vector images, mainly because they don't have the required software. These files will be used by any designer in the future, when you need to have your logo applied on marketing materials and products.