Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Your logo and the files you should have




Has this happened to you? Your business sponsors an event and they ask for your logo. You send them a small jpeg or something off your website and they say that it's too small.
Here are Take Root Creative, we make sure our clients have their logo in multiple formats so that when a particular need arises, they have the file necessary. What file types should you have? I've compiled a nice little list you can use to check through your computer and see what you have and what you are missing.
  1. PDF  This stands for Portable Document Format and is now the standard for sending files between printers, designers etc. Why? A PDF (as long as it's created properly) holds it's data in a way that will keep it looking the same between computers. What is it used for? Send a PDF when you sponsor something and they need your logo. Also send a PDF when you run an ad in the newspaper or a magazine. This is basically your go-to format when your logo is requested by someone else.
  2. .EPS  This stands for Encapsulated PostScript and will be something that you might never need but it is the raw file of your logo so you will want to have it. What is it used for? If you decide many years down the road that you want to change your branding colours but your designer has retired, the .eps file can be edited by anyone without having to completely re-design your logo.
  3. JPEG Most business have their logo as a jpeg. They can vary in size and are a useful format for things you will do on your own computer. What is it used for? Jpegs are often used in Microsoft Office or for social media accounts like Facebook and Twitter. Ask for both a high resolution jpeg and a medium-lower resolution jpeg.
There are many other types of files you may encounter over the life of your logo, but these three will cover most of your needs. If you don't have all of these format, contact your designer and ask them kindly to put them onto a disc for you. PDFs and .EPS files can be large and therefore not sendable by email.
Have a question about anything you've read here? Email me or leave a comment below.
Caitlin

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