The Logo File Types You Need

Your printer just asked for a vector based file for your logo you’re wanting to laser onto a few mugs. You open your folder full of logos your designer sent you. Which one do you send them?  Keep reading below to find out what logo file types you need and where to use them or skip to the infographic at the end of this post.

RASTER VS VECTOR

VECTOR

Vector graphics are anchored with dots and connected by lines and curves. The artwork is scalable while retaining image quality.

RASTER

Raster images are made of pixels, or tiny dots. Pixels are like little squares when you zoom in really close. There is only a set number of pixels per graphic and will not scale very well as it will become blurry. Raster images can support more details like gradients and patterns unlike vector images.

Logo File Types

Now that we understand what the difference is between raster and vector files, let’s talk about each file type and when and where to use it.

.EPS

Encapsulated Post Script

Vector

Transparency

Best for print

This can be used  for logos and illustrations. Can be scaled to any size without losing any quality. Perfect for large format printing.

.AI

Adobe Illustrator

Vector

Transparency

Best for print

Proprietary vector-based file format by Adobe. It is the standard source file for your logo. Some print shops will still request for print particularly apparel printers because it is editable and scalable.

.PDF

Portable Document Format

Vector

Transparency

Can be used for print or web/digital

Another editable vector-based file format is a .PDF. It was not developed to be an image file, but it has become a popular way to transfer logos due to its vector format and transparency. It is easily used to file share as most computers and mobile devices will open this file type. If this is the only vector based file, a professional designer may be able to use for most print and digital applications.

.JPG

Joint Photographic Experts Group

Raster 

No Transparency

Best for web/digital that need smaller file types

Commonly used for photographs and web graphics. Allows for smaller files sizes than PNG, but does not support transparent backgrounds, so you will always have a white background with your logo. It’s not a great option for your logo in larger areas due to its lossy compression format – the contrast between colors won’t be as clean. A common use for a .JPG is the use of a logo in your email signature. 

.PNG

Portable Network Graphics

Raster

Transparency

Best for web/digital

This file type is larger than a .JPG, but it does better compressing text, line art and solid colors. It supports transparent background so that you can put it on any type of photo, color or graphic. This will have a sharper image than a .JPG due to lossless data compression. 

What else should you receive from your designer?

There are many file types out there past this list of common file types. Before you begin work with a designer on your brand, make sure that you are at least getting the files above in the deliverables. Your designer should also give you a brand guide to explain each file type and where you should be using them.

What if you don’t have these logo file types?

If you find that you are missing any of these logo file types, especially a vector based file, reach out and we’ll talk about how we can create a full brand with ALL files that you will ever need!