Have you heard about these pesky files called vector graphics that people like printers really would like you to have for a logo? Do you not have one and want to have one? Are you completely baffled when people start talking about .ai files and stare at them with your mouth open and a blank stare in your eyes?
Well, my friend, you have stumbled on the right blog, because I’m going to try to explain it to you.
Most of us are used to hearing the word pixel by now. It’s a little square of color. If you break down a digital image into small enough chunks, you are going to see the little pixels of colors. A .jpg file is made up of pixels, as are .png files. These files can have lots of detail in them. That’s why photographs are made into these kinds of files. Unfortunately, once they get blown up into larger formats, you can see the little squares, and they don’t look so great anymore. We’ve all seen how ugly a .jpg can look when it is blown up too large for it’s level of resolution. These files are also called raster files.
The other type of file is called vector, which can be these .ai files, which stand for Adobe Illustrator files. There are also .svg files which stand for scalable vector graphics. Vector files can be enlarged, and unlike raster files, they will not lose their definition. These files use math to draw their shapes (lines, points, curves), so they scale and adjust, and they don’t lose their preciseness as do the raster graphics. What they do lose in this is detail. For that reason, they are perfect for simple designs, such as logos.
So, why would you want a vector design for a logo? Well, think about this. You may want your logo to be blown up and put on the side of a building or on a billboard, or even on a very large banner. With a raster file, that is going to be a problem. It’s going to get all jaggy and ugly. With a vector file, it will be as smooth as the little tiny file that you start with. No matter what size you make, it will always look the same.
Oh, I almost left off the most important part! How do you get one of these elusive vector files? You have come to the right place! We can do that for you. If you provide us with a .jpg or .png of your logo, we can convert it into an .ai vector file for you. Contact us through the contact form, email us, or give us a call. We will be happy to do that for you.
Note: The image above is only for illustrative purposes. I created it in Adobe Illustrator, but then had to export it as a .png.