Leggo My Logo

If you have just finished working with your designer to complete the first major step in developing your brand identity, you will be moving to the next steps of applying that logo to various media forms. Whether or not you work with that same designer to develop your Web site/blog, stationary, and/or advertising, your designer should also provide you with the actual completed files of your logo.

Why do I say files and not simply one file? Not all file formats are created equal. More specifically, they are not all used for the same purpose. A JPG, GIF or PNG file might be desirable for on-screen usage, but these types of files are not your best options for printing.

So, what kind of logo file(s) will you need for printing?
Again, not one type of file format covers every purpose under the sun. A high-resolution TIFF file is a great option for printing if you want to print from a raster image file.

What is a raster image file?
A raster image is constructed by pixels -- those tiny little squares you see if you zoom in on an image. A TIFF file serves many printing purposes, but still, there are other essential files to request.

When Tekeme Studios works with a client to develop a logo, we provide the client with a variety of files according to their needs. But there is one file that we recommend for everyone to obtain. The kind of image is called a vector-based image.

What is a vector image?
A vector image should be -- in most cases for logo development -- a master file of sorts. A logo can technically be created in a plethora of programs, but we suggest that a logo be made through a vector-based program like Adobe Illustrator. A vector image is an image that is not constructed by pixels, rather by lines. These images can be scaled up or down to any size and retain their appearance.

When asking for a vector master file, you will ask for an AI file (Adobe Illustrator File), an Illustrator EPS, and for a compressed file into a PDF. It should be noted that most people in the world, unless they own the proper program, will not be able to open and use an AI or EPS file. However, these remain important.

Why do you need them if you can't use them?
Well, in the future you may want to use a different designer or perhaps you will want a sign created. Or maybe a T-Shirt screen printed. All of these businesses will be happy if you provide them with the correct files. Note: if you use Microsoft programs such as Word, you can receive a vector-based version of your logo placed into Word. Word has the capacity to utilize a vector image, and the upside is that you will have a logo you can scale to any size for use in your documents.

If you have any other questions about logo design or the files needed, please contact us!