Logo Pack - What should I include?

[Monkeytail]

I created the logo in Illustrator

[PanToshi]

Originally Posted by Monkeytail

.ai ( one file containing color & b&w logo)
.eps ( one file containing color & b&w logo)

Make the black and white and the color versions separate files. Provide color versions in spot and process, all saved separately.

Don't forget to include a style guide.

[Cosmo]

Originally Posted by Monkeytail

Thanks so much for this, so so helpful.

I'm going to include the following:

.ai ( one file containing color & b&w logo)
.eps ( one file containing color & b&w logo)
.jpg (large logo, 300 dpi)
.png (large logo, 72 dpi)
.pdf (with vector editing capabilities)

I usually only save files as .png if I need a transparent background, however the logo I designed has a background color. Would you still save it as a .png? I don't know much about web design, why is .png preferred over .jpg?

The logo has a background color?

[Monkeytail]

Yes, the logo is centered on an orange background.

[skribe]

First:
To understand the who pdf/x thing here is an excellent reference. I send this link to clients all the time. http://www.globalgraphics.com/technology/pdfx/

Second:

....jpg large logo, 300dpi, png large logo 72dpi.....

You would do well to learn more about dpi. So many people do not understand how dpi / resolution works. A 100px x 100px image at 72dpi is exactly the same as 100 x 100px at 300dpi. In reality what is most important is pixel dimensions. In fact there is not such a thing as a 72 dpi PNG. PNGs do not preserve any dpi data.

Here are a couple of good links about the "DPI Myth"
http://www.webdesignerdepot.com/2010...e-myth-of-dpi/
http://www.rideau-info.com/photos/mythdpi.html

Third:
When I am designing graphics for the web where it is the client that will be putting them on the site, I usually tell them, "Please give me the actual pixel dimensions you need, and I will create them for you." Why? Because too many times I provide a high res raster image, and they either put it on the site directly, and just use the html to scale it, or they resize it in a image editor, and it comes out looking awful.

If they say they are using Photoshop, I often tell them I will send them a pdf file that can be opened in Photoshop. Then I just provide them with a pdf/x with the layers named, so that layers are preserved in photoshop if necessary. (like if the graphic has a shadow layer). Why? Because when they import the pdf into photoshop, they have to choose the dimensions that it will be rasterized at. Instruct them to open it at the exact dimensions they need for their web graphics. After it is imported in this way it is good to tell them usually sharpening the image slightly may be necessary.

Any way I started doing all the above, when jpgs and pngs ended up on websites looking terrible. The clients would blame me, or other people would ask them, "Who made those graphics for you? They look terrible!" Providing them with such a pdf with instructions, in my opinion, is the least trouble free method.

[Monkeytail]

Thanks skribe!

The pdf/x link seems to be broken. I'm a bit confused about saving as a pdf/x. What setting do I use? In illustrator I currently have options to save as pdf/x 1, pdf/x 3, pdf/x 4. Any suggestions??

[PrintDriver]

You can't save your logo from potential client misuse. Even designers don't read those nicely written pdfs (or spec sheets for that matter).
One would think the web designer would know how to deal with a logo that comes in a vector format, that a person would have enough brain cells to recognize that if a logo looks great before they 'did something to it' it's probably their own fault it looks like crap after the fact, and that a person building a website would want the best look possible.
Ah well, one could dream I suppose.

Skribe that first article on web image sizes is very good. Nice find.

[skribe]

Sorry I don't know what happened to that first link. http://www.globalgraphics.com/technology/pdfx/ This will explain what you are asking about.

1. pdf/x-1a spec only allows for cmyk or spot colors. (Its restrictive on purpose)

2. pdf/x-3 allows for other color models like lab and rgb.

3. pdf/x-4 allows all the above but also supports saving layer info.

Note: The document at the link I give says x-1a and x-3 don't support transparency. Don't let this confuse you. It does not apply to vector graphics. This is only for raster/bitmap graphics that have alpha channel transparency like png's for example. If you have a png with transparency that you want to put into a pdf/x use type 4.

[Monkeytail]

Thanks for all the help. I think I'm going to include the following:

high res jpg
.ai
.eps
rgb .png
cmyk .png

I don't think I'll include a PDF.

[Buda]

You should include a pdf.

Most clients cannot open ai or eps files which means they are limited to viewing the jpg and png files only, neither of which are suitable for print.