Image Formats

When working with you on a project, designers may ask you for your logo or other graphics in one of the many image formats out there. What do they mean, and why does it matter which format we use for your particular application? Here's a brief tip to help sort through the different file types.

.BMP
These are native Microsoft Windows image files. While not usually used in the design industry, they may be of sufficient quality if their dimensions are large enough.

.EPS, .AI
These are "vector" images, typically used for logos. A vector image is not like a photograph, but rather a drawing. These are a designer's dream, because they can be scaled infinitely without losing any quality. They actually consist of shapes which can be accurately redrawn by computers at any size that's needed. One caution: it is possible to place a .JPG, .TIF, or other file within an .EPS or .AI file – that does not allow the inserted artwork to be resized with the same quality.

.GIF, .PNG
These file formats are typically used for small, low resolution graphics such as on a web page. They're small files, so they download quickly. .GIF images don't allow for as many colors as .PNG or other images, so they may look "grainy" when they can't match a color exactly. .PNG files allow for more color, but are not used very frequently.

.JPG
This is the most popular format for images on the web. They can also be used for print work if they're large enough; for instance, many digital cameras save their picture files as .JPG images. .JPG files used on web pages are far too small to be used on most video or print work - check with your designer to be sure.

.PDF
Adobe Acrobat files ("PDFs") can be a combination of vector art, text, and imagery such as .JPG or other picture files. In many cases, these files can be edited in our design software; in others they are not. If you have a PDF with your graphic in it, we can try to extract it in a format we can use for your project.

.PSD
These are Adobe Photoshop® files, and can be saved in layers so they may be edited later. They can be very high quality, and are still subject to the same dimension requirements of the above image formats. Layered PSD files are often helpful for designers or video animators who are going to use elements of your logo for design or animation purposes.

.TIF
These files have better quality than a .GIF, .JPG, or .PNG, but they also have to be very large in order to be useful for print work, such as a brochure or banner.

As you can see, there are a lot of possibilities out there, and they can get to be quite confusing. We can help you sort through the different requirements based on your project and preserve the best quality in your graphics.

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