Logo Preparation
'Do It Yourself' or We Can Do It For You!
If You 'Do It Yourself':
From a Graphic File:
1. We highly recommend you begin with your logo in a
vector-based format such as Adobe Illustrator; .ai and .eps are
both acceptable. If you had your logo designed by a graphic
designer, they should be able to provide you with a copy of your
logo in this format.
2. In your photo editing software, open the logo. If you are
prompted to enter a size, do it now. If you don't like the result,
close the file and reopen, entering a new size.
3. Sizing logos: on the web, smaller is often better.
4. Save your logo as a .gif.
Scanning:
This method will not produce the same sharp results as above,
but may be practical in a pinch.
1. Start with a good quality print of your logo, This could be
from a letterhead or brochure, or a stat. Logos printed on smooth
white paper will give better results. Logos on business cards are
often too small to give you a good quality scan.
2. Scan your logo with the photo editing program of your
choice.
3. Size your logo to no more than 225 pixels in either
direction (recommended average picture sizes are in the 150 x 175 to 175 x
225 range). If you logo is long skinny, you may want to go up to
325 pixels in the long direction.
4. Save your file: Generally speaking, logos and other graphics
(charts, drawings, illustrations) are best saved as .gif's. You
can keep the file size of your logo small (and therefore
faster-loading) by reducing the number of colors in that file.
When saving, experiment with how many colors are used in the final
file. If your logo is flat red and blue, try saving at 8 to 16
colors.
Tips for Fast Downloads:
Small picture files are extremely helpful in keeping the
download time of your web fast. Sizing your photos at 72-100
pixels at a pixel size of 150 x 175 to 175 x 225 is a good start,
but there is more you can do! Choosing your photos: Photos with a
simple subject and a simple color range tend to be a 'smaller' in
terms of file weight. As an example, a head shot photo of a person
in plain shirt will be a 'smaller' file than if the person has on
a flowered or plaid shirt. If you are shooting your own photos,
set up shots with simple backgrounds and a minimum of foreground
clutter.
How Can I Tell What the File Size is on My Logo?
Why does My Logo Look so Fuzzy?
What's the Difference Between a .jpg and a .gif?
Why do I Have to Save My Logo As .gif?
Or We can Do It for You:
Does all this sound like more than you want to do right now?
Our charge for editing logos and graphics is $75 an hour; our
speedy technicians can prepare 4-6 images per hour at this price
and load them into your website. We highly recommend you send your
logo in a vector-based format such as Adobe Illustrator; .ai and .eps
are both acceptable. The size does not have to be large. Include
Pantone colors where appropriate. Do NOT send Photoshop formats,
such as .gif or .jpg for logos; these formats are for photos only.
Send by email attachment to changes@electricstores.com, or send
all graphics on a floppy disc, ZIP disk or CD to our office via
snail mail. Include a SASE if your would like the files returned
to you.
Contact us if you have
any questions about logo preparation
