


We often use PDFs when showing logo drafts because just about any device still running in 2017 can read a PDF. But it’s become a popular way to transfer logos due to its vector format and transparency.
BEST IMAGE FORMAT FOR WEB DEV PDF
PDFĪs the full name implies, Adobe didn’t develop the PDF as an image file format. With a PNG for digital applications and an EPS for print, you can do anything you’d ever need to with your brand’s logo. We do a little office jig when a client has an EPS of their logo because it keeps the logo file from dictating the layout of the print piece due to its size and background. Developed by Adobe in the mid-1980s, it’s transparent, scalable, and editable if you have the right software. EPSĮPS is our favorite logo file format for print.

PNG also doesn’t support color spaces for print. That said, PNGs are raster files so you’ll see pixels if you try to increase the image size. (Sounds like a logo to me.) The transparency is infinitely useful in web applications and the lossless data compression results in cleaner, sharper images. While it typically has a larger file size than a JPG, it can compress further when storing images containing text, line art, and areas of solid color. PNG was developed to avoid a lawsuit regarding the licensing of GIF technology back in 1994. JPGs are useful when a small file size is crucial, like in your email signature. You shouldn’t try to edit a JPG because you’ll lose quality every time you decompress and recompress the file. It was designed by photographers for use with photographs and photo-like images, so it works best for images with smooth transitions between colors. As a lossy compression format it’s a poor choice for graphics with sharp contrast between pixels. The jpg, or jpeg, is arguably the most commonly used image file format. It’s just the universally accepted way to display something that is by definition see through. No one’s suggesting you use a crazy gingham backdrop for your logo. Sometimes, transparency is shown with gray and white checks. This is super useful when you want to put your logo on a background color other than pure white.

Some image files support transparency, specifically transparent backgrounds. You can increase and decrease the image size without it getting pixelated. On the other hand, vector graphics are scalable. They aren’t scalable, meaning as you increase the image size you’ll start to see the individual pixels. Raster graphics or rasterized image files are “flat” files. vector graphicsīefore we dive in to the file formats let’s clear up a few common terms regarding image files. What’s vector format? Do you have that? Should you just send the same file you sent to your web developer? Keep reading (or jump to the infographic at the bottom) to understand the most common logo file formats and their uses. You have a Dropbox full of logo files and your shirt printer wants to know if you have one in vector format. Which logo file format do you need? Find your answer here as we explain JPG, PNG, EPS, PDF, AI, and other logo file formats.
