18 (Corporate Division) FILE FORMATS & USAGE Vector Logos - .ai, .eps and .pdf Raster Logos - .jpg and .png Raster logos are created by a series of pixels, or tiny squares that form the logo or image. Photographs and images online are popular examples of raster images. JPGs and PNGs are raster image file formats and should never be increased in size from their original size. Doing so will cause these logos to appear blurry and pixelated. JPG (or JPEG) JPGs are a common type of raster file found across the web and as art placed into other documents. High resolution JPGs can be used in print applications as long as they are not scaled up. Paying attention to the resolution of a JPG is essential if they are going to printed. However, JPGs used on the web can be low resolution and still retain their image quality. Plus, this type of file will help to keep final file size lower than placing a vector image. PNG PNGs are great for web pages, but are not suitable for print applications. PNGs can be saved with a transparent background, meaning they wont be surrounded by a white box, and thus, can be placed on other colors. JPGs must have some type of background, if even just white. Vector logos are scaleable images best used for print applications. Images that need resizing, down to the size of a penny or as large as a skyscraper, vector images remain visually crisp. AI, EPS, and PDF files are all vector files. Note: A raster file that is saved as a vector file retains its raster properties and should not be resized. AI AI files are reliable file formats for print projects. AIs are created by Adobe Illustrator, a preferred program of graphic designers. As a vector file, AIs are easy to manipulate, remain crisp, and are preferred to retain the integrity of logos. EPS EPS files are similar to AIs, except they are a universal file format (much like PDFs). Many programs can save and use EPS files. PDF PDFs are the most universal file type. They can be viewed from any application, on any computer. As long as a PDF is saved from a vector file, it will retain its vector capabilities. If a PDF is saved from a raster file, it will remain raster. This file format is a great way to share a printable file.