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In the graphic design industry there are two ways to identify an image. There are vector images and rasterized images. Each of these types of files differ a great deal in resolution, file size, color and in file formats. The differences also limit what a graphic artist can do to each image without destroying the integrity of the actual image still use it for the purpose that it is intended to be used for.

Vector Images

Resolution is normally NOT depicted by the pixel size of the image but the mathematical size, giving these images a huge advantage when it comes to resizing the image from very small to very large. This gives this versatility to resizing without losing the integrity of the image.

Color is determined by the object itself, and not per pixel giving you the ability to color inside the lines with a line drawing, much like a cartoon artist would by hand.

File sizes in vector images are typically very small in size, which gives a great more versatility and used widely on line for smooth loading of pages.

File formats can include EPS (Encapsulated Post Script), WMF (Windows Media File), AI (Adobe Illustrator), CDR (Corel Draw) and several others that are used in architecture and other none widely used software.

Rasterized Images

Resolution is determined at what level the image was scanned at or what mega-pixel that the picture was taken at.  Smaller images cannot be up scaled without loss of integrity and scaling down images that are large doesn’t necessarily scale down the size of the image.  Most of the images at 300 DPI (Dot’s Per Inch) are used for printing, and normally anything 72 DPI is used for the Internet for smoother browser loads.

Color depth is important and depending on the scanning quality be it 24-bit depth or 256 depth.  At 24-bit it is using colors so close that most of the time you are unable to tell the difference between the scanned and the original copy.  At the 256 color element, there is a significant difference.  Because of this, the scanner uses a process called ‘dithering’ so that it can approximate the color element and use it to soften the color adjustments.

File size is also a much bigger challenge with rasterized images. Each of these images are much larger in memory size for because of the pixelation, color and elements involved.  The reason being is that the software must remember where each color and each pixel is placed in order to reproduce the image as it should be.

File formats can include BMP (Windows Bit Map), TIFF (Tag Interleave Format), JPEG (Joint Photographics Expert Group), GIF (Graphics Interchange Format) , PNG (Portable Network Graphic), PSD (Adobe PhotoShop) and CPT (Corel PhotoPAINT).

By using and having the knowledge of the difference, your graphic artist should be able to manipulate each of these images once they have the right file to fit your needs.  Determining the best image for your project will be just as crucial as determining the best wording for your projects.  A good image gets the right point across in a visual manner that impacts all readers.

A good graphic artist can sit down and explain to you where the differences between graphic design for print and graphic design for web viewing is drastically different from one another.   People outside the industry are never quite sure of what they are, so in order to be able to educate you in that difference, we thought that we would help define the differences for you so that it is more easily understood.

In Print:

• High resolution photos are preferred (300 DPI or higher)  for print, providing a clear image;
• CMYK (short for cyan, magenta, yellow, and key (black)) is the 4 color process in which all printing is done;
• Fonts used are more varied and ultimately more to choose from;
• Digital file formats are predominately built in EPS, AI, PDF and a few other standard file formats for ease of conversion;
• Vector images for logos and other line art is ideal so that distortion and pixelation is kept to a minimum when re-sizing image

In Web:

• Lower resolution images recommended (72 DPI) and sizing kept to smaller pixel sizes;
• RGB (short for red, green and blue) is the 3 color process in which website graphics are generated;
• Font for web design is limited to standard fonts.  Additional fonts that are not embedded into the image itself will revert back to the next best substitution should you want to use a fancy type face through out your website;
• Images file formats are limited to .jpg, .gif, .png saved at a lower quality to save bandwidth;
• Image should be saved at the same size as the final layout size to save on load time.

These are the main and most important differences for graphics used in both areas. If your graphic artist uses your images in printing, they most certainly can be downsized without trouble to be used on a web site, however, increasing the size of a photo that is already small or upgrading the quality normally will distort the image and make it pixelated and fuzzy.

Keep this in mind when you are taking pictures or finding images to use for your site. It will definitely make the image more versatile and usable over different aspects of your projects.

Logo design and development has an extremely important impact on your business identification and marketing elements.  Logo’s that we consistently see on a regular basis, software, soda, clothing and more can sometimes be identified without even seeing the name of the product.  Just seeing the Nike’s swoop from a great distance automatically identifies the company and it’s simple but versatile and can be identified with or without the Nike word next to it. This is what they call an Illustrative Logo.  Just as Nike is a symbol, Coke’s logo is actually a font designed logo, that is not only identifiable, but at the same time, readable. The third type of logo is an Illustrated logo, which is an illustrated version of what you do. An example of that would be Burger King in which the logo is identified as a hamburger.

A good rule of thumb to keep in mind in developing a logo for a new or even established business is that if your font is included in the design that it is readable in all sizes.  From billboard to an address label, it needs to be legible and identifiable.

If using shadow elements, gradients of colors or 3D effects, keep in mind that the more that elements you ad to that, the harder it is to size it and continue to make it a visibly appealing logo.  If too small, giving an option of a flattened and more simplistic image is an option as well, as long as you remain consistent with it’s layout. Offering black and white options can and will be extremely helpful as well.  Faxes and carbon copies of logos that are too complex make the copies and faxes difficult to read or identify.

When you are looking for a logo to be designed, developing for print first is always recommended.  Once you have decided on the layout and color scheme it is much easier to be able to give it the web standards which are not as restrictive.  Color elements, in order to remain consistent should be discussed from a Pantone color number.  Once you have decided on those elements, your graphic artist can convert to a lower resolution image for your website and even give it a more flashy feel should you require it.

Remember when hiring a graphic designer to develop your logo that it is essentially what you see in your minds eye that is important, but they should be able to give you tips, tricks and standards so that your logo is not only effective in printing and publishing but in web design as well.  Keep it simple and then build on that until you have something that you feel represents your company.  Your designer should be able to work with you and ideas to develop the most effective way to visually represent your company.