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A is for acronym

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OK, so we’ve discussed the two file formats — raster and vector — but now what? A look inside the logo folder you’ve probably downloaded shows three different file types: tiff, jpg, and png. Which one should you use? Are they interchangeable? Can I take the logo from my website and use it on a brochure? 

Let’s start with some very general guidelines: if the file is going to be used online, use a jpg, png or gif; if the file is going to be printed, use a tiff or an eps.

But what’s the deal with each of these formats? Is one better than the other? They all have their own pros and cons and were created for specific, yet different, purposes. Here’s a quick overview of the most common file types you’re likely to encounter:

  • When you take a picture with your digital camera, the original file format is most likely going to be something called RAW. RAW files get their name because they’re not processed and aren’t ready to be printed or edited. They need to be converted into another format before they can be used. Think of them as the digital version of negatives.
  • The most common digital image format for saving a RAW file is the JPG, or Joint Photographic Expert Group. Nearly every digital camera can save images in the JPEG format, making it a popular choice. The important thing to know about this format is that it applies a lossy compression technique to the image, which means that a lot of information from the original image gets lost in order to make the file smaller. Since the information gets lost, some degree of quality also gets lost. Colors aren’t as vibrant, lines are less defined, and the image may look grainy or pixelated. A JPEG image also suffers from continued degradation when it’s repeatedly edited and saved. This means that if you take an original image and save it as a JPEG, the image will lose some data while it’s being compressed and saved. If you open that image again to make an edit and save it again, the file will lose additional data. This will happen each time you open and save the image. However, JPEGs aren’t all bad. With less information to store the file sizes are typically smaller, making them ideal for use on websites. 
  • If your image has a lot of text, large blocks of color, or is made up of simple shapes you should save it as a PNG. PNG, or Portable Network Graphic, was created to replace the GIF, and is the most used lossless image compression format used online today. Lossless compression means that while the image is being made smaller there’s no impact on the resolution or quality of the image. PNG images aren’t always ideal for final photographs, though, since some programs don’t handle them correctly, which can cause the images to be displayed darker than they should be, but they do support transparency and can easily be used on a color background.
  • GIF, or Graphics Interchange Format, files are still fairly popular web image formats because the image size is relatively small compared to other image compression types. GIF compresses the image by limiting its palette to just 256 colors. This format is perfect for images that contain simple shapes and have few colors, but a full color image might lose a huge chunk of its color data and might not look quite right. GIF files also support transparency, but since the pixels that make up the file can only be either 100% transparent or 100% opaque, you can’t apply effects like drop shadows to them. GIF files can also be used to create small, simple animations.
  • TIFF stands for Tagged Image File Format and is the standard in the printing and publishing industry. The TIFF file format is used to store very large, high quality images, and can be either compressed or uncompressed. Compression in a TIFF does not affect the quality of the image, making it a great format for archiving images you may want to edit in the future.
  • EPS, or Encapsulated PostScript, is a standard graphics file format that contains any combination of text, graphics, and images. It’s perfect for creating drawings like logos or maps. EPS files are mainly used by graphic designers who have special applications capable of creating and manipulating these types of files. EPS files have two main advantages that make them appealing. First, you can break apart an EPS file and just use certain pieces of it without having to recreate anything. Second, text and graphics created as EPS files can be scalable to any size without losing any quality.

Bottom line: there’s no one universal image format that’s best for all scenarios. Each file format has advantages and disadvantages. Deciding which format to use might require some trial and error experimentation on your part. If you have access to it, Adobe Photoshop has a great feature called ‘Save for Web,’ which allows you to select the desired output format and see what the results will be. If you don’t have that option, you can’t really go wrong by saving your web photos as JPEGS, your animations as GIFs, your buttons or icons as PNGs, and your photos for print as TIFFs.

My next post will cover the difference between CMYK and RGB and why it matters to you. In the meantime, have a happy Thanksgiving!

What’s in a name?

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If you’ve been to our website to download the logo files, you’ve probably noticed that there are quite a few different formats in the folder you unzipped. What are they? Which one do you use? Ahhhh! It’s so confusing! Well, have no fear because I’m going to explain what each file is and when you should use it. But, first, let’s start with the two basic graphic file formats: raster and vector.

Raster graphics – or things like jpeg, tiff, gif, psd, bmp, and png – are made up of millions of tiny squares (or pixels) of color information, and are typically photographic in nature. The preferred program for creating and editing raster graphics? Adobe Photoshop. The nice thing about these kinds of files is that if you’re really a perfectionist you can literally edit them down to the individual pixel level. Pimple on a chin? Gone! Tiny crows feet? Banished forever! Whiter teeth can be had without a single trip to the dentist. There’s a downside, though: these files become pixelated or blurry when you try to make them larger than their original size. This is because there’s a exact number of pixels in each image, and when you try to make the image larger the computer has to guess what those new pixels might look like. Computers are pretty smart and can get pretty close, but the more pixels they have to “create” the fuzzier the image gets. Raster files can also be pretty large. A typical 1″ x 1″ photo at a print resolution of 300 dpi (we’ll discuss what this means in a future post) will have 300 individual dots of color to remember. Imagine what happens when you get a really big photo! A typical poster is 18″ x 24,” so let’s do some quick math … 18 x 24 x 300 = 129,600 individual dots of color! You’re probably not going to want to email that to your friend or post it on your website.

Vector graphics use mathematical formulas to create their shapes. Popular vector format file extensions include eps, ai, and pdf, and the most common program used to create them is Adobe Illustrator. Vector files consist of points, lines, and curves that can be scaled up or down as much as needed without losing any image quality. Where the computer guesses colors of new pixels to enlarge raster images, vector images use the original mathematic equation to create a consistent shape each and every time. Vector files are typically smaller in size, too, since they aren’t comprised of individual pixels. A typical 1″ x 1″ vector square at 300 dpi requires only 4 points to make, whereas the raster format would require 300 pixels. Need to take your tiny logo and put it on a giant billboard? If it’s a vector file, it can be enlarged 1000% and your audience will be still able to see who you are from miles away. You can also open up a vector file and easily make modifications to it over and over again since it isn’t a flattened image. This comes in really handy when you need to change the color of one part of your file without impacting the rest of the image.

So, to quickly recap:
Raster = photographs = great details and color, but you can’t enlarge them without getting blurry results.
Vector = fonts/logos/illustrations = ability to enlarge without losing quality.

In my next post we’ll discuss the individual file types. When should you use a jpg? What’s a tiff file used for? We’ll explain! Someone sent you an eps file and you don’t know what to do with it? I can help!

Make sure you follow me on twitter so you never miss one of my posts. I also tweet valuable information you might not see covered here.

Have a question about a project you’re working on, or about the brand? Email me! I’m here to help.

What’s it all about, Alfie?

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By now you should be aware that the university has established a new brand identity, and if you’re not – hey, the university has a new brand identity! But what does that mean? And why is this happening when everything was going so smoothly?

Well, first of all, let’s discuss what a brand is. A brand is more than a logo or a symbol. Simply stated, a brand is how an organization is perceived on all fronts. A brand is about the entire experience – from the logo to the website, from social media posts to the way someone answers their phone. Even the way an employee interacts with people outside the organization is a representation of the brand.

Branding differentiates you from your competitors. It gives your audience or customers a reason to choose you. A consistent, easy-to-recognize brand helps people feel more comfortable with you. And that’s critically important in today’s global market. The Ohio State University and all of its entities compete nationally for funding dollars and for students. How do we set ourselves apart? Why should a student choose us? Why should we get funding for our projects?

Because we work here or attend classes here, we see the university differently. Of course we know who we are. We’re Buckeyes! But outside our direct circle, and certainly outside the state, Ohio State isn’t that well known. At least, not off the football field. A consistent brand will help tell the world who we are, and why we deserve to be on the academic national stage.

While it might seem like it’s going to be a lot of work, our team in Communications is dedicated to helping you through the branding process. We’ve got many helpful resources, including a website where you’ll find a variety of templates that are easy to use. You are not required to use the templates, they’re simply there to show you how you might apply the brand to your communications piece.

I’ll also be adding to this blog on a regular basis. I’ll cover some basic topics related to both the brand and to design, and hope to have some case studies to share along the way. And I’m always happy to answer questions your might have, so please send me an email.

So that’s it in a Buckeye nutshell. Have a super weekend. O-H!