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I'm a fine artist, new to Adobe Illustrator. I'm in the process of designing a logo for a company using Illustrator. What type of file should I send them when all is completed, so they can use this logo in whatever way they choose?

I know Photoshop fairly well, but Illustrator is brand new to me. Slowly educating myself via Adobe's tutorials, but need to get this project done soon.

THANK YOU in advance for your help!

Also, and this is from my experience with PS, do I need to flatten layers in Illustrator before sending this to client? Please pardon my lack of Illustrator knowledge, I'm working on it! :)

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    Is it possible to ask the client what he prefers as a format? Mar 28, 2014 at 17:04

4 Answers 4

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I'd send them some combo of:

  • EPS (the 'traditional' format. Most useful for printing)
  • PDF (the 'replacement' for EPS)
  • SVG (open source vector file format)
  • PNG (raster based image--useful for web)
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    Good list with one exception: Leave the EPS out. With a vector PDF there's no need for it. Mar 28, 2014 at 21:42
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    No dont leave EPS out, MS Word, Latex and linux users will have much less hastle with EPS. There is really no reason not to give EPS.
    – joojaa
    Mar 29, 2014 at 5:57
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EDIT: I have just learned from @AlanGilbertson in this thread What unique benefits does the EPS format provide?

..that eps has limited uses, and in general that pdf is the way to go.


If the client does not have any preferences; a good practice would be to give them an .eps and a pdf and an svg file in addition to jpg/png in different sizes. If you also are making a black/white logo, do the same with that.

I personally see no use in gifs anymore.

Oh. And if they actually have Illustrator, I would certainly give them an ai too.

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    EPS is not entirely pointless. Alan is correct for print, but there are many reasons one should still provide an EPS -- embroidery, laser cutting, vinyl cutting, and many other industries still use equipment only capable of using EPS files. And even then, sometimes only Illustrator 8 EPS files. If providing a logo an EPS is, in my opinion, still a mandatory format to include. And if you can't flatten the art for EPS... it's not a solid logo to begin with.
    – Scott
    Mar 29, 2014 at 7:55
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    In my experience over the last few years, it's extraordinarily rare to run into a provider who requires EPS. The only two I've encountered since around 2005 were both small mom and pop signage/screen print places with old equipment. When I send to professional NC engravers and laser cutting shops or large signage firms it's always PDF, Illustrator 10 or AutoCAD files. Mar 29, 2014 at 16:59
  • There seems to be several answers recommending JPG. This seems like a poor choice of format for a logo. Can you explain the reason?
    – JBentley
    Mar 30, 2014 at 4:09
  • i think its easy to live in a buble where eps is not used. But its still good to have for most clients. Technically no production shop would need autocad files if they ask they could probably open a wider range of files than you can produce. The just dont know this. Same thing here. Same gies for jpeg.
    – joojaa
    Mar 30, 2014 at 6:24
  • Really grateful for all your comments and answers. Have learned so much by just reading the back and forth on this thread! Many thanks.
    – HVitae
    Mar 31, 2014 at 15:46
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I would say that you should always save and AI file as the primary source file and an EPS file as a universally editable format. These are ideal for printing, however for other uses you will need to produce a JPEG, PNG and possibly a TIFF.

  • AI, primary source file, use multiple artboards for variants
  • EPS, universal format for programs aside from Illustrator and other Versions
  • JPG print
  • PNG web format
  • SVG web format for responsive design
  • TIFF uncompressed print format
  • PDF print format

I have additional helpful information in this video. Why Logo Designers Use Adobe Illustrator

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  • JPG for a logo?
    – JBentley
    Mar 30, 2014 at 2:40
  • @JBentley Clients often expect a jpg. I provide one just for that reason, even though thy could easily create a JPG from any of the other formats.
    – Scott
    Mar 30, 2014 at 15:55
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Under 'File', save as, .AI - Save 

Illustrator gives you the option to change the Version, to which you will save the .AI file as.

As Bart stated, Is it possible to ask the client what format he/she prefers?

Version compatibility is a concern for layout rendering, editing features and certain attributes. Client version compatibility should be your guideline.

As far as exporting into other formats, you could give the client a few different logo formats and alternate color schemes. You can choose from:

  • .ai (illustrator native)
  • .png (web, transparency)
  • .gif (web optional)
  • .jpg (social media)
  • .pdf (vector + raster, high res, print)
  • .pdf (low res, proofs)
  • .svg (scalable vector)
  • .eps (printing vector)

It really depends on the needs of the client. You should discuss with your client and ascertain their needs more fully. At a minimum, you should provide the logo to your client in the following file formats:

.ai, .png, .jpg, .svg, .pdf
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  • I'd say actually .svg and .eps rank higher than .ai and should almost always minimally be included. Mar 28, 2014 at 20:44
  • I'd say if client gives no preference for file format instructions, they probably won't know how to utilize either .eps or .svg but the .ai always provides that export option for anyone needing those formats later.
    – Joshua34
    Mar 28, 2014 at 20:46
  • Also Illustrator produces great print ready .pdf files, .eps bloated file size is typically unnecessary for a logo.
    – Joshua34
    Mar 28, 2014 at 20:52
  • I think you're missing the point. The eps is an exchange format that can be opened by various programs in the suite (you don't need Illustrator), is backwards compatible, and is essentially a simplified version for post script printers. You'd have a better argument if you said that .pdf was making .eps obsolete-- .svg is open source and you don't need Adobe products to open it, I don't understand how an .ai file which is limited in its program scope is better than those two options are, other then the aforementioned slightly bloated file size. Mar 28, 2014 at 22:06
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    I agree with Adam. EPS is still an almost mandatory format for logotypes. Dont' get tunnel vision and assume client swill always be dealign with reproduction methods which allow a PDF workflow. There are a ton of them out there which do not.
    – Scott
    Mar 29, 2014 at 7:57

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