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I have talked to several other designers and they can't figure it out. I've read multiple forums and have tried everything they recommend to no avail. My client wants the center glow effect as seen. I've taken it apart piece by piece and narrowed it down to confirm it's the glow causing the problem. I've tried creating the glow, I've tried purchasing a vector glow and inserting it - all have the same result.

In Illustrator, it looks perfect. If I export as a PNG, it looks perfect. If I export as an EPS, the white points of the compass become transparent (they should be white) and the center glow has a white color block behind it (it should be have a gradient transparency). I am at a complete loss on what to do. Is it not possible to have a vector image with a glow?

This is what it should look like when on a colored background.

enter image description here

This is what the EPS looks like when on a colored background. (NOTICE the white section of the compass points are now transparent and the white glow has the color block.)

enter image description here

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This may provide an answer although not specific to your file: Why do EPS (vector) file formats require a specified resolution?

Glows, blurs and the like must fade to something. Since an EPS is a flat file format, they fade to white unless there is a colored object behind them, then they fade to that colored object. When you save as EPS, a raster image gets created automatically and a clipping path added to indicate the area of the glow or blur.

In your image, that flare in the middle is converted to an embedded raster image with a clipping path when you save it as an eps.

The big question may be why are you using EPS at all? Unless you've specifically beed asked for an EPS file it is often better to simply use .ai or .pdf which will maintain the transparency without flattening. Of course, if you are a QuarkXpress user EPS may be a valid format for you (lord knows why they haven't sorted that though).

If you have been specifically asked for an EPS and the client is specifically requesting soft-edged objects like glows and blurs, it may benefit you to try and educate the client a bit about what is and is not well-supported in EPS formats, why EPS has become a less-common format and why PDF is customarily better. There are times when clients learn buzzwords and use them because they've become accustomed to them. "EPS" is one such buzzword - they know they want vector, and they know EPS often means vector, so they ask for an EPS. But they probably aren't aware of advances in file formats over the past several years.

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  • That makes sense. Thanks for the explanation! They have specifically requested an EPS file for large format printing they will be having done (signage, etc.). I try to always include the EPS file for my clients so that they have everything they need for any project they will ever use their logo on. Is there a better option I'm not aware of?
    – Kristen
    Apr 23, 2015 at 21:56
  • Well, you might be able to use a radial gradient there. I'm not sure how you configured that flare in the middle. Or if the globe itself is causing the rasterization and flattening. The best option is generally PDF or AI, but with EPS it really comes down to file constructions and some things just aren't easy in EPS form.
    – Scott
    Apr 23, 2015 at 22:13
  • Scott kind of already said this, but in case it wasn't perfectly clear: a PDF file is actually better suited for large format printing (assuming everything is vector) than the EPS file because it does support that transparency without rasterizing it. EPS used to be the vector standard, but there are better options available now. Even if a client of mine specifically asked for an EPS file, I would try have a conversation with them about why they want an EPS, and if there might be better alternatives (such as PDF) to meet their needs.
    – apex
    Apr 24, 2015 at 16:25

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