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wøøfie
wøøfie
Inspiring
February 20, 2019
Question

File Size Mystery

  • February 20, 2019
  • 2 replies
  • 357 views

I have a pretty basic Illy file; a shape, some text, some lines. When I save that file, it's around 300 kb on disk. I also have a stock image that's about 5 megs on disk. When I drop it into that same basic Illy file (and do nothing to it) then save it, I get a 45 meg Illy file.

This makes no sense to me. Where is all the extra information / file size coming from?

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Monika GauseCommunity Expert
Community Expert
February 21, 2019

Do you just "drop in" that stock image? Or resize it?

I suspect it's one of those "glow" vector artworks with a lot of effects and blend modes and stuff in it.

Because of file size limits what they do is usually

- make the graphic very small

- set raster effects resolution to 72 ppi or even lower

When you copy that artwork into your file, the raster effects resolution is supposedly 300 ppi. And boom your file is much larger, because of how Illustrator saves files: How Illustrator saves files - YouTube

Jacob Bugge
Community Expert
Jacob BuggeCommunity Expert
Community Expert
February 20, 2019

Dan,

Maybe the stock image is compressed, which would increase the total monstrosity (by uncompressing)?

Anyroad, if you File>Place the image as a linked file and untick the create compatible PDF file option (whereby you will get rid of an embedded double of the image), I believe you are down to something very reasonable.

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