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Known Participant
January 28, 2018
Question

How to save a new created logo as a vector (resizable) and transparant?

  • January 28, 2018
  • 4 replies
  • 12244 views

Hello,

I am new to Illustrator and I made a logo for a friend of mine. She is going to continue using it, but I need to save it without a white background and that is also resizable afterwards. Like a vector. How do I do that? I can not find an answer that shows me how to do it.

I use the lastest version of CC and as I said, I am new to it so I probably need a clear explanation or a how-to

Thanks in advance!!

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4 replies

Inspiring
January 29, 2018

Before computer, a designer would, after getting approval on conceptuals, create one final artwork.  That artwork would have an overlay that marked up color(s) so they could be communicated to a print vendor.  That artwork remained the property of the designer ( owner of the copyrights ).  This allowed for any future work to be retained by the originator, something like a stationery package, signage, vehicle graphics, packaging, etc.  Contrast that with handing-off a digital file to the "client".  Pretty soon you begin to see that artwork "distorted" by trying to make it fit a Quickbooks form or a Word document.  You quickly begin to realize why designers exist in the first place.

ceyhun_akgun
Legend
January 29, 2018

You can save the finished work to EPS, PDF. When recording EPS, background is asking for transparent information.

EPS, PDF, AI can be opened and edited by different programs.

Graphic Designer Educator / PrePress Consultant
Inspiring
January 28, 2018

Since you are just starting out using Illustrator, you may or may not be familiar with setting up a Branding Guide.  Not known what your friend needs a logo for, but you could do a little reading on the subject.  You simply cannot create just one version of the logo anymore.  You have print media and you have social media.  One completely different from the other.  For instance, you should have deterrmined colors by now.  You should create 1.) a spot color file; 2.) a process color file; and 3.) an RGB web based file.  Do not forget to create a Black-and-White version as well.  Your print media files will be vector.  Your web based files will be RGB bitmap files ( unless you save-for-web a vector GIF file, but that is being phased out ).

Martine95Author
Known Participant
January 28, 2018

Hi, no I am not familiar with Branding Guide. She is a professional musician and would like to use the logo on mainly printed media. Cards and invoices, for now. Web/social-media will be later. It is also plain back, no other colours involved. It is already black and white. How do I save it as vector? It should be an image for her to use, resizable and transparent.

Monika Gause
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 28, 2018

Martine95  schrieb

It should be an image for her to use, resizable and transparent.

How will she create all that media?

Will she do it herself or contract someone else with it?

If she does it herself, what kind of software does she have?

In order to check if it is transparent, please select View > Transparency grid. If there are checkerboards all around then your logo is transparent and you can just go on and save it to the various file formats.

Usually you save an AI file, a PDF file, an EPS file (this is an outdated format and should only be the last resort when no other format works, most modern software should work perfectly with the PDF). PDF files can be placed in a layout app and then scaled - provided that there is really only vector content in them. So it's important that you didn't use raster based effects, such as a drop shadow.

pixxxelschubser
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 28, 2018

Hi Martine95,

does your friend also have Illustrator? Or other programms which can handle with AI-files?

If not, perhaps it is better to save as your file as PDF-file.

Martine95Author
Known Participant
January 28, 2018

Hi, no she does not have any programs that are able to work with the AI-files. If I save it as a PDF, it wont be an image she can work with, right? And then the white background will be kept, right? (I don't know). It should be an image, transparent and resizable. As I responded to Bill Silbert , is that even possible? Or does it sound to easy in my head, but it actually is not?

Bill Silbert
Community Expert
Community Expert
January 28, 2018

If you created it in Illustrator and saved it as an Adobe Illustrator (ai) file then the file is vector which means that it can be used at any size without regard for resolution. As long as you have not physically added a white background to the logo it will show clear when placed against a background when saved in this format. Do not export it as a .png or .jpeg as they are raster formats which will be resolution dependent. The png should retain background transparency but the jpeg will not.

Martine95Author
Known Participant
January 28, 2018

Thank you! She is a professional musician and she would like to use the logo on her cards, invoices and other printed media mainly. Social media and Web will be for later, not now at least. If I save it as a ai file then she still can not use it, right? It needs to be an image, transparent en resizable. Is that even possible?