Make AI file size smaller without rasterizing

[charlotten86139972]

Hi,

I'm not sure how to save a smaller file size in AI, and this is stopping me from getting all my work on one page without crashing!

The only things I know about reducing file size is to have RGB colour setting or to export the artwork into a PDF etc. But I want to keep it as an AI file and keep my vectors editable, I don't want to flatten or rasterise my file.

i am currently designing a womenswear collection that needs to be 25 top designs (Mostly plain colour but there is some print swatches too).

I have just designed three printed tops and the file size has saved at 135 mb... Some of the prints are still vectors and some of them are rasterized images, if this makes a difference? :S

My colleagues file has 25 top designs and her file size is 25mb...

How has she done that? Is there a magical setting for save options?

Please help

[Monika Gause]

It all depends on what exactly is in those files.

Are all your embedded images scaled down to just the size and resolution you need?

Above all this applies to the patterns

What's in those patterns? Lots of paths?

Are all paths optimized to just the number of points you need?

We will need to see those files. Or at least a screenshot, but we would need to know image resolution, number of points, how your patterns are designed etc etc

[charlotten86139972]

Hi Monika,

Please see a screen shot of my work.

Paths wise these shapes basic shapes drawn with pen tool. there is some clipping masks for the ribbed areas ie collar and cuffs.

The crystal lamb shape i think is a symbol as is the back neck tape, I didn't make these but don't know how to check their file size either.

The pattern swatches used are mostly jpegs and one PNG file, none of them are paths. they have all been all been rasterized to 150 ppi. I am not sure what their file size were before I dropped them into the illustrator file, maybe I should have resized the file before dropping into illustrator?

Looking at the saved swatch file, it is 21.2 MB.. This is only containing 5 colour swatches and the 5 pattern swatches.. thats quite a big file for so little isn't it? 😕

My colleagues file has about 100 swatches in her swatch panel and still her file size is smaller than mine

[charlotten86139972]

Please see screenshot of my colleagues file in comparison . Theres so much more in here, but the file size is so much less than mine

[Luke Jennings]

Have you tried File> Save as? This can remove the file history, which may reduce the size.

You can save a copy of your file, and your colleague's file as PDFs, them open them in Acrobat and go to File> Save as other> Optimized PDF, and click on Audit space usage, that will give you a list of the PDF contents and sizes. Comparing the two PDFs should give you some insight about the difference in file size.

If your raster images are reduced in size, the effective resolution may be much higher than necessary, which would result in increased file size. Generally, the raster elements will increase the file size more than the vector elements.

You can reduce the effective raster resolution in the PDF copy when you optimize it in Acrobat, or re-size the raster images in Photoshop and re-link them to your illustrator file, to produce a smaller PDF.

[charlotten86139972]

ah ok, Ive never used audit space before. Will give that a shot, thanks

[charlotten86139972]

Also! this is slightly off topic, but I have in the past saved illustrator files as PDF with " illustrator editing capabilities" option ticked..

But i wondered if saving as this PDF still limits the artworks abilities in some way? Ie some kind of data loss, colour changes, or turns all paths into compound paths, etc..?

[Monika Gause]

Please watch this about AI and PDF files:

Mysterious things Illustrator does - Saving files on Vimeo

[Eid Medhat]

Hi .. please check you original jpegs and PNGs file size on Photoshop first and resize all to fit your pattern size usage.

because you can't make a pattern images unless you Embed them before , and thats cause the big size files.

[jane-e]

I can think of a couple of things to check, since you are comparing your file to your colleague's.

1. Are your images linked or embedded? Are her's linked or embedded? If the images are embedded, the file will be larger. If they are linked, the file will be smaller, but the links will be broken if the Illustrator file is sent by itself.
   
   
2. From the panel menus for Swatches, Symbols, Styles, and Brushes, first select unused, then delete any that are unused.