Reducing huge file sizes

[jan_n]

I am making very detailed artwork in Illustrator that ultimately has to be uploaded to a website as a pdf file. This artwork takes ages to save and when converted to pdf format, even at the lowest quality pdf, the files are huge. What is the best way to get the file size down? Turning the files into low res jpegs somewhat defeats the purpose of making detailed vector art in the first place.

The artwork has a lot of repeated elements that could be turned into symbols but I'm told this doesn't fix the problem of huge pdfs.

Thanks for any help.

[sanjaysingh82]

If you are using Illustrator CS5 then while saving to PDF, from save Adobe PDF dialog choose "Smallest file Size" preset from Adobe PDF preset dropdown. it would reduce the size of PDF to a great extent.

Thanks

[jan_n]

Thanks Sanjay. That was the first thing I tried. It hardly made any difference. It reduced a file of 29Mb down to 27Mb. So that's not the answer in this case. The artwork is very detailed and has many small repeated elements. I feel that has something to do with the problem, if that helps. I have the feeling that pdf for is good for reducing the size of raster illustrations but it doesn't seem to have much impact on vector illustrations.

[Scott Falkner]

That certainly is a tremendous file. Did you make sure to keep Include Illustrator Editing Capability UNchecked? Let’s learn what we can about the file. What are the physical dimensions of the artboard(s)? Are there many imported raster images, either linked or embedded? Did any of the vector art come from another application, like CAD or 3D?

[jan_n]

Hi Scott

Thanks for taking an interest.

The artboard is A4 size but the artwork doesn't fill it. It takes up a third to a half of the area. It has no raster elements and it was all done in Illustrator, nothing imported from CAD etc.

It is a very detailed illustration with many repeated elements and many layers - a sort of "Where's Wally" illustration if that helps you visualise it.

I have quite a few of these and I just did an experiment on another one that's 33Mb. This time I did uncheck the illustrator editing capability and managed to get it down to 11Mb which is much better (thank you). I'd prefer if it was even smaller however. Is there any point in my making some of the artwork (repeating elements) into symbols? I could do that but I've been told it doesn't help with the pdf size.

And I have another question. This artwork has to be placed in Adobe InDesign and that InDesign file has to be pdfed as well. So should I place the illustrator file as .ai or as a pdf and if the answer is as a .ai then is there a way of minimising the file size from InDesign? I will of course compress all InDesign raster elements to the max.

Thanks again.

Jan

[Mylenium]

Well, if it's for a website, then why go through all this song and dance? Flatten the file manually, then export a PNG or PDF (which essentially makes it a JPEG in a PDF wrapper). Even a 300dpi file that will still look sharp on home and office printers will be notably smaller than any PDF with vectors retained. I see no problem here nor a conflict of interest of any kind - if it's for a corparate intranet or for selling it commercially, file size does not matter, for the rest of the world using the described solution clearly is good enough.

Mylenium

[jan_n]

Hi Mylenium. I'm not asking for a solution that's different from one "good enough for the rest of the world". I am coming from a place of ignorance about what the rest of the world normally does and that's why I'm asking for help.

I don't fully understand your answer. Are you talking about the illustrator file or the InDesign file when you say "Flatten the file manually, then export a PNG or PDF (which essentially makes it a JPEG in a PDF wrapper)"?

Also, because of the type of artwork it is, it does need to be very sharp to see the detail. This is the type of illustration I'm doing: http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/wetlandinfo/site/ScienceAndResearch/ConceptualModels/Conceptintromore/Lacustrine/NonFloodplainRockLake.html

only my pictures are even more detailed.

The InDesign file will have several of these illustrations as well as text and photographs - in all about 12 A4 pages. The pdf that gets made from the InDesign file will eventually be viewed on the website and also downloadable for desktop printing as a booklet. I need it to be as small as possible while still retaining a crisp look to the illustrations.

Thanks

Jan~n

[Mylenium]

Are you talking about the illustrator file or the InDesign file

Primarily the AI file. Even if you add tons of text in ID, this will not affect file size, since text is handled differently, but other elements do. In your case you are probably seeing a few unfavorable combinations of things like compelx paths that get split up into tiny segments in the PDF as well as possibly gradients being converted into discrete overlapping fill areas/ strips to retain their appearance. that's why your vector-based PDFs get so huge and hence my advise on working with pixel graphics. Print quality really should not be an issue on home printers, as their effective LPI/ DPI is lower than 300DPI/ PPI. The differences compared to vector output should be minor and mostly depend on the printer using a slightly different rasterization method.

Mylenium

[Larry G. Schneider]

Most of that referenced illustration looks like it was done with Symbols from the IAN Symbol Library. Try Googling it.

[jan_n]

Hi Larry

Yes that's true. I am also using IAN symbols as well as creating my own symbols. That doesn't seem to have any bearing on pdf size. Should it? Maybe I'm missing something,

Thanks

Jan~n

[Guest]

Hi jan~n

Please follow this video tutorial and you will see a small thing can reduce the file size easily. It was really helpfull for me.

How to Reduce AI Vector file size: An Adobe illustrator Tutorial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5m3TKrXE3g

What I figured out was that your suggestion for opening a raster image was very good.

My AI file size was not going under 1 MB even by deleting extras so what I did is I opened a raster small image of 100 kb with Adobe Illustrator. then deleted the image and saved the file as AI. Then I Copied the whole vector content of original AI file that was bigger then 1 MB with ctrl+c command and pasted it in the new file created with raste image. and saved it. Wow the new file size is only 137 kb now.

Thanks

[Guest]

Hi

Please follow this video tutorial and you will see a small thing can reduce the file size easily. It was really helpfull for me.

How to Reduce AI Vector file size: An Adobe illustrator Tutorial

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5m3TKrXE3g

My AI file size was not going under 1 MB even by deleting extras so what I did is I opened a raster small image of 100 kb with Adobe Illustrator. then deleted the image and saved the file as AI. Then I Copied the whole vector content of original AI file that was bigger then 1 MB with ctrl+c command and pasted it in the new file created with raster image. and saved it. Wow the new file size is only 137 kb now.

Thanks

[justgivemeananswer]

Hi,

I had the same issue. I have Illustrator cs5. I had a detailed file exceeding 107mb and I was able to get it down to 7mb without any outside steps.

I wanted to send pdf files via email. If the files are just for viewing/proofing and not for editing, you can reduce the size quite by doing the following.

1. While in .ai file, "flatten artwork" from the drop down menu in layers control window.
2. Do "save as" and select pdf
3. Select "compression" from left column
4. Deselect the following boxes
   • Preserve Illustrator Editing Capabilities
   • Embed Page Thumbnails
5. Check the "Optimize for fast view web view
6. Click "save pdf"

You will know have a very manageable attachment to send via the series of tubes. Hope this helps.

[Tegiike Jackson]

Regards,

I found this link resourceful: https://graphicdesign.stackexchange.com/questions/45491/how-do-i-reduce-pdf-file-sizes

[Monika Gause]

All of these just make me want to cry. That stackexchange thread is about preparing files for print. And all of the "tips" listed there will cause issues in printing. The biggest issue is of course importing a third party PDF into Illustrator, but I digress.