Resolution for logo - being exported in Illustrator from eps to png file?

[gejmond]

I am hoping to send someone an advert to go in a newsletter which is
put together in Publisher 2003. It is printed on their home inkjet.

I want to get our logo as crisp as possible and I currently have it in
eps format, which cannot be used in this case. So after looking
through some previous posts what I intend to do is export it in
Illustrator CS2 as a png file, then insert it into an advert I have
designed in Publisher 2003. I'll then email him the Publisher file
all done and ready for him to copy into the newsletter.

My query is Illustrator gives me an option to choose the resolution
ppi and I wondered whether to put 300 or 1200 or whatever? The logo
consists of black type, behind which is a drawing which is in a single
grey colour. So the only 2 colours are black and grey.

The Color option presumably I should leave as Transparent but I also
wonder if I should uncheck the Anti-Alias box as I have read that this
can lead to sharper edges?

I'm afraid I'm fairly clueless and am still learning about all these
things but the advert is due to be submitted. Any help would be
grately appreciated.

Gejmond

 

[Ed Bennett]

I am hoping to send someone an advert to go in a newsletter which is
put together in Publisher 2003. It is printed on their home inkjet.

I want to get our logo as crisp as possible and I currently have it in
eps format, which cannot be used in this case.

If you export a PDF, and print the PDF from Adobe Reader, then you can
print out the full EPS graphic.

So after looking
through some previous posts what I intend to do is export it in
Illustrator CS2 as a png file, then insert it into an advert I have
designed in Publisher 2003.

If the graphic needs transparency, you may be better off using a vector
format - does Illustrator export as EMF?

My query is Illustrator gives me an option to choose the resolution
ppi and I wondered whether to put 300 or 1200 or whatever? The logo
consists of black type, behind which is a drawing which is in a single
grey colour. So the only 2 colours are black and grey.

Resize the drawing so that it is at the same size as it is going to be
in the newsletter, then export at 300dpi.

The Color option presumably I should leave as Transparent

If you don't need transparency, I wouldn't include it.

wonder if I should uncheck the Anti-Alias box as I have read that this
can lead to sharper edges?

Antialiasing gives better-looking edges. Without anti-aliasing, there
are better-defined edges, but they are uglier.

Example (needs to be viewed in a monospaced font - copy and paste into
Notepad or something if your newsreader is proportional):
Edge without antialiasing

X
XX
XXX
XXXX
XXXXX
XXXXXX

Edge with antialiasing
\
X\
XX\
XXX\
XXXX\
XXXXX\
XXXXXX\

The triangle obviously has slanted edges, but you can't get slanted
pixels. Antialiasing takes the pixels that has an edge going through the
middle, and gives it a colour that averages the proportions of the
different colours within it.
Without antialiasing, it just takes the majority colour.

(A much better explanation is at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antialiasing)

 

[Carrie]

I am hoping to send someone an advert to go in a newsletter which is
put together in Publisher 2003. It is printed on their home inkjet.

I want to get our logo as crisp as possible and I currently have it in
eps format, which cannot be used in this case. So after looking
through some previous posts what I intend to do is export it in
Illustrator CS2 as a png file, then insert it into an advert I have
designed in Publisher 2003. I'll then email him the Publisher file
all done and ready for him to copy into the newsletter.

My query is Illustrator gives me an option to choose the resolution
ppi and I wondered whether to put 300 or 1200 or whatever? The logo
consists of black type, behind which is a drawing which is in a single
grey colour. So the only 2 colours are black and grey.

The Color option presumably I should leave as Transparent but I also
wonder if I should uncheck the Anti-Alias box as I have read that this
can lead to sharper edges?

I'm afraid I'm fairly clueless and am still learning about all these
things but the advert is due to be submitted. Any help would be
grately appreciated.

Gejmond

I don't know the answer, but I use Publisher 2000 and am currently
attempting to learn Illustrator CS2 so I LOVE the questions(s) and I'm sure
I'll learn something from the answer. Getting logos the best possible way,
to use in Publisher is really good to know.

~ Carrie

 

[gejmond]

Thanks a lot Ed

Take on board what you say about converting to pdf, though when I sent
the eps file before to the editor he got into difficulties and in any
case I'm pretty sure he'll want to print the newsletter as they have
always done.

You can export as an EMF in Illustrator it appears. Have not come
accross that format before - is it considered best for logos?

Thanks for the tip about resizing before exporting to 300dpi, I'll try
doing that. I'll change background colour to white then. Can't say
I've quite grasped anti-aliasing yet - I think I'll just leave the box
checked.

Once I've put together the advert (including logo) in Publisher, and
sized it correctly, I presume that so long as I Arrange>Group all the
elements then the editor will then simply be able to copy and paste it
as he likes in future editions?

Thanks
Gejmond

 

[gejmond]

Re. transparency, is it not true that unchecking it will run the risk
of making the image have a white box around it?

Gejmond

 

[Ed Bennett]

You can export as an EMF in Illustrator it appears. Have not come
accross that format before - is it considered best for logos?

Like WMF, it's a metafile (hence the WMF); like EPS and AI, it is a
vector format, and so when exported properly does not introduce pixels
into your Illustrator file.

Thanks for the tip about resizing before exporting to 300dpi, I'll try
doing that. I'll change background colour to white then. Can't say
I've quite grasped anti-aliasing yet - I think I'll just leave the box
checked.

Probably the best idea. Basically it makes everything smoother and perdier.

Once I've put together the advert (including logo) in Publisher, and
sized it correctly, I presume that so long as I Arrange>Group all the
elements then the editor will then simply be able to copy and paste it
as he likes in future editions?

Yep.

 

[Ed Bennett]

Re. transparency, is it not true that unchecking it will run the risk
of making the image have a white box around it?

The image WILL have a white box around it without transparency; with
transparency there's a near-100% chance that there will be a box of some
kind, whether it is white or not is anyone's guess.

Use a vector format for transparency, Publisher's pixel transparency
support is limited at best. Looks fine on screen, prints inconsistently.

 

[gejmond]

The image WILL have a white box around it without transparency; with
transparency there's a near-100% chance that there will be a box of some
kind, whether it is white or not is anyone's guess.

Use a vector format for transparency, Publisher's pixel transparency
support is limited at best. Looks fine on screen, prints inconsistently.

Cheers. Thanks for taking the time to help!