Help with File Requirements - Engraving Etc. Forum

From:	Debbie (DEBBIEG)	5 Apr 2007
To:	ALL	1 of 11

6547.1
Ok here I go again showing off my newbie-ness. When does being a newbie wear off lol. Ok I have a customer that wants me to use her logo to make some name badges. She wants to know what file requirements I need. Well I know for some experience with my other business that not all people in the outside world have corel draw for their program for designing. But at the same time I have not really enough knowledge of what progams I can take to be able to work on in corel. Am I making any sense? Anyway if anyone can give me a clue on what other file requirements or programs I would need her logo to be in so that I do not have to redraw the whole thing, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks bunches for all the help lately, Debbie

From:	JHayes55	5 Apr 2007
To:	Debbie (DEBBIEG)	2 of 11

6547.2 In reply to 6547.1
I usually ask for an EPS vector file. AI as a second choice. Then a PDF. Normally they have a low resolution jpg that they use in email or on a website - so if the company is large enough I ask that they hook me up with someone who might have the logo in original format - normally its better. If they cannot do that - get it whatever way they have it - trace with X3 or send it to Pete Bertrand and charge them for logo cleanup. Quite often when you let them know there is a charge for reproduction of the logo or clean up they come up with the correct format. Joe

From:	Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY)	5 Apr 2007
To:	Debbie (DEBBIEG)	4 of 11

6547.4 In reply to 6547.1

Tell them to blow up the picture on their screen to double the size they will use it. If it looks good it is high enough quality. That is for your laser. Might have to go to four times to get it for rotary to be vectorized, then other factors like fades do not work for rotary.

The best format to have them save it in is TIFF. Most programs can put that out and it is lossless, a bigger file but lossless in detail. Some people will use JPG and compress the quality out of it. Then you get artifacts around letters, etc.

For the laser I specify TIFF, CPT, CDR, EPS. Easy to handle and they usually can get it that way.

I hate when they scan a logo on a business card then blow it up and think they supplied it as a large image. Then it is just bigger crud.

Philadelphia, PA (Really Bensalem)

When you finally understand it completely... it changes.

From:	John (ICTJOHN)	5 Apr 2007
To:	Debbie (DEBBIEG)	5 of 11

6547.5 In reply to 6547.1

Debbie,

If you are using CorelDRAW, go to your IMPORT screen and look at all the different file types available that Corel will handle. Some of them are not going to be the BEST filetype, but you can see what is in the list.

Others have told you what the best filetypes are, so now you can put the two together and tell your customer off the top of your head what your requirements are.................. now you will seem like a PRO to them!

Little by little that will wear the newbie off of you. ;-)

John
http://www.creative-awards.com
creativeawards@msn.com

From:	Debbie (DEBBIEG)	5 Apr 2007
To:	John (ICTJOHN)	6 of 11

6547.6 In reply to 6547.5
"If you are using CorelDRAW, go to your IMPORT screen and look at all the different file types available that Corel will handle. Some of them are not going to be the BEST filetype, but you can see what is in the list. " John, You know I guess I knew this but forgot all about looking at it. And the word PRO lol I am sure that will come, in time. Thanks bunches for your reply Debbie

From:	logojohn	6 Apr 2007
To:	Debbie (DEBBIEG)	7 of 11

6547.7 In reply to 6547.1
I tend to get overly detailed. I put it in writing on the website and printed handouts in the showroom. I was passing by one of the sales people on the phone with a customer several years ago . "No we can't use an eps, we need a .jpg file!" I was horrified since I am our in house digitizing dept. They got that idea since I made a jpg work once so they assumed that was the best. They are good at sales but still don't understand artwork. Most people the last year or 2 have no trouble giving us an eps file. But we still get some pdf with vector art all the way down to a low res webpage graphic. We don't mind even that since we charge for making a digitized logo. The $45 dollar charge is a bargain compared to the $200 plus and a week or more time required before the coreldraw explosion. Here is my info page that covers about every option. http://www.trophiesinc.com/logos/ lj

From:	Sei (SEIMA)	6 Apr 2007
To:	ALL	9 of 11

6547.9 In reply to 6547.1

My favorite was always when you would go through the long discussion with a customer as to why you need a .eps file or .ai file in vector format in order to avoid the need of charging an art fee to vectorize their graphic.

"Oh, sure, I can send you an eps. Not a problem!"

Then you open the file and it's the same low resolution .jpg they sent you to begin with, this time embedded into the .eps.

Or better yet... the few times they just changed the extension of the file to .eps.

There are some things I miss about being out of this business (only two months left on my non-compete!) but dealing with some customers I don't miss for a second.

Sei

From:	logojohn	6 Apr 2007
To:	ALL	10 of 11

6547.10 In reply to 6547.9
quote: Then you open the file and it's the same low resolution .jpg they sent you to begin with, this time embedded into the .eps. That is why we charge one time to make a logo from any artwork. So no matter what we get we can take the time to make it look good. Sometimes if we see the art ahead of time we might make exceptions for large jobs that will be lasered. The charge is much less for sublimation if there isn't much work needed. There is another small charge each time the logo is engaved or lasered. We make most logos engraveable to since sooner or later most people will want to diamond drag something. So many times even eps line art needs a lot of work to remove layered objects, figure out how to make color or gradient art look good in 2 color, increase spacing/reduce size between objects so they don't engrave together and add the hatch lines. You have costs even if they give you good art. Coreldraw did not give me software so I could open a customer file and use it. Xenetech did not give me software to add hatch lines to the artwork. The electric company does not pause the meter while I open customer artwork, etc. and I don't get up in the morning to come and work for free. If you want to add the cost in with the product or other charges that will be unfair to those that don't need it. Some people use the same logo for 40 years and others change it every 2 years. It makes more sense to us to charge separately as the need arises. lj