Logo File Types & Where to Use Them
One of our favorite things is to create logos that people love.
But what happens after we deliver those final files? When do you use what … and when? Well, never fear. Below is a simple resource so that your new logo doesn’t drive you loco.
JPEG / JPG
Definition: JPEG is designed for compressing either full-color (24 bit) or grayscale digital images of “natural” (real-world) scenes. JPEGs allow for increased compression without compromising too much of the image quality. Compression is important for improving website loading speed.
Best for: Still Images, photography, and images with complex colors and dynamic. These are not ideal for scientific images that rely on photographic exactness.
When to use JPEGs: Print (stationery, business, cards, t-shirts, mugs, etc.) and websites. Basically, JPEGs are the most common images used anywhere online, even if another file type would be better. If you use a JPEG when a GIF or PNG is preferred, rest assured that the internet will not explode.
GIF
Definition: GIF is a compressed (lossless), 8-bit format, which means the maximum number of colors supported by the format is 256. Also, GIFs have higher compression than JPEGs.
Best for: Simple animations, small icons, and graphics with low pixel-to-pixel variation (i.e. lots of flat color, such as logos and flags).
When to use GIFs: Websites and other places online (such as social media).
PNG
Definition: PNG is also a compressed format, but it is superior to GIF in that it has better compression and supports millions of colors.
Best for: Web graphics that require transparency, color-heavy and complex photographs and graphics, and images that require re-editing and re-exporting.
When to use PNGs: Websites and other places online (such as social media). Anything that requires a transparent background (such as a favicon).
SVG
None of these files are well-suited for large-scale usage, such as a large banner or a TED Talk monitor. For these, you’d need an SVG file which will allow the graphic file to scale without getting pixelated.
Color Profiles
RGB profile: This is for online use. RGB = RED GREEN BLUE.
CMYK profile: This is for print. CMYK = CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW KEY (Black).
Grayscale images: When used for print, these don’t require CMYK because they aren’t using color.
♥ Want more resources? Of course you do!