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Convincing a customer that their file is low resolution

JulieS

New Member
Any tips on this? Customer wants a large sign made from a terrible .jpg or whatever that looks great on their business card or website. I thought it was a brilliant idea to enlarge the image on my screen to approximate what the final size would be, then do a screen clip of a section of the logo, then paste that into an email to them with an explanation. Seemed to me like that would be a foolproof way to help them see how their final product will look. Well, inevitably, the customer replies with, "Why can't I see the whole logo on my screen?"

Y'all have any solutions that are even MORE foolproof?

Here's an example:
1741710357462.png
 

visual800

Active Member
absolutely! what you did wwas what I do and they insist charge them for vectorizing it OR get paid upfront and print as is THEN they will understand...this is rampant right now in the world of logos its horrible
 
  • Agree
Reactions: 5 users

Solventinkjet

DIY Printer Fixing Guide
absolutely! what you did wwas what I do and they insist charge them for vectorizing it OR get paid upfront and print as is THEN they will understand...this is rampant right now in the world of logos its horrible
Yup. Vector or high resolution files tend to magically appear when an extra charge is mentioned.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: 2 users

Boudica

I'm here for Educational Purposes
Any tips on this? Customer wants a large sign made from a terrible .jpg or whatever that looks great on their business card or website. I thought it was a brilliant idea to enlarge the image on my screen to approximate what the final size would be, then do a screen clip of a section of the logo, then paste that into an email to them with an explanation. Seemed to me like that would be a foolproof way to help them see how their final product will look. Well, inevitably, the customer replies with, "Why can't I see the whole logo on my screen?"

Y'all have any solutions that are even MORE foolproof?

Here's an example:
View attachment 176435
This is exactly what I do - make it actual size, take a screenshot snippet and tell them this is how it will look printed. If your customer is questioning why they can't see the whole logo in this quality snippet.... they have much bigger issues. :roflmao:
 
  • Agree
  • Hilarious!
  • First Place
Reactions: 7 users

myront

Dammit, make it faster!!
Yeah, I pretty much do the same snippet but I try the other methods to get the logo first. Website first, a lot of times there'll be an svg file. If that doesn't work, google "Company Name" FileType: pdf. Usually get a vector from a pdf. Email the web builder and ask for a vector. Lastly, do a quick trace or run it through a trace service such as vectorizer.ai
 
  • Agree
Reactions: 2 users

Stacey K

I like making signs
I do the same thing. Some people understand quickly and others it takes several emails or a phone call. If the customer is in the area and it's not a rush I offer them to stop in and look on my computer.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: 1 users

Boudica

I'm here for Educational Purposes
I do the same thing. Some people understand quickly and others it takes several emails or a phone call. If the customer is in the area and it's not a rush I offer them to stop in and look on my computer.
If the customer is actually in our Studio, I'll show them on my screen - OR... I'll print it on my desktop printer - just the part that fits the page, I don't shrink it to fit. It will only print part of the graphic but enough to show them what the quality of the image will look like in real life. I just went through this a few weeks ago, and held up the piece of paper so the customer could stand back and see it from a likely viewing distance. In your face it was pixelated, but they could see that from far enough away, it looked fine (passable at least). This is what I would do if they don't have access to the proper vector file, and it's too complicated to just run through some enhancing software.

....it comes up a lot, and there are a lot of ways to deal with it.
 
  • Agree
  • Informative
Reactions: 1 users

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Ya can't fix stoopid. What you did is all the further I'd go. Tell them to stop in and show them a vector aside of their raster image. If they don't see it after that........ tell them you evidently can't help them.
 
  • Agree
  • Informative
Reactions: 1 users

Boudica

I'm here for Educational Purposes
Ya can't fix stoopid. What you did is all the further I'd go. Tell them to stop in and show them a vector aside of their raster image. If they don't see it after that........ tell them you evidently can't help them.
I try too hard. it's true.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: 1 users

somcalmetim

New Member
Ya, try topaz AI, it does a pretty awesome job of upscaling photos...
It does more than just upscale dpi...some of the very small detail goes a lil weird but it does a good job actually reconstructing things...

Screenshot 2025-03-11 210401.png
 
  • Agree
  • OMG / WOW
Reactions: 1 users

Muzza

New Member
Tell your customer to go to the computer store and get a bigger screen......and while they out shopping, a 12 pack of brain cells should be on the list.
Depends if they're going to be a valued customer., you don't get paid for them wasting your time!
 
  • Agree
  • Hilarious!
Reactions: 3 users

CanuckSigns

Active Member
Here's the way I look at it, I can usually tell fairly early on in the initial conversation if this person is likely to know what a vector file is. If I get the feeling that they don't, I add a small charge to the quote to cover sending their file off to get vectorized.

On the off chance that I my spider sense didn't kick in for a perticular client I use a service that charges me $12-$15 to vectorize a logo, the time saved in not going back and fourth with 10+ emails of "is this what you need" is worth the $15 cost to me, not to mention you give the client a higher quality product. If $15 is going to make any difference to your profit on a job, you have bigger problems to worry about.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: 2 users

CanuckSigns

Active Member
Canva Sucks.
It really does! The number of vector canvas files I've gotten recently that don't behave like any vector I've ever seen is alarming.

Got one this week and I went to change the background colour to match the closest cut vinyl and instead of showing a deep yellow, it showed grey, but the swatch in corel showed the correct colour, there were no transparency or anything, ended up redrawing the logo.
 
  • Agree
Reactions: 1 user

RachelKelly

Just your bright haired sign designer.
In the world of AI generated raster art and people just using free editing software, I get junk like this all the time.

Screenshot 2025-03-12 073353.png


Then after about 4 hours in Photoshop brushing over the shitty details and leveling out some of the weirdness, Here's what their decal will be:

Screenshot 2025-03-12 073659.png

I don't think AI will replace actual artists. It will just piss of the artists in the production fields that will have to continue working with it, and fixing the worst parts of it.
 
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  • Agree
Reactions: 1 users
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