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Raster and Vector Image Customer Rant
- Thread starter heyskull
- Start date
Geneva Olson
Expert Storyteller
vectorize a jpeg and show them the images side by side
heyskull said:
There is no easy to get it into their heads. Every one of these amateurs has to learn the hard way.
I see the same thing over and over again. Someone emails a copy of their "logo." The file is basically the first JPEG image they find on their computer or on the Internet. We respond asking for vector artwork. They reply by putting their JPEG image inside a PDF, AI, EPS or SVG container file, thinking that will convert their crappy JPEG into vector format. Sometimes we'll get a CorelDRAW CDR file with the JPEG image stuck in there. A few of these rookies will auto-trace the JPEG image and then send that. "It's vector now!" Yeah, but it still looks like $#1T.
It's almost like a joyous on-vacation feeling when a client emails clean vector-based artwork with no technical issues (such as live type objects that cause missing font issues). That means I don't have to waste time doing things to fix client artwork so it can go into production.
The SVG format has been around for over 20 years. The leading web browsers have supported SVG for what seems like a decade at least. Yet JPEG and PNG images are still used far more often for web graphics that could rendered better in SVG. If the SVG format was more routinely used in web development we probably wouldn't be seeing so many of these stupid JPEG logo images from clients.
Boudica said:
A bunch of these people wouldn't notice the difference. They would think the fuzzy or pixel-jaggy looking graphics are normal. They don't understand what passes for "professional quality" or just something that doesn't look like crap. Details mean nothing to them.
Last edited:
gnubler
Active Member
You can't, don't waste your time. I've been dealing with this for over 20 years and it's getting worse, not better. I call it the Canva Curse.
Notarealsignguy
Arial - it's almost helvetica
If it is a recurring issue that's bothering you, add a $50 setup charge for all new logos vector or not. Send the bitmaps to the vector doctor or trace them yourself. You'll have it done before they even find the right file and your expense is covered.
I kind of get it with customers who don't know anything about graphics. To them a graphic is a graphic. It is more annoying when people who call themselves graphic designers don't seem to understand the difference, or that you cant blow up a 1" 72dpi image that may look fine on your phone to 6 feet wide to go on the side of their vehicles :/
damonCA21 said:
That's one of the growing problems. Some office workers get tasked with graphic design related chores by higher ups. So they just figure out something quickly as possible, even if it means cobbling together some junk in MS Word, Powerpoint or (lately) using an online thing like Canva. Then there's all these people taking on the job of "graphic designer" as a side hustle. Either way, we're often stuck with client art infected with various problems.
It's human nature to look for short cuts to get something done, even if the end result is half-a$$ed. Naturally this happens all the time when people try producing graphics work without knowing what they're doing. They fall into bad habits and bad practices that end up costing their customers.
A bunch of these people start out with Photoshop. They can barely get around in that application. So they're not very receptive about learning any other applications such as Illustrator.
We tell customers it's $50 per hour to re-create/clean-up customer provided logos. The price gives customers who do have actual vector-based logos some incentive to go find those files.
The Vector Doctor
Chief Bezier Manipulator
That is an excellent idea. I approve this message
myront
Dammit, make it faster!!
Just yesterday I received an email with a logo attached. Boss wanted me to verify if it's good or not. 500dpi png! I could tell it was a low res from the start and somebody tried to "upsample" it. Boss passed on the info and asked for a vector file. He sends me their reply with an attachment.
"vector.png"
"vector.png"
gnubler
Active Member
LOL. I've gotten those too. Usually something like "XYZ logo color final-vector.png"
So who has the frickin' vector? Nobody.
Proofread People
New Member
lol, sometimes when we ask for an vector .eps file, we get a bitmap image saved as an .eps.
JBurton
Signtologist
You shouldn't overcomplicate things, just stop there. Deliver it to the customer, then stop at the liquor store on your way home to forget about the atrocities you had a hand in that day...
DL Signs
Never go against the family
I kinda like that $50 setup charge across the board for anything new too, might just propose that.
Right now we charge $65hr (more if they're a PITA right out of the gate) with a 1hr minimum to recreate anything we get that's not in vector for our use only, if they want the file when it's done, the price is negotiable.
Right now we charge $65hr (more if they're a PITA right out of the gate) with a 1hr minimum to recreate anything we get that's not in vector for our use only, if they want the file when it's done, the price is negotiable.
CanuckSigns
Active Member
My favorite is when I tell them I can victories their logo for $50, then they send me 1 email a day for the next 2 weeks with a different low resolution raster image asking if this logo will work and save them the $50 charge.
Even better when it's a large company and the person you're dealing with isn't the owner, so you're left scratching your head trying to figure out why they spent $300 in time to save $50...
Even better when it's a large company and the person you're dealing with isn't the owner, so you're left scratching your head trying to figure out why they spent $300 in time to save $50...
I feel your pain since I deal with this almost daily. And as others have said, some people will spend hours emailing back and forth trying to get you the "right" file type. I always just send the customer to a link with visuals: Vector File vs. Image File Even after sending them this information many still don't understand the concept so I will just eventually just say we can't do it or we will vectorize it for them (for a fee of coarse).