Each week you will need to respond to two questions posted. Your response should be a minimum of 300 words for both questions. You should also include at least one response to your fellow students. The responses are a requirement for participation part of your grade.
Question 01 –
You need to create a logo which will be used in various applications for a client. What application would you choose — Illustrator or Photoshop?
Question 02 –
Why would you make that choice?
I’d use Illustrator for a logo that needs to be in various applications. I mean, If I used photoshop, it would probably be difficult to make the logo proportional and smooth. Not to mention, if you make it larger or smaller, the pixels will make everything look ugly (image scaling can only do so much, even AI). Besides, for stuff like 3-d printing, regular printing (unless you’re willing to produce a high-resolution image), laser cutting, embroidery, or other applications, you will probably have to make a vector anyways.
For example, I have a hoodie with nice a design. Unfortunately, it is very blurry and sad because the designs printed on have a resolution of 750×1334 (smartphone screen). Somehow, the colors looked dulled as well, but I think it has more to do with the relatively cheap price of producing these hoodies. These designs can definitely be made into vectors and probably should’ve been.
Good answer Diana. Also, it is disappointing for print a design and not have a good looking product in the end.
I would use Illustrator for designing a logo being used in various applications. Adobe Illustrator allows for vector designs that allow for resizing at a large scale. This means (when saved/exported in the correct file type) the client can use the logo at any size. Commonly used vector file types are: .svg, .svgz, .ai, etc. Illustrator is also a more commonly used logo design program allowing for better and easier collaboration between designers.
Other useful things about Illustrator are the heavy use of geometric shapes and lines in comparison to Photoshop which relies heavily on the use of freehand brush strokes and other various tools. Although both programs offer similar tools, final products from Illustrator tend to be more uniform and have very clean lines. Having clean lines is extremely important especially if the logo is being printed on any scale. Imagine having a logo with a stray stroke and it gets resized to a billboard, that one little stroke becomes blatantly obvious. Another important difference between Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator is that Illustrator allows for transparent backgrounds, while Photoshop does not. Having a transparent background is very useful when the logo is being used for embroidery on uniforms, having vinyl labels being cut out, and just simply printing on a different colored background. This would utilize a .png file type which is NOT a vector file. Rather, a .png file type is a raster file type. This means that the .png files cannot be infinitely resized. This means these files are better for smaller printing or digital use. The use of the files is directly correlated to the DPI (dots per inch) when printing. The higher the DPI of the file, the bigger you can print with less loss of quality. Even though both Photoshop and Illustrator have adjustments for DPI, I still thought it was worth mentioning.
Sarah,
Yea definitely, I didn’t think of that. Having clean lines in a design, especially for something like a logo that’s going to be scaled up is so important! And yea, I didn’t realize Photoshop didn’t have transparent backgrounds. So that’s another area where Photoshop is lacking.
Thanks for highlighting those things!
Jamil
Photoshop’s answer to the transparent background is the PNG format. As you mentioned, it’s not scalable like a vector file and is really better suited for digital online usage.
I will use illustrator because illustrator has the tools and feature which is required to make a logo. And illustrator is vector based editing software which is largely used by many designers. Also the files in illustrator the designs are not made with pixel which does not loose quality even zoomed in. The illustrator which uses .pdf, .ai etc type of format. Where as photoshop uses .psd, .png, .jpg, .gif etc.
The illustrator files takes small space in the memory since it’s mostly made out of the vectors where as the photoshop takes more space in the memory since it’s made out of the pixels. Also the photoshop is mostly used for the photo editing and other works while the illustrator have the tools which are mostly needed in the making of the logo. Also since both are mostly made to edit the graphics illustrator has little edge over photoshop because of their unique tools they have to offer. Also adobe illustrator can also be used to make font graphics also the cartoons. Adobe photoshop is mostly used for the pixel based editing which includes photos taken from camera. Since adobe illustrator is vector based editing software it gives editor an ability to scale the image as much as he wants without a fear of losing its quality. Because if a person is designing a logo for some t-shirt if he designs with the photoshop when the image is cropped it will look blurry since the only thing image is showing is a pixel with no clarity. But if person designs with illustrator he/she will not have any fear of losing the quality since it’s a vector based editing software. illustrator also gives opportunity to create shaped and many other things and make a design out from the shapes which photoshop does not have feature for. also illustrator provides flexibility with the customization of the logo which gives illustrator logo designer a slight more chance over photoshop designer.illustrator also gives ability to separate the design elements which gives ability to customize the logo In the future.
Hi Parth!
You make some good points in your response especially when you said Illustrator is “largely used by most designers”! However, I wanted to point out that Illustrator files CAN be saved as raster file types like .png, .jpeg, etc. The only difference between Photoshop and Illustrator in regards to file types is: Illustrator allows you to export and save files as both vector and raster file types while Photoshop only allows for raster file types.
Overall, I agree with you that Illustrator would be the better choice to create an official logo!
-Sarah
So, right out of the gate, I would definitely have to go with Adobe Illustrator as my first choice to create a logo for several reasons. But mainly because Illustrator was built to do this sort of task. Although Photoshop is a relevant and useful tool for many design projects, it has its limitations in certain areas in my opinion; at least with regard to logo design. When it comes to logos, a critical component (among many) that we have to keep in mind is scalability. Adobe Illustrator is a very powerful design tool that enables us to create a vector graphic image which can be rescaled or resized to any degree without losing its quality. This is important in this instance as our client will be using this logo in various applications. It stands to reason then that for our purposes, illustrator is the obvious choice. It’s also just more versatile and is generally more feature rich than Photoshop is.
When it comes to manipulating and editing photos, Photoshop is the industry standard for that job without question. In fact, there seems to be an overall consensus that Photoshop is the go to design tool when editing things like: Social media photos, wedding photos, brochures, posters, event flyers, etc; These are just a few examples. However, Photoshop was designed to be a much more user-friendly program and so novice designers who are getting a feel for things usually start off using photoshop whereas Illustrator is much more robust and complex and takes a lot more know-how. Still, at the end of the day, it’s really all about the design itself. As Communication/Graphic Designers we should be asking ourselves, What exactly does the client need? What are the pros and cons of using Illustrator over Photoshop for this particular job? And what does one design tool offer that the other may not for creating a logo.
Jamil,
This is a super well-thought response! I appreciate that you’re not only engaging with the question, but also going beyond it and discussing the pros of Photoshop as well. It really helps to juxtapose the differences between the two programs, while still showing that they both have their own uses. Especially since photoshop has the more robust color imaging!
Do you think that the best results would come from using both in conjunction? (Say, designing the logo in Illustrator then importing the resized image into Photoshop to design posters or flyers?)
-Kai
Even though you can use both software, illustrator is the one you should pick. In contrast to Photoshop, where you are forced to use specific tools and are rather constrained in what you can create, illustrator lets you build your own designs and tailor things to your preferences.
In illustrator you get more of a vector look meaning its more sharp its clear its more on shapes so it doesn’t give it a jagged look if it was zoomed in. vector is a mathematical base that uses anchors like lines and curves. With illustrator you can send multiple copies on different platforms and it won’t lose its quality.With illustrator no matter what size screen or however you’re looking at it it will remain that same. If you’re looking at it from a side of a building or a small label it won’t be any different besides the size. illustrator is what most small business and and major companies use. illustrator Is a software that is meant for being creative and digital print. illustrator is very flexible meaning it lets you change the color of things, go through different fonts and use and/or create different shapes. illustrator is also easier for someone to use especially if they are new to it. unlike photoshop illustrator uses ai, eps, pdf crd, cad and swf. illustrator is scalable.Both softwares are reliable but if you use photoshop you could run into some dead ends. For one photoshop is raster meaning it’s a pixel based software. It uses jpeg, png,gifs,bmp and tiff.
Personally, I would choose to use Photoshop to produce a sketch, but I would use Illustrator to actually create the logo once I have a design I like. The illustrator brush automatically straightens out lines because it uses anchors to make perfectly mathematical lines; As an artist though, I need to sketch out the lines I want with a freeform medium (such as in a Photoshop Canvas with one of their inbuilt, pressure-sensitive brushes) before I am happy with it. By using Photoshop, it will let me design my logo, which I can then import into Illustrator or reference to make it into a Vector drawing, so I can then resize it for a variety of prints.
Having Vector images is an especially import because you need to be able to resize your logo. After all, you might want to print your logo out on a mug, a shirt, a flyer, a billboard, a poster, the list goes on. If you used a Raster image for your logo, it might look good on one of the mediums, but blowing it up or reducing its size will ultimately cause aliasing to occur and will ruin the look of the logo later on down the line. This is due to the way both image types work; Raster images use a grid of pixels to show color information, whereas Vector images use anchors and math to produce the images we see. Aliasing occurs once we change the size of an image in Raster, which allows us to see the jagged edge of the individual pixels being blown up proportionally. Since anchors are mathematically joined together, this allows them to be rescaled to any resolution, making it useful for digital as well.
As such, this is why even though I would sketch my logo out in Photoshop, I would use Illustrator to make the final polished result.
Hi Kai!
I didn’t even think about using photoshop before building a final profuct in illustrator! That’s a cool idea since I usually sketch in a sketchbook and import a photo or scan into Illustrator. It seems it might be easier since it’s using a digital sketch into digital final product rather than physical sketch to digital final product.
-Sarah
If I was to create a logo, I would use illustrator. Because when it comes to illustrator it gives us different options of tools, that allows the logo to have that vector graphic image. Which would then allow us to work on the image to make it clear. Being able to then put the logo on anything to where the logo would have good quality for the client or have good quality on anything, we are putting the logo onto.
In adobe illustrator the logo is vector graphic image. Which allows the use of different shapes. Also allowing us to adjust the size of the shapes or image making it clear, making it have that quality. What I had found easy in the adobe illustrator program was how using the logo allows us to create different icons that lets me repeat the design to where it is copied. Helping to then create that complex logo. Not only does it allow us to try different shapes and size our image but it also us to adjust the color and change the shapes making the logo look better in our eyes. And as we all know logos are seen in different sizes so the adjustment in illustrator makes it earlier no matter the size we want the logo either really small or really big.
I would use Illustrator for designing a logo as it allows to create images in layers. As it is a vector program is doesn’t rely on pixel quality allowing me to get in detail with specific objects. I can work way easier in Illustrator because it was designed for us to use it to create logos rather than work on raster images like in Photoshop. With illustrator being in a higher quality its way more useful to work on logos than photoshop.
As someone whos worked on logos before and used both programs , Illustrator is the better choice as a program to create logos. You have many options and tools that can help you in editing. Also, with the ability to layer objects, its way more useful as a tool to create you ideas. I would make that choice simply because its the more sensible option as a program that allows you to create and manipulate objects.
If I was going to create a logo I would use the Illustrator app. I would use the illustrator app because of the various amounts of tools and things that I would need to have my logo perfected. I would pick this choice because when creating my logo I would need the use of a bunch of tools that are in the illustrator app. Such as the pen tool, blending,shape tool etc. I would prefer to use the illustrator because it has lots of options for editing and perfecting my work and also because that is the only app I have tried I have never used the photoshop app so I rather just stick to the app that I know how to use.
Question 01 –
Adobe Illustrator is a powerful tool for creating logos. It offers a wide range of features and tools that enable designers to create high-quality logos with ease. One of the key advantages of Adobe Illustrator is its vector-based approach to design. This means that logos created in Illustrator can be scaled up or down without losing quality or resolution. This is particularly important for logos, which need to be versatile and adaptable to different sizes and formats. Another benefit of Illustrator is its extensive range of design tools. These include the pen tool, shape tools, and the ability to work with layers. These tools enable designers to create complex logos with precision and detail. In addition, Illustrator offers a range of export options, making it easy to export logos in a variety of formats, including PDF, EPS, and SVG. This makes it easy to share logos with clients, partners, and other stakeholders.
Overall, Adobe Illustrator is an excellent tool for creating logos. Whether you’re a professional designer or just starting out, Illustrator offers the features and tools you need to create high-quality logos that look great and are versatile enough to use in a variety of contexts.
question 2 is the second paragraph
I would use Illustrator to create this logo. Illustrator uses vector images that are bound together by anchor points. These scale much better than pixel based images that would be found in Photoshop. Because of this a logo created in illustrator can fit a variety of different applications. It can be scaled to fit on your screen, a cup, a billboard, a delivery truck, or even some pens without any quality issues.