# Adobe Illustrator design specifics for logo?



## MissKitty9470 (Jun 21, 2007)

Hi!

I just joined this forum today, and am wondering if anyone can help me.

I'll be using Adobe Illustrator to create a one-color logo for embroidery on a yachting polo. Since I've never designed for embroidery before, I asked the production company for project specs and didn't really get much other than an ai file in Illustrator is fine. 

Should I be aware of other criteria that should be followed? For example, should I keep points to a minimum, or are more points better? (easier to add them than remove them!). I'm assuming it should be created as a spot color, too.

Any help would be immensely appreciated....thank you in advance!


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## nametags4u (Jun 15, 2007)

There will almost be always some compromise to your design when translated to embroidery. Try not to have thin lines close to each other. No text smaller than .2 inches is recommend if it has to be at least somewhat ledgible. Avoid serif fonts if they are less than .25 inches. Spot color is good, but some shading effects are possible if on a large enough area. Overall I say go with what you want the graphic to be and let the digitizer reinterprete it as needed. there are effects than can be done with embroidery that cannot really be drawn so going to teh store and checkout all the embroidered logos on items is a good idea.


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## MissKitty9470 (Jun 21, 2007)

You are wonderful, thanks - it's a solid image and the font is a sans serif font, but there are some small "white" lines which is really negative space (giving the image the illusion of shape). It's also very helpful to have the dimensions on the font.

Thank you!


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## KenS (Apr 27, 2007)

Are you trying to digitize this yourself?


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## MissKitty9470 (Jun 21, 2007)

By digitize do you mean produce a digital file? If so, then yes, I'm tracing a jpeg image in Illustrator, and providing the file to a sporting goods clothing/embroidery company. Does that make sense?


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## KenS (Apr 27, 2007)

If the jpg file is good enough... they can work directly from that. It will also give them an idea of exactly what it is supposed to look like. Some services do require/prefer a vector file. Most all of the good digitizers I use will work with the jpg.

What I mean by digitize is to take the image and use embroidery software to tell the machine where to put the stitches, and what type of stitch.


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## vctradingcubao (Nov 15, 2006)

Some digitizing companies charge lower when you give them a good vector file than a jpeg file. Ask your digitizer how they want the vector file drawn because you can actually make their job easier if the logo was drawn the way they want it.


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## MissKitty9470 (Jun 21, 2007)

KenS said:


> If the jpg file is good enough... they can work directly from that. It will also give them an idea of exactly what it is supposed to look like. Some services do require/prefer a vector file. Most all of the good digitizers I use will work with the jpg.


Yep, I sent them the jpeg we're working with so they know what we want it to resemble.



> What I mean by digitize is to take the image and use embroidery software to tell the machine where to put the stitches, and what type of stitch.


ah, gotcha - no, the sportswear company is going to do that, I think they might outsource it though.


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## MissKitty9470 (Jun 21, 2007)

vctradingcubao said:


> Some digitizing companies charge lower when you give them a good vector file than a jpeg file. Ask your digitizer how they want the vector file drawn because you can actually make their job easier if the logo was drawn the way they want it.


You know what, you're right, I'm going to ask them again for more specifics - I was kinda surprised they didn't jump on the opportunity to give me as much info as possible...


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## vctradingcubao (Nov 15, 2006)

It's kind of a "trade secret", you know.


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## MissKitty9470 (Jun 21, 2007)

Uh oh. I'm really bad at keeping secrets :-}


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## vctradingcubao (Nov 15, 2006)

And if you feel lucky, maybe you can ask the digitizer to show you how they do their stuff. It's not really difficult if you're already good at vectors, and will really be an eye opener for you. Will help a lot on your next vector to embroidery file design.


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## MissKitty9470 (Jun 21, 2007)

vctradingcubao said:


> And if you feel lucky, maybe you can ask the digitizer to show you how they do their stuff. It's not really difficult if you're already good at vectors, and will really be an eye opener for you. Will help a lot on your next vector to embroidery file design.


Hey that's a great idea, always better to understand the process.

I asked for technical specs again (from the embroiderer) and he just said said either an ai or dst file, so I think I'm going to have to work very closely with him to make sure there's no errors on my part. 

Thanks everyone for the help!


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## vctradingcubao (Nov 15, 2006)

You're welcome. dst file is actually the output file from the embroidery software that goes straight to the embroidery machine.


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## DBT (Feb 20, 2007)

i used to work for a sportswear company myself, and although i only worked on the sublimation side of things i know they definitely prefered the files in a vector format. any jpegs they received were given to me to vectorize in illustrator - at the expese of the client. we had a pretty hightech (very expensive) embroidery machine which made the digitizing really easy - i know this cause one of the guys who did it wasn't too bright and didn't know much about embroidery, but the results were always good


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## MissKitty9470 (Jun 21, 2007)

DBT said:


> i used to work for a sportswear company myself, and although i only worked on the sublimation side of things i know they definitely prefered the files in a vector format. any jpegs they received were given to me to vectorize in illustrator - at the expese of the client. we had a pretty hightech (very expensive) embroidery machine which made the digitizing really easy - i know this cause one of the guys who did it wasn't too bright and didn't know much about embroidery, but the results were always good


That's a good point, since for this client I'm really trying to keep their costs down. Plus we need it for multi-purpose output anyway.


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## DBT (Feb 20, 2007)

yeah well chances are will charge them less for doing it then the embroidery people! plus it's always handy to have a copy of the logo in vector format so if the client comes back and asks you to do something else with it you can quickly and accurately scale it to any size


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## MissKitty9470 (Jun 21, 2007)

DBT said:


> yeah well chances are will charge them less for doing it then the embroidery people! plus it's always handy to have a copy of the logo in vector format so if the client comes back and asks you to do something else with it you can quickly and accurately scale it to any size


my thoughts exactly!!


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