Client wants to edit files?

[Leaver]

Hi There Design and graphics forum

I have been asked to supply a logo for a client and they want a file format they can use to be able to resize it and recolor it themselves. I work in Illustrator on a mac and they use office on win xp etc. The file itself is only paths and solid colors so I was wondering if anyone has any tips for giving over the file but making it editable for size and colour but remaining vector for clarity. I don't think the client would be willing to splash out on illustrator (and this would put me out of work!) but the basics are ok to edit?

Thanks in advance for any ideas

Leaver

 

[Kwill]

With Fontographer or SigMaker the logo can be supplied as a font. The customer could then use it in Office at whatever point size and color desired. Of course, someone would need to purchase the software.

 

[ChrisA]

What about Postscript? Most office software can re-size it. Either plain PS or EPS.

 

[lucidmedia]

What about Postscript? Most office software can re-size it. Either plain PS or EPS.

an EPS Postscript file can be resized, but most programs cannot re-color it.

I agree that it would be easier to create an opentype logo font. This way the logo can be recolored and resized in ANY program on either mac or PC.

 

[Leaver]

oh

Thanks for your replies everyone.

I liked the idea of doing a font but some of the designs involve both black and a spot color! don't seem to be able to make multicolor fonts. I tried the demo of sigmaker but no matter what type of file I fed it (eps pdf or png) it did not seem to trace well (logo is quite complex in terms of curves) and there were errors, also the final output test ttf did not seem to even have a glyph in it!

I may either convince the client they need to purchase some Software for edits
or just let me worry about changes etc.

as I was writing this they sent me a powerpoint file of nearly 50 versions of the logo they have submitted for trademark! I Usually supply 5 different file formats of anything I do, looks like it's gonna be a file nightmare.

Leaver

 

[flrazor]

I may either convince the client they need to purchase some Software for edits or just let me worry about changes etc.

Always a good selling point: Compare cost for the client to buy the software themselves and train on it or for you to just quickly re-color their art file and resend it to them in a short time. You could always negotiate a small charge to do just re-color edits and they might realize they're better off sticking with you to help them.

That and (even though I get grumbles out of it every time) let them know that more often than not printers will not accept native Office documents and Office is not set up to make edits to the kinds of files that printers/website admins/publishers use to make quality product.

 

[Kwill]

Thanks for your replies everyone.

I liked the idea of doing a font but some of the designs involve both black and a spot color! don't seem to be able to make multicolor fonts. I tried the demo of sigmaker but no matter what type of file I fed it (eps pdf or png) it did not seem to trace well (logo is quite complex in terms of curves) and there were errors, also the final output test ttf did not seem to even have a glyph in it!

Personally, I have used Fontographer, which imports vector graphics. Clients love the results. It is possible to adjust kerning so that multiple elements align in register. Those elements can be different colors because they are type characters.

 

[live4ever]

I recently made a logo using Inkscape saved as a SVG file. It came out well. It's an option you could suggest.

 

[JasonElise1983]

probably be easier to diagnose your problem if we could see this logo you speak of. thanks

-je