Whats the best way to ask for..

[Jillbeans]

Thanks, iSign.
I may have to use that.
Here are wireframe screen shots of what I was sent.
It's just a scaled globe but darnit they have a graphic designer and I was promised vector files.
I can redraw this but I wasn't supposed to need to do so.

 

[signage]

Jill I would send an email to the person you are doing this work for and explain that this is not vector art and for $X amount I would gladly create it or they can have the designer send me the correct file format!

 

[Jillbeans]

I finally did do that.
Here is the pic I sent them of the first "vector" they sent in a screenshot.

 

[imagep]

if they had it designed, ask them for the format they cant open

The average customer doesn't have AI or Corel, or, .... so they can't open them.

Last week I went through all of that, explained what a vector file was, the customers eyes just glazed over. They guy kept telling me that he can "make it any size" bla bla bla and sent me about 3 or 4 jpgs in different sizes (size was not ever a issue with the job). I asked him if he could send the ORIGIONAL ORIGIONAL ORIGIONAL file, he acted like he did not understand what I was talking about. Ultimately I asked them if there was a file format that was provided to him that he could not open. He said yes, and then sent me a flattened photoshop file (which was still not the origional file).

This job was very specific to our customers needs, and obviously custom designed by someone who knows what they are doing. What I don't understand is why when I asked our customer where they got the artwork from they couldnt tell me. Did it just magically appear on his computer?

 

[Gino]

We too, just went through this with a customer last week. They sent me their 'GRAPHICS' file created by the 'GRAPHIC DESIGNER'.... being guaranteed this was the correct file. Got it and it was a 1-1/2" x 1-3/4" .jpg. Called the guy and told him 'No Can Do' This is not the type file we can enlarge without pixelation creeping in and ruining your job. He said he was afraid of that and told me he would have it fixed that they must've sent me the wrong file. Two days later got a .pdf.... and guess what.... it was the exact same file. Called him back again and told him no one changed anything that it was the same file with a different extension. Neat trick, but it won't fly. He asked me then what I needed. I told him.... regardless of what software program it was created in.... it needs to have lines and curves remain during color drop out. I then explained that a raster image, which is all he seems to be giving me will eventually look like the Sunday Funnies when brought up to proper size. Remember how full of dots they looked.... that's how your picture will look. If you give me a file that looks like a coloring book with just lines and curves.... I can do anything with it at any size.

He sent it to his niece in California who is an award winning ' GRAPHICS COMPUTER ARTIST '. I got it the next day and he said he liked it. It was a total disaster. I told him to stop, we would vectorize it. It took Jeremy 8 seconds to do this. We're charging $78.00 for this. Not so much for the file, but for the frickin' aggregation this guy caused.

Here's the sad part. My customer is a local sign shop with bragging rights about his capabilities to his customers.




Here's the sequence of what happened..........

 

[Bill Modzel]

One thing to remember is 99% of your customers cannot open a vector file, therefore they stash it away or throw it away. Ask them if there is one or their logo files that they cannot open on their own computer, probably an eps file. Often the lights go on, "Ohhh, yea, I have one of those." It's amazing how often they find it, especially once you quote them a conversion charge.

 

[scarface]

My fav is when i need a .eps file, they simply save the low res jpg as a eps and send it. LOL

 

[GypsyGraphics]

My fav is when i need a .eps file, they simply save the low res jpg as a eps and send it. LOL

Oh, i gotta add this to the Pet Peeves thread....

Clients or worse "baby designers" who insist they can provide you with any file type you need, thinking all they have to do is plug in any size or resolution in Photoshop and select a file format when saving... and Volia!

 

[Sign Works]

I realize this post was last years conversation... but I also see that Sign Works is on-line right now, so i gotta ask... are you still so sure the word "format" is incorrect? It's not a "file format" (like .eps or .pdf) ...but I see no reason to imply that use of the term "vector format" is part of the source of confusion... and to take such a rigid point of view that it is wrong terminology, and then paste that link in strikes me as funny when the wiki link uses that term too:

isign, I'll apologize for my sarcasm, it was unwarrented. I was probably feeling a bit upitty and frustrated over the flood of individuals jumping into this industry without knowing what they are doing or what they are even talking about.

Basically my point was that file format does not determine that the images contained in that file are specfically vector images. I believe .AI, .EPS and even .PDF are traditionally reffered to as vector file formats but each of those support rastor images as well therefore I feel that asking for "vector file formats" is incorrect. Requesting "vector images" or "vector artwork" I feel is more accurate.

 

[ABPGraphics]

We have a sample poster of a jpeg enlarged and vector art enlarged. If they think we are full of it we enlarge the jpeg they gave us and print it out full size on our laser printer.
This shows them, most of the time they say "looks good on our computer", and I tell them they are right but it is only 1" tall.

Sure would like to see that poster!!

 

[jfiscus]

I try to have them bring by their other current marketing material, so that their signs, etc are all running along the same "theme" and match each other. Hopefully they are already happy with the material they are currently using to promote their business & that gives us a theme / color scheme to work from as well. By looking at the art you should be able to tell whether or not the previous printer had vector art, if the customer made them theirself, etc.

If it looks like vector art has been utilized, then request the name of their printer & call them & ask for the artwork.

If it looks like they have no vector art & you need it (can't redraw it in a few minutes), then tell them there will be a charge for recreating their artwork in an industry standard format, or if it is a large job just add it into the bill or leave the charge off depending on your pricing and the complexity of the art.

Seriously, everyone in the sign business should be able to create vector artwork, not need to rely on the vector doctor to draw a simple logo... I can't see how you get things done...

 

[The Vector Doctor]

Seriously, everyone in the sign business should be able to create vector artwork, not need to rely on the vector doctor to draw a simple logo... I can't see how you get things done...

I think you are missing the point. If anything, by sending it to me they are getting MORE PROFITABLE things done. What I do is not magic and with the exception of probably 10% of my customers, they do know how to vector artwork. They just choose to use me instead because I can get it done quickly and it is one less thing to worry about

I see all the time where someone says they spend hours looking for artwork or call the customers 4-5 times to get the proper art. I hope you are charging for your time

Even font ID's. Between the great number of people here and sites like whatthefont there is no reason to waste time pouring over books or websites looking for a font match. Time is money

 

[Gino]

Ha.... just had another one this morning.

Yesterday, I got a call that a quote was accepted by a new customer for us. I told them I would stop by in the morning and pick up the signed and dated quote along with the deposit. I also explained to them the artwork they thought was usable was in fact.... not. They said they would have the proper stuff ready this morning.

I got there and got everything in order and then the one partner explained the artwork is all that small fuzzy stuff. He didn't quite grasp the idea of how to obtain if from his prior sign shop and said he didn't want to pay their price for it again. My new customer had lost their artwork and logo stuff in a hard drive crash earlier this year. He asked what could he do, so I offered to vectorize his logo, put it into several formats and give him B&W slicks along with some color separations all on a CD for $595.00. He said... DEAL !!

It will only take about 15 minutes or so to vectorize this thing. I feel so bad............ :ROFLMAO:

:Oops: Why bother explaining how they can do it.... find good customers and they'll just pay you to do it to get you out of their hair.

 

[Jillbeans]

It's not that I can't.
I can vectorise something.
Or I can send it to the VD.
But it's the fact that I was promised vector files from their "designer" that cheeses me off.
And the fact that I have to explain and re-explain something that a designer should know.
The price I gave this customer was based on the fact that they indeed had the art.
They didn't.
The designer was clueless.
Lots of wasted time.

 

[The Vector Doctor]

Ha.... just had another one this morning.

Yesterday, I got a call that a quote was excepted by a new customer for us. I told them I would stop by in the morning and pick up the signed and dated quote along with the deposit. I also explained to them the artwork they thought was usable was in fact.... not. They said they would have the proper stuff ready this morning.

I got there and got everything in order and then the one partner explained the artwork is all that small fuzzy stuff. He didn't quite grasp the idea of how to obtain if from his prior sign shop and said he didn't want to pay their price for it again. My new customer had lost their artwork and logo stuff in a hard drive crash earlier this year. He asked what could he do, so I offered to vectorize his logo, put it into several formats and give him B&W slicks along with some color separations all on a CD for $595.00. He said... DEAL !!

It will only take about 15 minutes or so to vectorize this thing. I feel so bad............ :ROFLMAO:

:Oops: Why bother explaining how they can do it.... find good customers and they'll just pay you to do it to get you out of their hair.

How are you finding customers willing to pay $595 for that simple service? Some people balk at a $10 conversion from me

 

[CL Graphics]

Ginos customer probably thought he meant $5.95. Wait till he gets the bill. lol

 

[firesignz]

OK - I have to ask.....

... I told him to stop, we would vectorize it. It took Jeremy 8 seconds to do this. We're charging $78.00 for this. Not so much for the file, but for the frickin' aggregation this guy caused.

"8 seconds to do this" ?

OK, so now here is my dilmena. As a newbie to the cut vinyl world (I have been working in RASTER and large format print for about 15 years) I myself have difficulty undestanding the difference.

While I have no problem with creating NEW stuff in vector (usually in Flexi 7.5 or AI CS4) I have NO IDEA what so ever as to how to properly vectorize something that has been submitted to me. If it is a basic solid color type thing I have a few photoshop tricks that I have successfully employed to create multiple eps files that I can then isolate and import into Flexi which will then vectorize them for me.

I would LOVE to know the best (and least artistically) way to do a conversion of a customers artwork.

THANKS!!!

 

[Jillbeans]

would LOVE to know the best (and least artistically) way to do a conversion of a customers artwork.

Email it to
The Vector Doctor

 

[Gino]

++ for Vector Doctor and if I look at Jeremy's time sheet.... it was probably more like two or three minutes, but that's how he named it......

 

[firesignz]

Cool thanks!!! Just looked at the site and sample pricing.

THIS WILL BE A TOP OF THE LIST FAVORITE ON MY BROWSER.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!:U Rock: