Expert: Kevin Stohlmeyer - 5/29/2008

Question
QUESTION: Hello Kevin,

I was passed down an Illustrator document containing jpg and gif logos. The logos are resized within Illustrator. Since there is no vector graphics of any of the logos, should I open each logos in Photoshop, re-size and re-place them back in Illustrator?

ANSWER: Hi Rie,

Ding ding ding! You win the prize for the day. Definitely adjust sizes in Photoshop whenever possible because IL does not have a resample feature.

Thanks!

Kevin

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hello Kevin,

How do I know how much a jpg image is resized by within Illustrator if it's already placed in Illustrator document? For example, in Quark or InDesign, there is a window where it shows %.

ANSWER: Hi Rie,

The only way to calculate that is to open the original Illustrator doc and see what percentage it was reduced by then factor that in based on the ID/Quark percentage. So in your IL doc, if the jpg is reduced 50% and then the overall doc is reduced in ID 50% your jpeg is now 25%.

I suck at math....good luck!

Thanks

Kevin

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I can't find the dialogue box/window in Illustrator where it shows what percentage it was reduced by...

I usually place all the non-eps images into Quark/ID layouts and then re-size in PS, but my colleague had already created this Illustrator document and I don't want to re-do all of it. I'm wondering is this really a good way to do it?

Answer
Id hate to have you redo all of it as well, if the jpeg is embedded in the file, there may be no way to find out the original size, if its linked, then you have the original file. It may be less of a headache to just recreate this and then there is no question for quality.

Thanks

Kevin