Expert: Amy - 1/22/2009

Question
Hi! I am new to AI and I have a logo that I am trying to upload to a site and I need to reduce to 320 x 240 pixels. I am having a hard time reducing it-any thoughts/suggestions?

Answer
Hi Michele,

If you need to create a jpeg or a gif for a website, you should use the File > Save for Web feature. It works just like the same feature in PhotoShop.

Make sure the logo is the only thing on the page.

Choose Save for Web, select your format (jpeg/gif), your image quality, and your image size and click Save.

One note: You never want the image size in Save for Web to be larger than the artwork you've got on the page. In other words, when you go to type in the height and width in Image Size in Save for Web, if you are typing in bigger numbers than what is already there, the quality won't be very good (it will look bitmapped).

With this in mind, some people find that enlarging their artwork in Illustrator before "Saving for Web" gives better/cleaner results and smoother edges. Use the scale tool, enlarge everything 200-300%. Then just type in the pixel dimensions you need when you Save for Web.

Now if you meant you needed to reduce the size of a vector image and save it as an AI or PDF or EPS, simply select the artwork and use the scale tool (located in the tools palette) to reduce to the size you need. You could also use the Transform Window (Windows>Transform) to reduce its size. With the artwork selected, type the width you want into the W: box, hold down your Control (Ctrl) key and hit the Enter key on your keyboard. Doing this will constrain the object and the height will change with the width.

If you meant something else, please respond with the version of Illustrator you are using, a description of the artwork you are trying to reduce, the format you need in the end, and what you have already tried.

Good luck!
Amy