Following my first post on color, we're going to now tackle file types. There are a lot of different types of files to choose from and it can be just as confusing as color. Here's a brief summary of the most common file types.

Following my first post on color, we're going to now tackle file types. There are a lot of different types of files to choose from and it can be just as confusing as color. Here's a brief summary of the most common file types. 

Best Of Listing

  • Best for Web and Electronic Use: JPEGs
  • Best for Web, Electronic Use and Microsoft Applications: PNGs
  • Best for Printing: EPS

Alphabetical Listing

BMP (Windows Bitmap)

  • STRENGTHS: Makes images great for use in Microsoft Windows OS.
  • WEAKNESSES: Too large to use online for images; Only optimal for Windows programs and not other programs.


EPS (Encapsulated Postscript)

  • STRENGTHS: Editable, original artwork (vector image) file; Can be reduced and enlarged without any loss of quality; Best option for printing.  
  • WEAKNESSES: Can only be opened in specific graphic design software (such as Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign); Not made for online use.


GIF (Graphics Interchange Format)

  • STRENGTHS: Compresses to a small file size; Retains sharp lines and text; Can be transparent; Can be animated; Good for diagrams, simple shapes, and some logos (only images that use very few colors).
  • WEAKNESSES: Can only show a limited amount of colors; Not always accurate in representing imagery (because of color limitations).


JPEG (or JPG - Joint Photographic Experts Group)

  • STRENGTHS: Can display many colors; Great for photographs; Compresses to a small file size; Best file type for online images.
  • WEAKNESSES: Cannot display lines or text very well—they appear fuzzy; Cannot be made larger once saved to a specific size (the file will loose detail and look pixelated).


PNG (Portable Network Graphics)

  • STRENGTHS: Can display many colors; Retains sharp edges (in text and lines); Great for photos and illustrations; Compresses to a small file size; Looks great in online applications; Can be transparent; Good compromise between the JPG and GIF file types.
  • WEAKNESSES: Not compatible with all online applications (if the viewer is using a program that doesn't support PNG files—anything older than Internet Explorer 6—they cannot see the file).


TIFF (Tagged Image File Format)

  • STRENGTHS: Similar to a JPEG but more detailed; Will not loose any color detail or size when compressed; Usually the file type created by scanners when scanning images/papers; Good for printing highly detailed images.
  • WEAKNESSES: Files are very large in order to retain color detail and size; Not great for online use because of the file size.

    Next up: Simplifying Typefaces!