What it is
Illustrator is Adobe's vector graphics editor. Instead of pixels, it stores artwork as paths, points and curves, so a drawing can be scaled from a business card to a truck wrap with no loss of sharpness. That makes it the usual tool for logos, icons, type treatments, signage and illustration.
Files are saved as AI, and exported to formats like SVG, PDF and EPS. SVG export matters for the web, because a vector logo or icon stays crisp on any screen and stays small. Illustrator works closely with Photoshop and InDesign, so artwork moves from drawing to layout without being redrawn.
How I use it
- Part of the in-house visual side of my work: brand and print, done by the same person who builds the software.
- Graphic design for print and web.
- Vector artwork that can go to a print shop or onto a web page without being rebuilt.
Illustrator is the right tool when artwork has to work at every size: a logo, an icon set, a sign or a print piece. I reach for it on brand and print work, where a vector master file saves the client from paying to redraw their mark every time it goes somewhere new.
Questions
Why should my logo be a vector file?
A vector logo is stored as shapes, not pixels, so it stays sharp at any size, from a website favicon to a sign. It also exports cleanly to SVG for the web and PDF for print.
Can you design the brand as well as build the website?
Yes. Brand and print work is done in-house, so the logo, the printed pieces and the site come from one person and one set of source files.