If you need a logo for a obscure company there’s a chance that the actual vector is available for download. Some companies have PDF files online and the person who made them imports graphics directly from Illustrator into the PDF. If you have Adobe Reader, Illustrator or Photoshop you have the tools needed to get the job done. If you are successful at downloading the vector make sure you get permission to use it. Most companies don’t even realize this is possible.
Steps On How To Download A Vector Logo For Most Companies
- Visit Google Custom Search
- Enter the website domain inside the “Site or Domain” field (restricts search to only that site)
- Select “Adobe Acrobat (.pdf)” in the “file type” drop down (will find all PDF documents)
- Find and download the PDF document with the company logo
- Open Illustrator and create a new blank RGB document
- Select “Edit” then “Place”
- Place the PDF document with the logo into the blank Illustrator document.
- Converting the Fonts To Outline: “Edit” then “Transparency Flattener Presets” now click OK. (The video below shows how to convert text to outline below)
- Now click “Object” then “Flatten Transparency” (this will convert all the fonts to outline.) If you fail to do this part the system will replace all fonts that you don’t have and the logo will look slightly off.
- Isolate the logo from the rest of the document and copy and place it into Photoshop for placement on a new background.
That’s it. This will save you a few hours of time verses needed to recreate the entire logo in Illustrator. Below is a video that shows you how to convert the fonts to outline.
NOTE: the only limitation to this process is if the PDF does not have an embedded vectorized logo. If this is the case your out of luck. The PDF may still have the logo but it will not be scalable. At this point you can try to rebuild it in Illustrator or use the non vector and mask it as best yo can in Photoshop.
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