Illustrator Files For Use as imbedded email files 2

[wjgrayson]

I'm using Illustrator CS, and MS Outlook 5.5 corporate version as my email client.

We've been creating a lot of our flyers using Illustrator for our sales team (Yeah, I know I should be using InDesign, but I haven't taken the indesign class yet). I create the file in Illustrator and save it as an editable PDF for our sales team to print out.

I would like to take the same file, and also imbed it as an image into the body of an email. The "Save for Web" feature will save the file as either HTML with Images, HTML, or GIF. While the HTML files save okay, they don't imbed into the body of an email by using the Insert > File command.

GIFs imbed okay, but the image does not retain the resolution of the nativie Illustrator File OR the PDF created in Illustrator. Jpegs lose even more resolution.

How do I need to format the illustrator file so that it imbeds properly into email messages? The files is actually in an 8 1/2 x 11" flyer format.

W!

 

[dimoj]

Resolution? I presume you are just talking quality of the image i.e. It's less sharp. I would have thought a .jpeg would be fine but it's going to be a huge file if you want to keep the quality up high. Probably a .png would be the best way to go if you want to insert it as a picture into the email. Why don't you just send a Screen quality PDF as an attachment? You'll get a better result and smaller file size.

 

[wjgrayson]

Yes. I do mean quality of the image.

A. Sending a screen quality PDF as an attachment is our "Plan B". However, in a sales environment, if an email is recognized as a solicititation (we're legal and use local opt IN lists), the attachment won't get opened. If the picture / file is imbedded in the email, the solicatation will be viewed even for just a second before the recipient hits the delete key. Aah, the joys of marketing.

B. I have been experimenting with .pngs as well, but PNGs lose some quality as well. Our sales team thinks the recipients will actually print these things out, so they were concerned about the quality.

C. You are correct about jpgs and tiffs. I'm staying away from those types of files due to file size.

 

[blueark]

If you save as a JPG, GIF, PNG or TIFF you're dealing with raster image formats. By definition, the quality will ALWAYS be worse than the Illustrator file. Even the text will be converted to pixels, so don't expect it to print like normal text.

A PDF file will retain all vector information, and the lower quality settings only affect the placed scans. You could try exporting as a Windows Metafile (File > Export...) to retain some vector information -- maybe Outlook will handle it. SVG might be another option (File > Save As...) as many web browsers can handle it. Don't know about Outlook, but you never know.

I would have thought HTML would be the way to go. If you can't insert it into an email, maybe you can copy & paste it from your browser? I'm only guessing though...

 

[wjgrayson]

NOW I understand. I forgot about the ol' Vector versus Raster problem!

I'm finding out that with certain email servers, HTML and email just don't get along --- firewalls and other corporate security systems strip part or all of HTML code.

By the way, the other issue I'm facing is that our sales team has varying levels of computer literacy --- they all understand how to view and print out a PDF file. Inserting a graphic into an email will require a one-page instruction sheet for some these guys. I'm also trying to locate a process and format that accommodates all levels of computer expertise.

Let me see what happens with a windows metafile. I've never had to use that before!