Format Matters! JPG v PNG

In last week’s post I talked a little about having the proper format for your logo and branding graphics. I thought I’d expand on that a little more in this week’s edition. Specifically, I’d like to talk pros and cons of the 2 most popular formats when posting graphics online, JPG and PNG. Format matters!

Visual Appeal

Let’s start with the visual comparison. It’s clear that Option A: JPG is a bit more intrusive into a content than option B: PNG. I left the actual logos the same size and position for this demonstration. You can see, though, that you can easily move the PNG over to the right and down on the image. This would allow for better balance with the title text and to help make it a little less intrusive. (Note: The final format of both of these composited images is JPG. The logo graphics placed into the Photoshop document were in the specified formats.)

PNG is often the smart choice for this usage, as well as most instances where you want to display a simple image. When compositing in Photoshop for Social Media Branding it’s practically necessary. But, what are the primary differences between the two, and when should each be used?

A Comparison

JPG is a raster-based lossy compression format that has a set of adjustments allowing for the tradeoff of file size for image quality. It can be written in both the RGB and CMYK color spaces, so it is OK for print if the resolution is high enough (generally 300 dpi). It doesn’t have a transparent background, hence the white block when placing a logo graphic. This format is really best for photos or illustrations with a wide array of colors and tones.

PNG (Portable Network Graphic) is also a raster-based format that supports lossless compression. It was developed to replace the GIF format, but it does not support animation. It is RGB and designed for use on screens. The background can be transparent (it does not have to be, though!). Which makes this format ideal for compositing brand graphics and imagery for social media posting.

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