Send the highest quality version you have, in whatever format it is in. A vector file (AI, EPS, SVG, PDF) is ideal. A large PNG is fine. A screenshot off a website is the one that costs you a day.
You do not need to convert anything or clean anything up. Send what you have and we will tell you what is missing.
What to send, in order of preference
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| AI, EPS, SVG, vector PDF | Ideal. Scales to any size with no loss |
| PNG or JPG over 1500px wide | Fine. We can work from this |
| Small PNG or JPG, under 800px | Usable, but it has to be redrawn first |
| Screenshot from a website | Slowest. Redrawing adds a round trip |
| A photo of a printed logo | Send it anyway, it is better than nothing |
What has to change about your logo
A logo becomes a neon sign by being turned into continuous runs of tube. Some things translate directly and some do not.
- ✓ Bold outlines, lettering, simple icons. These are what neon does best.
- ✓ Solid color areas, if you use a UV printed backboard. The tube handles the outline and the print handles the fill.
- ✗ Gradients, drop shadows, photographic detail. There is no tube equivalent.
- ✗ Hairline strokes. Tube is 6mm to 8mm across, which sets a minimum thickness for everything.
- ✗ Fine text under about 5 cm tall. Below that it cannot be bent, so a tagline often has to be dropped or printed instead.
What happens next
A designer redraws your logo as a bending path and sends you a scaled drawing with exact dimensions and a firm price. If parts had to be simplified, you see exactly what changed before you commit. Revisions are unlimited and there is no design fee at any stage.
Expect the first drawing back in thirty minutes to three hours on a business day. Your sign is made and delivered in 7 to 12 days with express shipping, or 18 to 25 days with free shipping counted from when you approve it.
Do not spend an evening trying to trace your own logo before sending it. Amateur traces are usually harder to work from than the original, and we redraw it either way. Send the best file you can find, say what the sign is for, and let the drawing do the arguing.
Send your logo for a free drawing.
Frequently asked questions
What file format should I send my logo in?
A vector file (AI, EPS, SVG or vector PDF) is ideal because it scales without loss and speeds up the quote. A PNG or JPG over about 1500px wide works fine. Anything smaller can still be used, it just has to be redrawn first, which adds a round trip.
Can any logo be made into a neon sign?
Most can, with some simplification. Bold outlines, lettering and simple icons translate directly. Gradients, shadows and photographic detail have no tube equivalent, and anything thinner than the tube itself has to be thickened. You see every change on the drawing before you approve it.
Is there a charge for converting my logo?
No. Drawing your logo as a bending path is part of the quote, and revisions are unlimited and free. You get a scaled drawing with a firm price before you pay anything.
What if my logo has small text or a tagline?
Anything below about 5 cm tall cannot be bent. Usually the tagline moves to a UV printed backboard, where it is printed in full color behind the glowing part of the logo. That costs nothing extra and it keeps the detail without forcing the sign to be enormous.
Should I trace the logo myself first?
No. Send the original file. A hand trace is usually harder for us to work from than the artwork it came from, and we redraw it into a bending path regardless.
We have made neon since 1998, and we still make it ourselves. If something here does not answer your question, ask us.
