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Question

Resized photos look like crap

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
May 4, 2018
2 replies
655 views

First off. I'm an average person that has been messing around with illustrator and photoshop on and off for years. I don't have a doctorate computer science or programming.

I am continually amazed at how overly complicated these programs are. They are borderline impossible for an average person. It took me days of research to discover how to cut a hole in a photo using the pen tool and clipping mask. NONE of the online tutorials worked. There is not one Youtube video that shows how to cut the background out of the inside of a picture. I had to figure it out on my own. After days and days and days of trying different buttons and sequences, I stumbled upon the fix on my own, just dumb luck.

Anyway. Now a new problem: I'm attempting to make a web site and am about to scrap the entire project out of frustration. I purchased and downloaded three photos from istockphoto to use on my web site. These photos are of three people. What I need to do is place them into illustrator, cut out the backgrounds, resize (reduce) the scale, then place the people on a new background. Sounds easy right? NOT. After doing this, the photos look like total dog crap. Pixelated, blurry, jagged edges, hideous white jagged edges and dots around the cutouts. Total garbage. No matter what I do or try, nothing works. I've tried everything (online help, youtube tips, etc).

I don't understand why Adobe makes things so impossible for the layman. Cutting, placing and resizing pics should be basic, very easy. But it's not. I'm about to throw the entire project in the trash. Unless someone can walk me through how they do it (step by step), theres no way I'm gonna pull this off. Thanks..

This topic has been closed for replies.

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foreverconfusedAuthor

Participating Frequently

OK. Here's a screenshot of an image Im working on. Take a look at those beautiful edges. This cutout was done with the pen tool and the clipping mask. Also when scaled down the image gets blurry and pixelated. WTF?

jane-e

Community Expert

Dear Forvever Confused:

For some reason you are rejecting the helpful advice you are being given, and I am trying to figure that one out!

For the hair, though, use Select and Mask in Photoshop. It's quicker than the Pen tool and you'll get better results.

Learn how to use the dedicated Select And Mask workspace in Photoshop CC.

What settings are you using in the Image Size dialog box when you scale the image down? Show the dialog box if it's easier.

S

SJRiegel

Legend

The task you describe:

I purchased and downloaded three photos ... What I need to do is ... cut out the backgrounds, resize (reduce) the scale, then place the people on a new background.

This is a task better suited to Photoshop. Once the photos have been resized and added to the new background, then the composite image can be placed into Illustrator if vector elements need to be added.

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foreverconfusedAuthor

Participating Frequently

Thanks SJRiegel. I'll try that.

I’m sure that Adobe with all their billions of dollars could design software that actually works. I think their problem has to do with nerd employees. Nerds making software for other nerds. Overcomplicated and unnecessary processes to do simple tasks.

For example: I am a self taught machinist. I taught myself how to program and operate a CNC milling machine. I taught myself how to design dies for plastic injection molding and extruding machines using a CAD program. That CAD program was so simple to work with. I could design a very complicated 3D model of a die and be cutting it on the CNC mill in less than an hour. The software company that designed that program probably had less money than the janitorial staff at Adobe yet were able to create a program that Adobe could never do. If Adobe created that program, you’d have to be Albert Einstein to figure it out. But that small company made something a dummy like me could navigate with ease. I could literally design a part for the Space Shuttle in 30min. But I can’t place a photo in illustrator without it looking like crap.

Monika Gause

Community Expert

foreverconfused schrieb
Overcomplicated and unnecessary processes to do simple tasks.

It's software for professionals to fulfil professional tasks.

You have to learn it. That's what manuals are for.

There are also books and training videos.

But on top of that you will have to have an understanding of the trade of printing to understand some of the basic concepts. And an understanding of screen design. And again: there are books to teach you that.

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