Exported images are pixelated

[vividdesigngirl]

I am having trouble with ALL of my exported images.  The only one I can say that have come out better have been a high quality print PDF.  JPG, GIF, EPS - all have turned out to be pixelated.  I know what I am doing and this has never happened to me before.  I asked in two other forums and the people acted like I was stupid!  I have been working with these programs for years!  I just may not be wording my problem correctly, so bare with me. 

I created a logo in illustrator and it looks great on the screen, but when I export it as say a JPG and bring it back in to illustator it looks horribly pixelated.  I am exporting at the highest level possible.  Is there another setting that would cause it to be pixelated? 

I have tried so many different things now I am not sure what else to do.  Could this be cause by a lacking update?  A bad set of fonts with a virus, maybe? I don't know anymore - any help will be GREATLY appreciated!

This all just started I was working on it just fine a couple of days ago with no problems and now everything has been different. 

TYIA

[Scott Falkner · Accepted solution]

Why are you importing a .jpg file into Illustrator when you already have illustrator artwork? What resolution are you exporting? Are you scaling the artwork after importing it into Illustrator?

This is probably just a result of the limitations of the file format you exported and the resolution of your export. There is no reason to export to a raster format such as .jpg only to reimport into Illustrator. Tell us what you are trying to accomplish. Tell us more about the steps yo are taking and why.

[vividdesigngirl]

Scott Falkner - Thank you for replying!  This all started as I was designing a book cover.  I export as a .jpg and bring it back in to illustrator to create a 3D image to look like a book.  If there is another way to create a 3D image without using a .jpg or other format, please let me know.  I have tried with my artwork in illustator, but it views all pieces individually and look distorted or even drops some parts when I apply.

My customer always ask for all files to be .jpg, .png, and PDF.  I was having so much trouble with the image going 3D or even coming back in to illustrator with pixelation I decided to move on to something else and I found that all my images regardless of vector or not are coming in looking pixelated.  I have worked with the logo I created 2 weeks ago and it did not look like this when I brought it back in after exporting it.  I am exporting at the highest level possible - is there a setting that I may have accidently been changed that would create this pixelation in all exports?  Maybe set everything back to default?  I am not scaling the artwork after bringing it in.  The artwork just automatically comes in looking horrible. Hopefully I have answered all your questions to help assist me further, if not, please ask again. Sorry!  Thanks so much!

[pooette]

How are the PDF's? I find when I save as a pdf, I can open it again in AI (or PS) and save as AI doc. I'm kinda partial to pdf's and making sure my images for export are minimally 600x800, else they pixelate....  and did you say why you were saving compositions like logos as jpg? I think that throws them into picture protocols because they pixelate the image and lose the vector qualities. Save vector work as vector work/ I have no idea if there are other systems that use and follow vector protocols, open source vector apps?, my vocab is not... well just not. I am new to the GD field, unsure about much. There are two or three things I know. If the pixel image resolution is too low, there is nothing you can do to make it clear. LOL.  Oh, it is okay to save a vector image as a pixel file for the purpose of protecting it from copy.

[vividdesigngirl]

Does it  help to know when I place the same images in to Microsoft Word it looks fine?

[Wade_Zimmerman1]

Make the art a symbol and use that instead of an image then make your book art. If your book art is a 3D effect t you map the symbol to that art.

[Doug.S]

For a book cover, unless it is a very small book, has too few pixels and will look pixelated when printed...or probably when zoomed in to 100% on screen.

Probably looks OK in Word because you don't zoom to 100% pixel view in Word.

300 pixels prints well at 1" size but will look crappy at 3"

[vividdesigngirl]

Well Doug S. I was wrong... =( I attempted to work on another project and took an exported image in to Word and it looks horrible.  I don't know what is going on!

[emil_emil]

Go to Effects > Document Raster Effects Settings and increase the resolution ppi to 300

But you also should be able to apply the 3D effect on your objects directly if you group them or make them as one symbol.

[vividdesigngirl]

I checked and it is already set at 300dpi.  I did group all of my objects and tried to create a symbol but it distorts my image and even drops some of it too.  It gives the error that Path self-intersection may have occured.

[Silkrooster]

Your document in illustrator is it set to pixels or physical dimensions (inches, centimeters or milimeters)?

It will make a difference on what your answer will be.

[vividdesigngirl]

My book cover is set at 8 in h x 5 in w and my logo is set at 4.5 in h x 10 in w. I had no issues with my logo a week and a half ago when the problem started.  I could export as jpg, or whatever with no pixelation problems.  There has to be something in my settings that has changed to have this occur.  I set everything back to default today and no change.  I have more jobs coming in from my client and I don't know what I am going to do to fix this  I am just short of sharing my screen with someone so they can see what is happening. (If that is allowed and not against any forum rules :-/)

Thank you so much for helping me!

[Silkrooster]

OK, so @300ppi your image when export to jpg should be 8x300=2400px and 5x300=1500px  and the logo should be 4.5x300=1350px and 10x300=3000px

So your original pixel size was way off. and therefore pixelated.

When you set the units to pixels the ppi is irrelevent since ppi is only related to printed material.

If you have no intentions of printing the image, then why use inches? I know its familar, but with a monitor, it doesn't rely on phsyical dimentions.

In fact, that may be the issue you are having, when viewing the image the viewer app does not rely on ppi at all, it disreguards it. And therefore you can set the ppi to anything you wish and the viewer will still see it as 72ppi or thereabouts. When you design anything for the screen whether it is TV, computer monitor, a projector, etc. always use pixels. Set your units to pixels and use save for web and devices so you can verify the correct pixel size.

Then the quality should be what you expect.

Think about it...

8x72=576px and 5x72=360px  576x360 is much, much smaller than the 2400x1500 that you need, if you are to print it or scale it using an app that respects physical dimentions like photoshop, indesign or illustrator.

[emil_emil]

vividdesigngirl, it is obvious that you used File > Export, chose JPG, and in the Resolution section of the JPG Options window,  for Depth you had Screen selected which is 72 ppi. This makes your 8 x 5 inches book at 576 by 360 pixels. It is not true as you said previously that you exported with the highest level. If you had chosen High in the Resolution section, your jpg image would have been 2400x1500 pixels. Try it again and you will see.

Also when you tried Save for Web and Devices, you didn't bother to go in the Image Size tab and increase the pixel dimensions but left it at the default settings which give 72 pixels per each inch of your book which again is 576 by 360 pixels

When you saved as  PDF you had no problems because it preserves your resolution independent vector objects and will look perfect at any zoom level.

Learn about pixel dimensions (number of pixels per side in a image) and pixel density (pixels per inch or a unit commonly known as ppi).

[vividdesigngirl]

emil emil - WOW! Seriously - I first and foremost want to say thank you for attempting to help me, but seriously don't think I deserve a reply like this.  I didn't bother to ... really!  Okay to reply to your first comment actually I did export at the highest level and I accidently thought the question was how big my artboard was in pixels not my exported image.  I checked and YES it is 2400x1500 pixels.  YES it is still pixelated in every application I am trying to use it in. 

I really appreciate your help, but in the future please try not to judge before asking a specific question and being sure it was understood.  Forums are no different than texting you can misinterpret what someone is saying.  I came here for help not lectures or judgement. Good Day!

[emil_emil]

vividdesigngirl, I apologize if my message has offended you in any way. That was not my intention and I really wanted to help you, I was pretty much sure and still believe that what I said is the only ways to get the results you reported not because I'm judging you or anything like that but because I don't know how else one can get the results you reported. Also if it is not obvious English is not my native language and I may have failed in using it properly. Again apologies for anything that sounded offending.

If you are still interested in my contribution to solving your problem, I would say that I don't understand well what you have done to the exported image as described in the first paragraph of you last reply. Using File > Export to JPG doesn't recognize artboards - they are ignored. The image is clipped by the bounding box of the objects. So if the bounding box of your book is 8x5 inches, regardless of the size of the artboard, and if you export with High selected for Depth, you will get 2400x1500 pixels for the book and not 576 by 360 pixels as you originally reported. If what you are saying is that your book image is in fact 2400x1500 pixels without any margins around and it still looks pixelated, this is entirely different problem than the one you initially reported by saying it is 576 by 360, and to solve it you have to provide additional information in that regard.

edit: Oh, wait

vividdesigngirl wrote:

...I accidently thought the question was how big my artboard was in pixels not my exported image. ...

you mean you artboard is 576 by 360 as measured on the rulers in Illustrator? And thus your book which fits in it? OK, I get it. The pixels unints on the ruler and in the transform controls are used only for the default size if you use Save for Web and Devices but as I said, you can change them in the Image tab.

If the exported image is in fact 2400x1500 pixels you should not see any pixelation. How are you bringing this image back to Illustrator. What happens if you right click on the file and choose open with Illustrator? Is it still pixelated?

edit 2:

if this happens with every image, can you please, create a simple document with a few simple round or skewed objects that show the pixelation, export as you usually do and share the illustrator and the exported jpg files by providing a link This is the best way to find the problem.

[vividdesigngirl]

emil emil - Thank you soooo much for replying! Sorry I thought you were trying to be mean.  You do really well with your English not being your native language, you fooled me! =).  I really really appreiciate you looking at this again and helping... it sounds like you are the only one so far that is finally understanding what I am saying!!! YAY!  I will do what you asked and upload a file shortly with and example for you to see what I am having so much trouble with. Hopefully, this will give you a better idea.  Chat soon... thanks!

[vividdesigngirl]

emil emil -  Please let me know if you can't open the files.  If you would prefer a different test doc please just let me know and I will provide as soon as possible.  Thanks!

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/69303912/Pixelation%20Problem%20Test%20Doc.ai

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/69303912/Pixelation%20Problem%20Test%20Doc-01.jpg

[emil_emil]

Hi vividdesigngirl,

I checked your files and I can't see anything out of ordinary. There is a difference between the raster image and its original vector version but this is how Illustrator renders raster images - it is not very good at that especially when it comes to high contrast hard edges. May be previously the nature of the artworks you had didn't have very hard edges or a combination of assigned resolution and zoom level didn't make the issue noticeable.

To understand the issue try this simple test. Make sure you are at 100% zoom, type something with fully black text and make two copies next to it. For one of the copies choose Object > Rasterize and for Resolution choose Screen at 72 ppi, do the same for the other copy but for it choose High 300 ppi. At 100% zoom level you will see no difference in appearance between the vector and the copy that was rasterized at Screen but the copy rasterized at High 300 ppi will be rendered worse. At 100% zoom one pixel from the raster copy with a Screen resolution fits into one physical pixel of your monitor and this makes the perfect rendering possible. The vector object (text in this case) is always rasterized at screen resolution on the fly behind the scene for on screen rending at any zoom level and will always look perfect. While the other raster copy with the High 300 ppi at 100% zoom looks bad because it has to fit a group of its pixels into one monitor pixel or in other words it is interpolated by down sampling for on screen display.

Now start to zoom in slowly. If you are on a PC or have the latest CS6 version on a mac you can click in the zoom field at the lower left of the document window and use the Up Arrow key on your keyboard to gradually increase the zoom by 1%, When you increase the zoom, the rasterized copy with Screen will start to look pixelated because each of its pixels will occupy more than one monitor pixel, while the other copy rasterized with High 300 ppi will not get worse but will never be perfect either except for one zoom level when its pixels fit the monitor pixels and after that it will start to look pixelated like the othe copy after 100% zoom. The zoom level zoom level at which the High 300 ppi copy will look perfect depends on the density of your monitor and is different for each monitor model.

In any case for the final result do not rely on how Illustrator shows raster images. Instead at any time chose File > Save for Web and Devices and its image size tab, enter the final resolution then at 100% zoom  in the Save for Web window it will show you how really your image will look like at the end.

[vividdesigngirl]

Hi Emil Emil! 

I am truly sorry it has taken me so long to reply to your post.  Thank you so much for helping me.  Unfortunately, I have been working with these programs for quite some time and I still feel I have a problem.  I want to tell you how much I have appreciated all of your help.  I consider you my FFFl (Forum Friend For Llife)!  YOU are truly a special person, for you were the ONLY one that stuck with me and asked more questions and continued to help.  I can't send you the amount of virtual thank you really deserve.  If you are still willing to help I would like to send you one more example link to see what your opinion is.  I would like to send it priviately if that is okay with you.  Let me know.  No hard feelings if you have exhausted what you are able to help with.  Thanks again!

[emil_emil]

Hi vividdesigngirl,

I'm glad to be of help. Please, send me a private message with an e-mail where I can send you my e-mail to share the file. I can't send it directly to you using your e-mail from this forum because it is set to private.

[Silkrooster]

I am assuming you were using the save for web and devices.

Just below the presets are some tabs. the middle tab is Image size. What is the size listed for width and height in pixels.

If you use export then choose jpg, you can not see what the pixel size will be.

If you are doing the latter and not the former, then let us know what size in pixels your artboard is set to.

File>Document Setup to change units to pixels, then click the edit artboard button.

Right hand corner of top tool bar will display the size of the art board in pixels.

[vividdesigngirl]

Silkrooster - Thank you for replying!

Actually I did try save for web and devices and that gave the same result.  Mainly I am just going to file>export>jpg. 

2 different files I have worked with that are both acting the same - Book cover is 360px by 576 px.   My logo doc is 717 x 308.

My main project when this started was the 3D book image that has given me so much trouble. But after working on projects after that I continue to being in different files with the pixelated look.  I am just confused why, regardless of what I am working on, a vector image I created completely in illustator would look bad when brought back in to illustrator.  Thus the reason I am eluding to a setting issue that I am unaware has changed. 

Thank you for your help! Please let me know if I have answered all your questions.

[Silkrooster]

I guess it depends on what you mean by book cover and the media it will be displayed on.

For print when exporting to a raster format like jpg, png, tiff, etc. Keep the following formula in mind:

inches x ppi = pixels

or

pixels / ppi = inches

ex.

4" x 5" @ 300ppi = 1200 x 1500px

4 x 300 = 1200px

5 x 300 = 1500px

[zooraves]

I was having the same trouble and was wondering if you ever figured out what was wrong?  I did some more looking after reading this fourm and found my answer and hope it might helps someone else that comes along.  In my Save For Web dialog I had somehow unselected the Type Optimized from the drop down box at the bottom of the Image Size tab in the window.  That fixed it for me.  Source of answer here: http://www.creativepro.com/article/illustrator-s-save-web-command