• Global community
    • Language:
      • Deutsch
      • English
      • Español
      • Français
      • Português
  • 日本語コミュニティ
    Dedicated community for Japanese speakers
  • 한국 커뮤니티
    Dedicated community for Korean speakers
Exit
0

Illustrator export size wrong (usually around 50% smaller)

New Here ,
Oct 27, 2021 Oct 27, 2021

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Hi,

 

I am having trouble exporting images as jpgs/pngs from illustrator. It feels no matter what I do when I go to export Save For Web (legacy) the image appears around 50% smaller than what I want it to be. I can open a 8.5 x 11 document, immediately go to Save For Web Legacy, and it will say that I am saving it out with those dimensions, but the preview and the saved image are clearly the wrong size. (I have also tried Export For Screens and it has the same results). 

 

I have tried adjusting the dpi when I am making the file and thru Effect - Document Raster Settings but nothing changes the outcome. The dimensions of the file will say it is correct but the preview window and opening the actual image once it is saved shows something totally smaller. 

 

any help would be appreciated, sorry if this was a poor description of my problem. 

TOPICS
Import and export

Views

3.9K

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Adobe
Community Expert ,
Oct 27, 2021 Oct 27, 2021

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Carissa,

 

The following may sound unforgivably outdated and boring, sorry.


If you wish to have PNGs (PNG24 (also (little) known as PNG32, it holds 24 bit colour and 8 bit Alpha channel (transparency)), of course) look crisp and clean, at least when it is (also) to be used at moderate screen resolutions, it is important to have the images in the exact desired final pixel x pixel size, or at sizes that are powers of 2 times as large (2x, 4x, 8x, and so on, the larger values can improve the appearance on high resolution screens and still ensure best possible appearance at low resolution screens); forget about resolution which may actually lead to wrong sizes and hence blurriness, or work at 72PPI or powers of 2 times as large (144PPI, 266PPI, 576PPI, and so on).


It is easiest and safest to work at the desired size when creating the artwork.


It is important to remember that a raster image represents the whole appearance, including strokes, so to make sure you get it right you can click Show Preview Bounds in the General Preferences (and untick it afterwards).


A very common unsuitable way is to Export to PNG (remember to use PNG24 and use Transparency for artwork to be in front of different backgrounds) with a medium or high resolution, such as 300PPI.


And a common misunderstanding: (almost) 11 out of 10 times, a statement like "I created the document at 300 PPI" means that the value is chosen in Effect>Document Raster Effects Settings; however that only means that the (current) resolution of any raster effects applied to the vector artwork, such as (any kind of) Blur, is set to that value (and only unless/until the value is changed to something else); when zooming in, this resolution can be seen in contrast to and on the background of the vector artwork. So this setting has nothing whatsoever to do with the actual resolution of a raster image created from the (vector) artwork (but it ought to (at least) match it).


For clean and crisp artwork avoid JPEG.


It is also important to have the artwork and also the Artboard placed fully within integer/whole pixel X and Y values in the Workspace, which means that the X and Y values at the corners must be integer; this can be ensured by using one of the corner Reference Points in the Transform palette, and then checking that all the values X, Y, W, and H, are integer (the centre Reference Point can only be used if both W and H are even numbers).


Otherwise the resulting image will become a bit wider/taller and the extension(s) will be empty and therefore be (partially) transparent/white.


Therefore, the safest way is to create the artwork at the final pixel x pixel size and use a corresponding Artboard, then use the Legacity Save for Web (where you can look in the Image Size window for size confirmation and possibly multiply by 2, 4, 8, whatever), or use Export at 72PPI (or 144/288/576/whatever PPI), or use Export for Screens (in either way). In either case, use the relevant optimization (available with both ways); it is also convenient to have 72PPI (or 144/288/576/whatever PPI) in the Effect>Document Raster Effect Settings.


If you have pure vector artwork, you can relax a bit and have the artwork/Artboard at any size (the Artboard must have the same proportions as the final image), then use the Legacity Save for Web and set either Width or Height in the Image Size and Apply (make sure the other value is also correct).


The Legacy Save for Web may be an old carthorse, but it knows its way home, even if the driver is drunk and sleeping it off in the hay in the back.

 

Or you can switch to SVG, if applicable.

 

https://helpx.adobe.com/search-results.html?q=svg&scope=%5B%22helpx%22%5D&subscope=%5B%5D&limit=10&s...

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Beginner ,
Apr 18, 2023 Apr 18, 2023

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Hi, I have the exact same problem. Did you figure out a solution? I feel like I am going crazy.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Apr 18, 2023 Apr 18, 2023

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

qowijifewu,

 

Carissa never returned (actually her OP here has remained her only post so far), but size in pixels is a woolly concept when used in connexion with sizes in fixed actual units such as points, inches, and the metric ones: the actual size of 1 pixel measured in those other units can be anything. It can only be determined by the number of pixels and what could be called the density of pixels as expressed in the resolution in pixels per inch (PPI) or pixels per whichever other unit.

 

If you can tell us which size(s) you have to start with in the original document in whichever (other) unit, and which you wish to end up with in the exported file, I am sure you can get the help you need, presumably by the first one seeing it.

 

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Beginner ,
Apr 18, 2023 Apr 18, 2023

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Hi Jacob and thank you so much for answering. I will try to explain my situation the best way possible: This is all for Google Ads. I need to do them in specific sizes, so lets say 320x100 pixel. I make a canvas that is exactly that size and place my design. All looks good so far and when I try to export my design with "for web (legacy) I immediately realize that the picture on the left in the menu looks about half the size of what I expect it to look (I checked references for this specific banner size online). It shows me that it is at 100% even though every site says that it should look much bigger. I export it with maximal quality (100%) and at 100% the size which says it is the size I want 320x100. And yeah to no surprise I end up with the pixelated and small image I already saw in the menu. I tried changing the settings but I cant get to a better quality. 
Thank you for your help!

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Apr 18, 2023 Apr 18, 2023

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

Theren't a lot of pixels in 320 x 100 pixels.

One pixel can have one color. And that is the amount of detail you can get. It's like painting the squares in rastered paper.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Apr 18, 2023 Apr 18, 2023

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

I guess you are working with a screen that uses twice the amount of pixels to display the artwork in Illustrator.

Then it will be disappointing to see the artwork with the correct but lesser amount of pixels exported.

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Expert ,
Apr 18, 2023 Apr 18, 2023

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

qowijifewu,

 

If the (legacy Save for Web) Image Size window says Width 320 pixels and height 100 pixels, that is what you have/get.

 

What happens if you upload it to Google Ads and compare with other images of the same nominal size?

 

Or if you try to find the size of your when viewing page source?

 

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines
Community Beginner ,
Apr 18, 2023 Apr 18, 2023

Copy link to clipboard

Copied

LATEST

Hi everyone and thank you so much for answering. It is really nice to know that there is a community willing to help. 🙂 I guess it all comes down to there just not being enough pixel in the desired format and as @Ton Frederiks  pointed out, it is disappointing after seeing it displayed with more than the result eventually has. 
Thank you @Jacob Bugge , @Ton Frederiks , @Monika Gause 

Votes

Translate

Translate

Report

Report
Community guidelines
Be kind and respectful, give credit to the original source of content, and search for duplicates before posting. Learn more
community guidelines