Rough Edges on JPEG with new "Export for Screens" - Illustrator 2020 heartbreak

[Beardmancer]

Hi all,

First, I have to say a big thanks. The export speed for JPEGs using the "Export for Screens" option has increased from around 30 seconds to nearly instantaneous for me on AI 2020. This, along with background export, was one of my top requests and I am so grateful that it's been added.

Next, a story of heartbreak. For many of my exports using this method, I now get jagged edges, especially on round edges and especially at angles. Please see attached examples. The file "TestLayout_Overall_01.jpg" was exported using the new "Export for Screens" dialog and has jagged edges on the oval shape. These jagged edges are not present when exporting from File > Export As, but this latter method takes much longer to export, particularly for large artboards which I use frequently.

So, is there anything I can do to make the jagged edges go away? I am using "Art Optimized" in both places and exporting at 300dpi in both places. Is this an anti aliasing issue?

Help! I'm in love with the new export window, but the jagged edges are stabbing me in the heart.

[João32629836ck7d]

Hello!

The illustrator version is the 29.3.1, is the lattest version on my
creative cloud.

This is happening with all picture that I import to the program that are
rotated. I already tried to turn liked files to embedded but it stand the
same. When I export in 300DPI the final export is better but if I zoom in I
can see that it’s a little bit off quality than the normal image.

Hope you can help me with that.

Regards,
João Rijo.

[Monika Gause]

You can't zoom into a pixel image indefinitely.

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

What are you exporting to, and how? What are your settings? What is your rotation angle?

In the meantime, what I suggest is you rotate the image first in Photoshop where you have more control over it.

[João32629836ck7d]

I'm exporting to instagram post and I tried to export in various ways, export as jpg and png, export for screens jpg and png and even x2, x3 and x4. But in 72dpi (screen standard) remain wrong. But 2 mouths ago i exported the same image and it worked, now i just changed the size because of the new instagram size rules to update the image and it exported that way.

[João32629836ck7d]

I don't really want to rotate all images previously in photoshop because im doing all the design work in illustrator and it will consume more time to rotate the image in photoshop and send it to illustrator or export the art work without the image and just work the image in photoshop. I would prefer to alert adobe for this possible bug so we can have that solved.

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

Check your export settings for "Interlace". Make sure any of your exports have this turned off:

e.g. in the "Export for Screens", it's buried in the settings (gear icon).

Also, in any of these, use "Art Optimized". It makes images a slight bit smoother/softer as it does better antialiasing in a higher resolution before it drops the resolution down to your final export 72. That being said, "None" may help in perceived sharpness on smaller web graphics. Choose your own poison!

 

[NormanStormin]

I have been trying to export some selections of an Illustrator document as PDFs.

These have raster effects like Drop Shadows applied to parts of the image.

I select the relevant elements of the image, then use "Export Selection".

As expected, I get the interface and can select my export file type. I choose PDF. 

In the Settings for the exports, I have gone to the PDF section and selected{Illustrator Default], [High Quality Print], or [Press Quality] or even a custom PDF preset I made when I was trying to troubleshoot.

My Document Raster Effects Settings is set to 300ppi, with anti-aliasing turned on.

I export the PDF, and open it in Adobe Acrobat.

At that point all the raster effects are blocky and terrible looking. 

When I look in more detail using "Use print production" it tells me that the resolution of the images is 72dpi.

If I use Export as... and export the entire artboard, then the images show as expected. Smooth shading and so on.

And "Use print production" in Acrobat tells me the raster iamges are 300dpi, as expected.

I cannot find any indication that a raster needs to be set separately for "Export for Screens" etc.

Can anyone confirm the same problem?

Thanks

[Doug A Roberts]

Yup, I get the same result. All of these use High Quality Print with downsampling for over 300 PPI on.

Top file is Save As PDF.

Middle file is Export for Screens, using just the asset.

Bottom file is Export for Screens using the artboard.

I would expect all three to appear the same. I'll see if I can find an existing report.

[Ton Frederiks]

What Illustrator version are you using?

I cannot reproduce the problem in the latest 29.5 version.

But be careful, some export settings are set to smallest file size.

[NormanStormin]

I am using

Illustrator 29.5 (64 bit)

I checked the presets I was using and their quality is set to high.

[NormanStormin]

Another small data point.

If I OPEN the jagged shadow edge PDF file in Illustrator, then look at the Document Raster Effects Settings, they are set to screen resolution (72ppi) and Anti-alias is turned off.

If I change them to say 300ppi and anti-alias on, then the effects are applied at the correct resolution. No doubt due to the PDF file being editable in Illustrator. 

I also tested by doing Save Copy as... and choosing PDF, then selecting the [Ilustrator Default] preset.

I then turned off the "Preserve Illustrator Editing Capabilities" and saved the PDF.

I then OPENed it in Illustrator, and all the raster effects like drop shadow were at the correct resolution. 

And the Document Raster Effects Settings were set the same as the Illustrator file.

This seems to show that the Document Raster effects settings are being completely lost in the Export for Screens process.

[NormanStormin]

I exported using SVG, from the Export As.... interface.

I made sure that the SVG options were using high res reaster images.

The SVG exports look great. The drop shadows are high resolution. Everything looks perfect.

I tried OPENing the SVG file in Illustrator. It didn't preserve the drop shadows, BUT the Document Raster Effects was set correctly. 

I don't know what that means. I can't quite imagine that SVG files have the Document Reaster Effects embeded.

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @NormanStormin,

Thanks so much for the detailed explanation and screenshots.

I tested this on Illustrator v29.5.1 and wasn't able to reproduce the issue on my end. The raster effects like drop shadows exported correctly at the expected resolution when using Export Selection and Export for Screens with PDF.

That said, I'll test this again on version 29.5 to compare and will update you here shortly with the results.

In the meantime, could you please update Illustrator to the latest version (29.5.1) and check if the issue still persists?

Also, if possible, could you share a short screen recording of your workflow, from selecting the elements to exporting and reviewing the PDF in Acrobat? This would really help us confirm that we’re not missing anything and assist in escalating if needed.

Looking forward to your update.

Abhishek

[NormanStormin]

Illustrator 29.5.1 (64 bit) shows the same problem.

I have also tested with a completely new file, and just two circles, one within another. Again, the drop shadow shows as pixelated in the PDF.

I have attached an AI file with a test circle, and the exported selection, to PDF.

I'll be curious what you, and others, see when opening them.

[NormanStormin]

And the AI file is refusing to let upload because it says:

-----

The attachment's testcircle_v02.ai content type (application/postscript) does not match its file extension and has been removed.

-------

This is literally a file saved out of Illustrator. Your attachment system seems to be broken and is triggering incorrectly. If you can fix it, I can attach an actual AI file.

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @NormanStormin,

Thank you for your patience and for sharing the file.

I checked internally and found that a UserVoice request has already been logged for this issue:
Export for Screens: bad antialiasing and jagged edges on images within (especially rotated) when exp...

In the meantime, could you please take a look at this community post and confirm if you're experiencing the same issue?
Export for Screens messing up images

Looking forward to your response.

Abhishek 

[NormanStormin]

These seem very related, and I can reproduce the JPG raster problem. Which does NOT appear to happen with a PNG file.

I have attached a PSD file with three layers. Two are the JPG export (one with Text Optimised anti-aliasing, one with Art optimised anti-aliasing), one is the PNG export. You can see the complete lack of anti-aliasing on the embedded raster image, on both the JPG layers. Whereas there is anti-aliasing on the PNG layer. 

Both JPG and PNG have rendered the drop shadow correctly.

I have also attached a PDF exported using Export for Screens....  

The raster image looks great and correct. And the drop shadow is again blocky and low resolution. 

It would make sense that these are related. Accordingly I have upvoted on the uservoice pages.

I am willing to try removing all my preferences etc, to get a fresh Illustrator to see what happens. But I would like to be able to restore my existing preferences if a fresh preferences is not the solution. 

Can you point me how to do that?

[NormanStormin]

@Abhishek Rao  Can you confirm to me that you are seeing the same low resolution problems when you open my exported PDF files?

[Abhishek Rao]

Hi @NormanStormin,

Thanks a lot for your detailed response and for sharing the files.

I went through the workflow again and still couldn't reproduce the issue on my end. To help clarify, I've recorded a short screen capture showing the steps I followed while exporting the file. Could you please take a look and let me know if it's the same process you're using on your side?

Since you mentioned the issue in the UserVoice link is the same, I'd recommend allowing the product team a bit of time to investigate and provide updates there. In the meantime, please continue using the suggested workaround while we wait for further insights.

Looking forward to hearing from you. 

Abhishek 

[NormanStormin]

Thanks for that. 

So when you open the PDF file (after Exporting for Screens) the drop shadow under the outer circle looks fine. Its nice and smooth. 

But the drop shadow under the inner circle is clearly pixelated. It should be the same smoothness as the drop shadow on the outer circle.

So, yes. You are getting the same thing as me.

[NormanStormin]

This is a screen grab from your video where you were showing the opened PDF file.

You can clearly see the pixelation in the inner drop shadow.

[NormanStormin]

I tested Exporting for Screens my file with a drop shadow on the outer circle. 

And the resulting PDF had pixelated dropshadows in both areas.

So I have no idea why your drop shadow on the outer circle looks smooth.

@Abhishek Rao  You still have not told me if the PDF files I have supplied to you (for example, the one attached to this post) show pixelated drop shadows or not. Please open it up and look at it. 

[Ton Frederiks]

Did you check the PDF settings for Export for Screens, it may be set to Smallest File Size.

[NormanStormin]

As I said upstream, I am using [Illustrator Default] or [Press Quality] or similar. Those are set to at least 300dpi for raster images. 

[Ton Frederiks]

Yes, but Export for Screens defaults for some (including me) as Smallest File Size.

I exported your example  (with Raster Effects set to 150 ppi and Anti-Aliased) and the export (Press Quality) looks good.