Fuzzy line and clean line. Difference?

[Nedlaw]

Hi. Working with Adobe ID 16.2.1 x64 on Windows 10 (recently updated).

In a document, I drew a box enclosing some text using the rectangle tool. As a separate graphic, I drew a vertical line using the line tool between two parts of the text. The graphics do not meet, nor are they supposed to.

To me, it looks as though the horizontal line (as well as the rest of the box) is "fuzzier" or "grayer" than the vertical line. However, the specs for both lines appear -- to me -- to be the same. The color of both lines is Pantone 447C. Here is the spec for the fuzzy line:

And the spec for the not-fuzzy (crisp) line:

Color and tint are the same. Line width is the same -- 2 points. I cannot figure out the difference or how to make sure that both the box and the vertical line both have the same "crispness." Is there some difference that I don't understand between how the rectangle tool renders the lines of an unfilled box and how the line tool renders a similar line? This is not the first time I've noticed the difference, but it seems to me to be pronounced.

Any advice on this matter appreciated. Thanks!

-j

[Barb Binder · Accepted solution]

Hi @Nedlaw:

Did you try printing the page, or exporting the page to a PDF? I'm guessing it's just the screen display. 

~Barb

[Nedlaw]

That was indeed the problem. The PDF does not show this difference. (Thanks, tons.) So: there IS a difference between the way the rectangle tool and the line tool renders the line... Just not when they print.

[rob day]

Text and line art are anti-aliased for the relatively low resolution display—print is typically 1200 to 2400 dpi vs a screen’s 100 to 300. To check the line quality zoom in to 200% or higher.

[Barb Binder]

Glad that was all it was!

~Barb