Creating PNG from EPS then resizing/resampling/scaling down image.

[msingson]

I need help creating a PNG from an EPS file, then optimizing it without losing quality. And then, I would like to be able to resize/resample/scale the image from 7523 x 2213 pixels to 325 x 90 pixels without it looking pixelated. Please help.

[John Mensinger · Accepted solution]

1. Open the EPS file using File > Open. Choose an appropriate resolution for your output intent. (Note: The EPS format may already contain raster data at a previously-determined resolution.)
2. You have the option of saving a copy in any format you choose at the initial size/resolution before you resize/downsample.
3. To resize, choose Image > Image Size and enter your new dimensions. If you want to preserve the existing aspect ratio, you won't be able to resize to the dimensions you posted. You'd have to choose between 325 x 96 and 306 x 90. Also, 90-some pixels is a very small space in which to squeeze the data of 2213 original pixels. You won't accomplish it without significant loss. How easy it is to perceive that loss visually depends on the nature of the image and the level of detail it contains. Choose to Resample or not, again depending on your end-target resolution objectives.
4. Save as PNG, or Save for Web as PNG; again depending on your output intent.

[msingson]

Hello John,

Thank you for the quick response. How can I find the pre-existing raster data? Would that be the 2213 original? Because when I save the .eps file as a .png, it automatically outputs with the 2213 size. It doesn't really have to be 325 x 90 specifically, so I can just go with the 325 x 96. Is there a way to for me to achieve the target dimensions and optimize it at the same time, without looking pixelated? I'm a beginner and I'm still trying to learn Photoshop, resolutions, pixel sizes, etc. so please bear with me. By the way, the image is both for templates (printed) and the web, but mainly for printing.

[John Mensinger]

msingson wrote:

How can I find the pre-existing raster data? Would that be the 2213 original? Because when I save the .eps file as a .png, it automatically outputs with the 2213 size.

The EPS format can contain vector data, or raster data, or a mixture of both. I included the "disclaimer" because when you open an EPS file that contains vector data (in Photoshop), you're presented with a dialog that allows you to specify a resolution at which to rasterize the vector elements. If there are also raster elements in the file, entering a resolution higher than the original value applied to those elements won't result in an increase in quality. If the EPS file contains raster data only, the "Rasterize EPS Format" dialog won't appear. The 2213 is simply a dimensional measurement of the height of the image.

Is there a way to for me to achieve the target dimensions and optimize it at the same time, without looking pixelated? ... By the way, the image is both for templates (printed) and the web, but mainly for printing.

The "target dimensions" of 300-some x 90-some are quite certainly intended for a web-destined image, and should not be applied to your print-targeted workflow unless you intend to print the image very small.

• For the web-destined image, follow the sequence in my previous post (on a copy of the original file) and use Save for Web. Again, I can't guarantee anything with respect to quality or whether the end-product will look "pixelated." There are too many variables for me to determine that sight-unseen.
• For the print-template-destined graphic, the best way to proceed depends on the nature of the print workflow. You say the graphic will be placed in a template...a template for what application? A word processor? A page layout program? What is the output intent? Office printer? Commercial printing?

[msingson]

John,

The image is actually our company logo and they want me to create a letterhead size version of the logo for external documents. I actually found that using the original size, then defining the size of the image in Microsoft Word, gives me a clear and crisp image that prints out perfectly. They also want to use the logo with the 325 x 96 size for a report generator (R&R Xbase) that places the image onto a template.