How to smooth and sharpen pixelated jpeg images?

Oh nooooo!

No stepping into the great "There is no such thing as resolution" debate!

   Aaaack!

This reply is adressing the distinction between RASTER and VECTOR files only.

If you have a VECTOR file, you do not have resolution because resolution is a function of RASTER files.

Raster files are ALWAYS rectangular and they are worked in Photoshop which does have resolution settings.

Vector files are lines and drawings that are described by code and are usually worked in Illustrator or some program that writes linework files. They can be any shape and can be any size without the filesize getting larger because they do not depend on resolution to render themselves.

The fact that the logo was originally an Illustrator file would indicate that it is a VECTOR GRAPHIC and as such it would be a mistake to bring it into Photoshop at all. (unless, as noted above, someone placed a RASTER file like psd, jpg, gif, or png into Illustrator and then exported a new jpeg? Why would anyone?)Times have changed, and apparently our original post has moved on.

I am irresolute and am melting.

420x420 and out.

K-Pxl

Message was edited by: K-Pxl

without seeing the logo its dificult to say whats the best to convert it from AI to, but I would import the vector to PS then resize it to correct size at 96 ppi then save for web and devices and choose PNG 24...

G

An image may appear speckled if you are working in indexed color (ie: GIF or PNG8). Make sure you are first working in RGB color mode before loading images. You can reduce to indexed color as a final step during the 'Save for Web' function.

If the logo was created in Illustrator and saved as AI/EPS/PDF, just load it into Photoshop as a smart object. A SO will allow you to resize/resample from the source vector artwork. You would likely have problems if the illustrator artwork was loaded not as a SO, but as a rasterized layer. If you repeatedly resize a rasterized logo, you will certainly see pixelly mush.

A jpeg from Illustrator?

Illustrator files are usually vector based art and would not naturally end up as a jpeg.

What you are seeing is a characteristic of jpeg files. They are what is called "lossy."

Everytime one compresses a file into jpeg more information is tossed away.

I do not know of a good way to recover this.

If your art is a logo, it is probably linework as opposed to a photo. If it is linework, and

if you still have the original Illustrator file; may I suggest saving it as a pdf.

The file (if it is not a photograph) will be very clean and very small in file size.

Saving linework this way also lets you change the actual size without any degradation.

K-pxl

Usually i save web logos as gif to get a sharp crisp edge. To get a good answer you will need to post a sample. For all we know someone may have designed a web logo with a full color photograph on the inside. A screenshot of your jpeg settings would be suggested also.