Images created in Illustrator are pixelated when put into Photoshop

[dawna75470506]

Hi everyone,

I'm still pretty new to the Adobe programs, and I'm having some problems bringing images I created in Illustrator into Photoshop as embedded images. Regardless of what format I used to save the original file (JPG, PNG, PDF, etc), the image is extremely pixelated when I attempt to use it in Photoshop. The images are saved in rather large sizes, and are not pixelated when I open the files themselves, but just look terrible when I put them into Photoshop! As a reference, the image I am trying to use is a text logo, to be scaled down to text which will fit on a postcard. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

[Test Screen Name]

Bringing your images into Photoshop is almost certainly not the thing you need to do. How will the design get on the postcard (e.g. your own inkjet printer, print shop....)?

[JJMack]

How are you getting the image files into Photoshop and why did you save illustrator images as raster files . What size and print resolution did you save them. Why JPG, PNG and PDF.  Why not .SVG or .AI I do not use Adobe Vector editor.  However, if You place in .SVG and .AI file into Photoshop Adobe special cases these object made in Illustrator and will scale them using vector graphics, there are no Vector in Photoshop, Photoshop uses the vectors in the special cased objects files are not vectors in Photoshop

[marliton]

Hi. The vectors placed in Photoshop are preview as pixels. Depend on the zoom, those vectors can be preview more pixelated. Normally, I prefer to work with text in Photoshop.

[Bojan Živković]

Is there any chance to post screenshot with Photoshop window including Layers panel, magnification level visible? What method you are using to bring files into Photoshop? If you have large file then won't be problem to scale it down after placing as Smart Object layer using Place Embedded or Linked commands.

The only problem I can think of can be if you are rotating object/text at some angle, is that the case?

[Theresa J]

First, you don’t have to save the illustrator file as any other format to use it in Photoshop. You can place an illustrator ai file into Photoshop, or you can copy and paste the artwork. Paste it as a smart object if you chose that method.

Second, if you are creating a postcard, it would be much better to use Illustrator for the postcard layout.

[Elizabeth16B8]

Thank you Theresa!! (I'm sending you a virtual hug) I was having the same issue with illustrator files saved as png files placed into photoshop and it was coming out pixelated regardless of how it was saved. I took your fabulous advice, copied from Illustrator and pasted into Photoshop and VOILA! No more pixelation. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your simple yet genius advice!

[1980Hanley]

Tried this and it doesn't work for me. 

I've tried - saving as png in AI and opening in PS then moving to the open PS file i'm working on.

Tried saving as svg in AI and doing the same as above.

Tried copying from AI and pasting in PS as pixels and as smart object but no difference.

Also tried opening the logo AI file in photoshop but it's still the same.

I'm creating mockups in PS with vector logos that i've made in AI (which are bigger is size than the mockups) so i'm making them smaller once in PS.   

Is it even possible to have the logo as smooth as a vector in PS (even if it is a vector file)  ?

[davescm]

Bear in mind that the minimum unit in Photoshop is a pixel. So, in Photoshop, when you zoom in beyond 100% (which in Photoshop is 1 document pixel mapped to 1 screen pixel) you see those minimum units i.e. you see the document pixels. Vector art work made in, or imported into Photoshop is still subject to that same limitation. It will be displayed as document pixels so if you zoom in to the document you will see those pixels.

Illustrator works differently, being a vector image editor it recalculates the vectors to screen pixels as you zoom. So you never see document pixels as they don't exist in the illustrator document.

Dave

[1980Hanley]

Also when I move the PS mockup files to AI they pixelate when I scale them down.  Stuggling to work it out. 

[jane-e]

 Regardless of what format I used to save the original file (JPG, PNG, PDF, etc), the image is extremely pixelated

By @dawna75470506

Hi 

I read this shortly after I composited an image for the biweekly Photoshop Challenge. I used the image we were given and then moved to illustrator. See if this artwork looks pixelated, then click the image to see it even larger.

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem/something-for-the-weekend-part-141-putting-on-the...

Here's what I did:

• Get the image size in PS, then repeat it in Illustrator. In this case it was 3000 px x 2000 px RGB
• Place the PS image into Illustrator. Lock the layer.
• Create a new layer or layers as needed and create the Illustrator artwork. I like this method because I can scale, rotate, and reflect the artwork while it's still vector and see the background image behind it.
• Save and close Illustrator image
• In PS: File > Place > Linked to place as SO in PS
• Double-click SO to edit in Illustrator and hide the Background image. Usually this keep the Illustrator artwork in place, but this time it didn't. I double-clicked the SO again and drew a small transparent rectangle in the upper left for positioning and closed the Illustrator file again.
• Return to PS and save the PSD, then Save a Copy and save as a JPEG (or whatever you final format will be. Keep the PSD and AI files in case there are edits.

I don't always do it this exact way. I try different ways each time. Could I have kept it in Illustrator? Yes. But I wanted to be sure to keep the metadata from the original file to credit artist @davescm who drew the starter image in 3D.

If you look at my image, take a minute to look at the others that are up so far! And there is another week for this challenge to stay open, so think about adding your own!

~ Jane

[hollyamoyer]

Worked for me!  Thank you Theresa.

[Mohit Goyal · Accepted solution]

Hi all,

Take a look at the following article to move designs between Photoshop and Illustrator for different workflow that suits your design objectives: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/move-designs-between-photoshop-illustrator.html

Also, if you are looking to work with Illustrator design in Photoshop? See this: https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/use-illustrator-artwork-in-photoshop.html

Hope it helps.

Thanks,

Mohit