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PDF pixlated after saving from photoshop

New Here ,
May 24, 2021 May 24, 2021

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Hi there,

I have been using photoshop to edit a pdf for the last 3 years. I have never had an issue with my pdf becoming pixelated when I save it after editing on photoshop. I started facing this issue about a month ago when I tried to edit my pdf and then saved it. 

Please have a look at the attached photo to understand my issue. Photo 1 is a screenshot of the direct pdf from AutoCAD, photo 2 is that saved from photoshop.
So far I have tried to open the pdf at 600 pixels/inch, bit depth at 16, even tried to get a previous version but it just doesn't work. If you have some useful tips for me, I would be very thankful!

 For what bizarre reason are you using photoshop to edit a pdf?!?

I study architecture. I use AutoCAD to produce pdfs of my plans, elevations, sections etc. At university, we are taught to use photoshop for post-production. I am aware that Photoshop is not the best for post-production of pdf where we normally add textures, colours, etc. I would have taken your suggestions and learned illustrator but I am in my final year, I am stressed, I have a portfolio due very soon, and I am just a very tired uni student amidst this pandemic. I have been using photoshop for the last 3 years and I can edit my plans, etc in under 2 hours. Trying to learn illustrator now will take me a while. 

 

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Community Expert ,
May 24, 2021 May 24, 2021

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What were the settings when saving to a PDF?

If the source file was saved at a lower setting when converting to a PDF then opening up larger/higher res in Photoshop wont make a difference.

Go back to the source and check settings when saving your PDF.

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New Here ,
May 24, 2021 May 24, 2021

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Hi Kevin, 

The AutoCAD pdf was saved at a high resolution called presentation! 
Please have a look at the files that I have attached. I tried to save it as a jpeg as well. If you zoom in you will notice how crisp the autocad plan is when compared to the output from photoshop. 
In the last 3 years that I have used photoshop, all my pdfs that were saved from photoshop post edit were equally as crisp and I had no issues at all. It has just been the last month that my photoshop has been acting weird. I have tried to log out, log in, reinstall creative cloud nothing has been helpful.. 
Many Thanks.

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Community Expert ,
May 24, 2021 May 24, 2021

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Is it crisp when working in Photoshop?

What settings are you saving from Photoshop?

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New Here ,
May 25, 2021 May 25, 2021

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Hi Kevin,

  • Please find attached the png to explain the settings I would open this pdf at. 
    Pdf Open.png
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  • I normally do not pay a lot of attention to how crisp the lines appear when working in photoshop as we zoom in quite a bit and so the lines are bound to look pixelated. I have also attached a photo of how it appears on photoshop when working. 
  • In photoshop.png

 

 

  • I go to file>save as> photoshop pdf.
    here I always choose the adobe print preset as a high-quality print. the standard is none, and compatibility is acrobat 5. Do you think there is an issue with the compression's tab? I have attached the photo here. 
    print settings.png



  • I have attached again the pdf of the print from photoshop. If you zoom in at 200%, you will notice that the autocad pdf appears crisp but the photoshopped pdf looks blurry. 

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Community Expert ,
May 25, 2021 May 25, 2021

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Why are you downsampling? Try using PDFX1-A when saving your modified PDF out and compare the quality.

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New Here ,
May 25, 2021 May 25, 2021

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Hi Kevin,
I didn't select downsampling. That has been set as the default setting, I don't have an answer to how it was set. However, it is just something that I noticed after you recommended that I have a look at the save settings. 

I saved it again by clicking on do not downsample and chose PDFX1-A:2001. The problem still persists. I am suspecting, perhaps when I open the pdf on photoshop maybe there is a setting that is making it appear "blurry-ish", and this is why when I save the modified pdf it looks the way it does? Is there something you could suggest?

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LEGEND ,
May 25, 2021 May 25, 2021

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There's a big problem with "pixellation". The problem is that it's a lovely word and people on the internet have started it to use any kind of problem with an image, rather than for it's accurate meaning.

 

Of course YOU are pixellating the image yourself, by choice. You start with a lovely vector PDF, and you open it in a pixel editor, so it is turned into pixels. Naturally, that's what you get. But I don't see any quality issues beyond what you forced Photoshop to do. That doesn't mean there aren't any! Just that I can't see them. Typically, designers see problems because they are more tuned into their work. Yes, I've looked at your screen shot, I see nothing remarkable. 

 

I would join the chorus of "don't edit in Photoshop" - you must damage quality and make much bigger files if you do this Bad Thing. I suggest you find another way to do what you want.

 

If you are still sure that, all things considered, Photoshop could do a better job with the impossible task you've given it, I suggest you post comparative detailed screen shots, showing the same part of both pictures, and add markings to show the area of problem. Of course, do NOT save screen shots as JPEG because that adds further damage and hides the original exact pixels.

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New Here ,
May 25, 2021 May 25, 2021

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You are right, I should have used a better word. Perhaps I should have used that "the quality of my pdf " when I modify it on photoshop is getting affected. I apologize for that. The reason I used the word "pixelated" is because, that is what the problem was explained to me as when I googled it and found some answers on youtube (I tried their solutions too).

I understand I shouldn't edit it in photoshop. I am the problem here, and I really should find another software. Is there any that you could maybe recommend? 99% of architecture schools recommend using photoshop for post-production because this is what we are taught. I know a lot of people use illustrator, which they learnt because that is something they are personally interested in. The reason I never learnt it was because photoshop was working perfectly amazing for me until a month ago. I had no "quality" "blurryish" issues. I am trying to find out what went wrong here on the internet as I couldn't find it out myself. If nothing works out, I am willing to explore other options, if there is a software that you could recommend I will try my best to understand that as well. 

I did upload files as well in addition to screenshots. I will upload them here again, and mark them this time. Thank you. 


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Community Expert ,
May 25, 2021 May 25, 2021

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Try opening at 600 ppi instead of 300. Also if the image is always grayscale why waste the space opening in RGB? Change to Grayscale.

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New Here ,
May 25, 2021 May 25, 2021

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Hi Kevin, 

  • Once I start editing the pdf, I tend to add colours, trees etc so I cannot change to grayscale. I have now tried to open other pdfs at 600 ppi. The pdfs aren't as crisp when compared to the original AutoCAD pdf but they do not appear as bad. It is something I can digest and live with knowing that photoshop is poor with vector forms. I have come to the conclusion that some pdfs will export as poor quality, just depends on my luck. 

  • I came across a suggestion to open the pdf in photoshop, do my post-production changes such as add colour, people, etc. Then when saving the final output, save it as a PNG instead of pdf. Would you be able to suggest some good settings for PNG when I save it? I am not sure what to choose here?
    1.png

 




  • I also had another question. When I open my pdf, does "crop to" media box, bounding box, etc have any effects o a pdf? Also changing the thumbnail size to "small, large" etc have any effects? Lastly, opening it at 8 bit or 16-bit depth, does that also have any effects?

  • If suppose I did have to save the post-production pdf from photoshop, I will be thankful if you could suggest the ideal settings here. 
    2.png3.png

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