Jagged Edges

[SteveG]

I am trying to make a logo. I have a graphic that has a general shape and some text. I separated them onto different layers in Photoshop CS5. I found a nice tutorial on how to smooth out the edges in Illustrator. I know this is the Photoshop forumn but bare with me. It worked wonderfully for the shape. However, the text is another story.

I took the shape and used the Object > Live Trace. The first picture is of the shape before the Live Trace. The second picture is of the shape after plus the text. I cannot get the Live Trace to have a crisp edge like the shape.

So I thought I would try getting rid of the jagged edges in Photoshop but I cannot figure out how to do it there either. Does anyone have any ideas on how to get the crisp edges on the text? The ultimate goal would be to get the logo into Illustrator

[John 'twosheds' McDonald]

Hi Steve. A bit more info, please. How will the logo be presented? Will it be on screen? Paper? Also can you post a full size copy. If it is too large maybe you can place it in the gallery so that I (or someone else) can play around with it?

[SteveG]

It will be used in movies as one of the intros. I got this from one of our guys in our group but I never asked how he created it.

I just tried to upload the .psd file but I get them message The extension psd is not allowed. I renamed the extension to .txt. Just rename it to .psd and it should work...I think.

[Steve Grisetti]

Although you can smooth edges a bit, it's ultimately not going to make any difference if you're using this graphic in a video.

Remember that video is a relatively low resolution medium. A frame of standard def video is only approximately 640x480 pixels while high-def is 1920x1080.

The images you've attached to your post are extremely high resolution. Resize one of those images to 640x480 pixels and you'll see that it's more than smooth enough. Looking at them so blown up is like sitting with your nose pressed up against the TV screen.

[momoffduty]

Try this: In PS CS5 mask the letters ( Invert). In the mask panel use the refine edges and play with the sliders. When I cut out people or objects I use these jumping off #s: Radius 1.2 px, Smooth edge 9, Feather .8, Contrast 42, and Shift edge is 0. These numbers are for large files and I readjust to for each photo.

If it is still jagged in PrPro or AE, try a slight gausian blur.

Disclaimer: My PS skills are very minimal and more trial & error.

[SteveG]

Thank you both for the suggestions. I will try them both tonight hopefully.

Steve, I guess I wanted to put this into Illustrator so i can get the cleanest graphics possible. And from the tutorials I've watched you can size the graphics up or down and it will still be as clear as the original.

[John 'twosheds' McDonald]

Looks like everyone else has given some possible solutions there, Steve. Post back if things are still problematical.

[SteveG]

Still can't get the crisp line on the text like I did for the graphic.

Cheryl,
Thank you for that tip. That is a great feature. I will probably be using that in the future but it doesn't seem to help with this unforturnately.

Steve,
Per your suggestion it did have a smoother edge. But it still wouldn't give me the edge in Illustrator like I want.

[Chuck Engels]

Steve, Are you working with Vector or Raster graphics in Illustrator?

[John 'twosheds' McDonald]

Can you tell us a little about how you are using the image? The file that you posted has pixel dimensions of 327 x 188.

.......it's ultimately not going to make any difference if you're using this graphic in a video. Remember that video is a relatively low resolution medium. A frame of standard def video is only approximately 640x480 pixels while high-def is 1920x1080.......

Are you adding this to a video at full frame size by changing the Scale property? I loaded your original image into an HD project and scaled it by 300% without too much obvious jaggedness - though some was present it wasn't that bad as to be unusable.

Steve makes a very good point and I would take a look at your completed logo at normal viewing distance on a TV screen to decide whether or not it has the crispness that you seek.

[SteveG]

Chuck,
I have not converted it from the photoshop format so Raster. But I was able to fix the shape graphic just not the text which is in the same photoshop file.

John,
I do plan to use it in video. Right now it's just std def but hopefully full HD in the near future. But I did not try adding it to a project as you did John. I just assumed it would not look good next to the shape since the shape is so clean. I'll have to try that in both the SD and HD project tonight.

Any other thoughts about how to get the clean-crisp edge?

And Ron, thank you for fixing the uploaded file.

[Chuck Engels]

Steve, In the Photoshop file what size is the font and what font are you using?
Have you tried a few different fonts at various sizes?

[SteveG]

That's the problem. It's not a font. It's just a graphic. I don't know how it was created in the first place.

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