Image Quality when exporting

[dmullin2]

I've created a 300x250 pix, 72dpi image in Affinity but when exporting it to a jpeg and pdf file to send to the publisher everything is very blurred and fuzzy. I've tried placing the Affinity image into PhotoShop but same results... blurred. Any suggestions? Thanks

 

[TonyB]

Can you attach the image so we can have a look? If you don't want to post it here then please send it to support@seriflabs.com 

[MEB]

Hum without seeing the file/image is hard to predict what's going on...

I don't have problems here. Can you post the file (or some part of it - delete some stuff first) so we can use as a test to help you?

[000]

A 72dpi image IS blurry and pixelated when sending it to the printers.

[dmullin2]

Here's the attached file. Again, 300x250 px at 72dpi to export to jpeg and pdf... losing image quality.I'm not sending to printer but to publisher via DropBox for web viewing.

 

<Large file removed>

Edited July 7, 2017 by Patrick Connor
Large file removed

[dmullin2]

By-the-way....The final size of the file must be 4.17 x 3.47. Thanks!

[000]

You say you are using the image for web display … how do you figure 4.17x3.47 inch, then?

On the web the image size is dependent on the screen size, pixel size and screen resolution.

 

For example:

if you have an image of 100x100 pixel, it is much bigger on your computer screen than on your phone.

Also, on the phone it looks "sharp" while it might be blurry on the computer screen just because it's blown up in size.

 

Thanks for the file, I'll have a look at it now. :-)

[000]

Ok, to me, the exported image looks just fine.

 

Same result as if you were to export it from PhotoShop, Illustrator or any other graphic software: it is exactly as any 72dpi image in 300x250px would look like. The blurryness in text is to be expected because of the small size and low resolution since all vectors and curves are converted into pixels (and there are only 75,000 of 'em, so it get's crouded . . . )

[dmullin2]

Thanks for the feedback. I want to be sure I get this right as my client keeps sending files back to me saying they are "blurry" and the wrong size when they open the jpg and pdf file. Again, when creating the original file it is 300x250px at 72dpi (for web) or 300dpi (print). When exported the size modification and blurriness is to be expected? Do I tell them not to fret because the jpg file will displays clearly and correctly on the website? Thanks! This is making me craaaaaazy! I even took a screen shot of the original and saved as a jpg to be sure it's clear.... but of course the size has doubled.... : > )

[MEB]

This is what i get exporting directly from Affinity (JPG 100% quality - non-optimised).

Ignore the text since i don't have the fonts available in my system. Is it the same you're getting?

 

[Dale]

I suspect the print version needs to be 1250x1042 pixels in size, ie 4.17 x the width and height you're exporting for the web version. Pixel dimensions matter because however you set up or save an image, it doesn't have a "dpi" until it has a final physical size... dpi is not fixed until an image is placed in a design and printed, or displayed on a screen and measured. Unfortunately if you're giving a graphic to someone else you have no real control over dpi, it's the the viewer, designer or printer that makes the determination. Dpi values we set in setup/save dialogs are only a wish or guideline for preferred end use.

What I mean is your web image saved @ 72dpi won't end up being 72dpi on a retina iPad because the iPad has more dots than that per inch in its display, and a 300x250 pixel image can only be 300dpi when printed at exactly 1" x 0.83". Scaling up to 4.17 inches wide, as you need, requires 4.17 times the pixels in each dimension to keep print quality. 

 

For that reason it's good to work to the pixel dimensions needed rather than relying on the dpi being asked for. If you indulge me I can illustrate using an analogy from an old blog post: dpi is like miles per hour. Of course mph it has its uses, but to get to your destination it's far more practical to know how far to drive than how fast; similarly to get the correct image output it's far more practical to create at the right pixel size than the right resolution.

If one design is to serve multiple purposes, it's probably best to design at the larger size, set the document up as either 1250x1042 pixels and ignore the dpi, or create at 4.17x3.47 inches at 300dpi to get the same result. Create the design at the larger size and export twice, once at 1250x1042 and again at 300x250 with Lanczos resampling in the export settings and see what the publisher replies with? HTH.