PNG Export blurry

[Nelson15]

This has been a constant problem. I finally get settings figured out so my PNG’s export so they aren’t blurry, then there’s an update and I’m right back to square one. This is beyond frustrating, I have to export images as a PNG for what I’m using them for. So exporting it differently isn’t an option. I have my canvas set at 5inx5in, 300 dpi and each slice is on 3x. Any tips would be great!

[Evaldas Barinovas]

I have the same issue on my laptop and I feel so gutted... I am working on standard size google ad banners, 72DPI and I can`t export them in PNG without affecting their quality. They look awful! I`ve also noticed when I open them on google chrome and zoom out to 80% it looks as good as on the app but not sure how is that possible. Hopefully, they`re going to sort it out asap.

P.S. I don`t want to go back to adobe.. 

[GreenLion]

I’m not sure if this is the answer for your issue, but in the past I thought I was experiencing a similar issue, but the problem was since I was exporting such a small image, and trying to view it on iPads previewed, it was full screen and thus looked blurry. Try looking at it at 100% true to the image size that you made. To work around this now I always make my canvas bigger than I need for working, and then resize my finished piece copied over in a new document, set for CMYK, 300dpi, proper dimensions. 

[Nelson15]

6 hours ago, GreenLion said:

I’m not sure if this is the answer for your issue, but in the past I thought I was experiencing a similar issue, but the problem was since I was exporting such a small image, and trying to view it on iPads previewed, it was full screen and thus looked blurry. Try looking at it at 100% true to the image size that you made. To work around this now I always make my canvas bigger than I need for working, and then resize my finished piece copied over in a new document, set for CMYK, 300dpi, proper dimensions. 

So I have exported the png into the app I’ll be using it in (GoodNotes 5) and it’s just as blurry. I’m at a total loss at this point. I’m also not super tech savvy, so maybe that plays a part in it. What is CMYK? 

[Nelson15]

On 4/20/2021 at 12:45 AM, Evaldas Barinovas said:

I have the same issue on my laptop and I feel so gutted... I am working on standard size google ad banners, 72DPI and I can`t export them in PNG without affecting their quality. They look awful! I`ve also noticed when I open them on google chrome and zoom out to 80% it looks as good as on the app but not sure how is that possible. Hopefully, they`re going to sort it out asap.

P.S. I don`t want to go back to adobe.. 

I feel you! I’ve used affinty for 2 years, and in the last 8 months it’s become a problem. I have never used Adobe, mainly because I don’t want to pay a subscription but at this point I’m so frustrated I’m thinking about making the switch. 

[GreenLion]

22 minutes ago, Nelson15 said:

So I have exported the png into the app I’ll be using it in (GoodNotes 5) and it’s just as blurry. I’m at a total loss at this point. I’m also not super tech savvy, so maybe that plays a part in it. What is CMYK? 

Are you viewing at 5 x 5 on this app? CMYK is a color profile that you can set your document to (instead of RGB), most printers require CMYK in order to get the colors to turn out as close to what your screen as possible.

I’ve done business cards and never had any issues with blurriness once I scaled down the image while viewing it, to the same size I intended it for. If you’re viewing it zoomed in, in any way, it’s going to lose quality.  

Also make sure your DPI is set to 300 for printed materials, 72 for online media. 
 

 

[Evaldas Barinovas]

8 hours ago, GreenLion said:

I’m not sure if this is the answer for your issue, but in the past I thought I was experiencing a similar issue, but the problem was since I was exporting such a small image, and trying to view it on iPads previewed, it was full screen and thus looked blurry. Try looking at it at 100% true to the image size that you made. To work around this now I always make my canvas bigger than I need for working, and then resize my finished piece copied over in a new document, set for CMYK, 300dpi, proper dimensions. 

Thank you for trying to help us, however you do not seem to understand the issue. We are talking about two different things; vector graphics for print (which obviously works perfect) and raster images for web (after exporting there is a significant loss of quality). Since I was talking about raster images, I was hoping to hear from affinity dev team because that`s the problem of the app itself rather than color profile or other document settings like dimensions, DPI etc. I hope they are going to fix it asap.

P.S. I am not sure if mac and ipad users are facing the same issue because of the retina screen hence the image quality is better.

[MEB]

Hi @Evaldas Barinovas, @Nelson15,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
Can you give us a few more details please? Are you exporting to PNG or PNG8 (dithered)? There's a few issues with the latter (palettised exports). If you are exporting to PNG, the exported image should look the same as what you see in-app when the zoom is set to 100% (1:1). If there's differences then something is wrong. In that case, can you provide the files affinity files you are trying to export to PNG for us to inspect please? I can provide an upload link if you wish to keep the file private - just let me know. Thank you.

[Nelson15]

6 minutes ago, MEB said:

Hi @Evaldas Barinovas, @Nelson15,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
Can you give us a few more details please? Are you exporting to PNG or PNG8 (dithered)? There's a few issues with the latter (palettised exports). If you are exporting to PNG, the exported image should look the same as what you see in-app when the zoom is set to 100% (1:1). If there's differences then something is wrong. In that case, can you provide the files affinity files you are trying to export to PNG for us to inspect please? I can provide an upload link if you wish to keep the file private - just let me know. Thank you.

I'm exporting as a png. For me they aren't exporting at all like they look in the app. In the app the lines are crisp and clean, exported they are extremely blurry. I also tried to save the file to my iCloud from my iPad so I could try it on my MacBook, when I went to open the file on the MacBook it said the file is from an older version of Affinity and couldn't open it. The thing is my Affinity on my iPad is currently up to date, unless there has been a new update in the last 3 weeks that my App Store hasn't shown me.

PG 1.afdesign

[Evaldas Barinovas]

7 minutes ago, MEB said:

Hi @Evaldas Barinovas, @Nelson15,
Welcome to Affinity Forums
Can you give us a few more details please? Are you exporting to PNG or PNG8 (dithered)? There's a few issues with the latter (palettised exports). If you are exporting to PNG, the exported image should look the same as what you see in-app when the zoom is set to 100% (1:1). If there's differences then something is wrong. In that case, can you provide the files affinity files you are trying to export to PNG for us to inspect please? I can provide an upload link if you wish to keep the file private - just let me know. Thank you.

Hi @MEB,

It`s nice to hear from you. I am exporting to PNG. I would love to share my working file with you, please share an upload link with me I will send it immediately.

Cheers

[Nelson15]

21 minutes ago, Evaldas Barinovas said:

Thank you for trying to help us, however you do not seem to understand the issue. We are talking about two different things; vector graphics for print (which obviously works perfect) and raster images for web (after exporting there is a significant loss of quality). Since I was talking about raster images, I was hoping to hear from affinity dev team because that`s the problem of the app itself rather than color profile or other document settings like dimensions, DPI etc. I hope they are going to fix it asap.

P.S. I am not sure if mac and ipad users are facing the same issue because of the retina screen hence the image quality is better.

I'm using an iPad and a MacBook Air, so we are facing the issues. I do believe that since I'm using mine in the pdf annotation app that it does need to be a vector image. I could be wrong though.

[MEB]

Hi @Evaldas Barinovas,
Here's the upload link. Thank you.

@Nelson15,
Thanks for the file. I'm checking this.

[Nelson15]

Just now, MEB said:

Hi @Evaldas Barinovas,
Here's the upload link. Thank you.

@Nelson15,
Thanks for the file. I'm checking this.

Thank you!

[Evaldas Barinovas]

I`m working on windows 10 laptop and I just need my banners for web. My working file consists of gradient background, raster images and logos + text converted to curves just in case if you wouldn`t have the right font (original is in open sans). All the settings are default and I just need decent quality PNG(24bit) export.

Thanks @MEB

[MEB]

Hi @Evaldas Barinovas,
Thanks for the files. The exported files do match what the app displays on screen. You can preview how they will export (as raster) while you work enabling the Pixel View icon in the main toolbar (looks like a grid of blue squares). There's two: one to preview how the layer/vector objects will look on a regular display (Pixel View mode) and the other to preview on a high density/retina display (Retina Pixel View mode). Click on Pixel View to enable it a compare what you see on screen with the exported images at the same zoom level. You can drag the exported image and place it below the artboard to help with the comparison if you want. They should look similar.

The main issue here is that the objects that compose the design (text in particular) are very small  - specially in the smaller banners - and look quite fuzzy because most of the elements are not pixel aligned. In the clip below I've created an artboard with just 20x20px and set a red pixel grid with 1x1px. On the left I've aligned the three elements with the pixel grid (line, rectangle, circle); on the right they are all mis-aligned. I've then enabled the Pixel View mode - this shows how the vector elements/objects will be rendered/rasterised when converted to pixels (which is what happens when you export the file to a raster format like PNG). As you can see misaligned objects end up blurry or messed up/irregular in the case of the curves, whereas aligned objects remain sharp and curves remain regular/homogeneous when aligned to the pixel grid. Hope this helps to explain why the exported images/small elements look fuzzy/blurred.
 

When working with small banners/logos etc try to align the elements to the pixel grid whenever possible to get the best possible results. Text is a bit more complicated because it's difficult to control each letter's position and most fonts have complex/rounded parts and Affinity currently doesn't provide text anti-aliasing settings. There's however some bitmap/pixel fonts that can help a bit since they are designed to fit better on a pixel grid.
To help aligning objects from start, enable Force Pixel Alignment in the main toolbar. Objects you create after turning this setting on will be pixel aligned whenever possible. In some cases - like images - it's not possible to have both dimensions aligned to the grid due to their ratios. In these cases you can simply hide (mask) the part that extend beyond the grid with the Vector Crop Tool.

[Evaldas Barinovas]

Hi @MEB,

Thank you for your time and effort trying to explain how it works and pointing out some really great tips! However, I was not aware that Force Pixel Alignment has to be on before placing an object - that was the key point for me. I thought that you can change the setting while having one of the objects selected. I will definitely use your advice and let you know how it goes. Keep up the good work and once again thanks a lot. Hopefully it`s going to help others who were having the same problem like myself.

By the way, great clip to show the difference between pixel aligned objects and misaligned ones.

[MEB]

Hi @Evaldas Barinovas,
You're welcome. One additional note: if you duplicate objects on canvas dragging them while pressing a modifier key, make sure you use cmd (on macOS) / ctrl (on Windows) to duplicate them. alt also duplicates the object (on both OS's) but overrides the snapping settings - meaning the Force Pixel Alignment setting will NOT be honoured when you duplicate using alt.

@Nelson15,
I haven't forgot you. Allow me some more time to check out your file. Thank you.

[Nelson15]

@MEB any luck? It’s been a while and haven’t heard anything. 

[Nelson15]

@MEB sooooo any luck? It’s been a really long time…like ridiculously long.

[NotMyFault]

On 10/12/2021 at 3:28 AM, Nelson15 said:

@MEB sooooo any luck? It’s been a really long time…like ridiculously long.

Hi Nelson,

i did look into your file. When changing units from pt to px, it has only a resolution of 900x750px.

Especially all text frames are very small. Some text are only 3.9pt. You need to drastically increase pixel resolution to achieve a better readable result.

In default settings, Designer does not give a realistic preview of exported results.

To get a realistic preview of the export, you could either:

1. Activate "Pixel View Mode"
2. Set zoom to 100%.

or, alternatively use File>Export and Preview.

If you really need to live with such small text sizes, there are options to improve results:

• For all text layers, use blend range, coverage map, and experiment with the profile. I made a tutorial video some time ago explaining the process:

 

I hope that brings some light into the issue and what options exists to solve.

I made 2 exports, one with default settings and blurry text, one with Anti-Aliasing off and a tweaked coverage map. The text gets much sharper.

Original overage map / AA on: