brush strokes losing resolution when rotated

[Arteph]

I am using a TrueGrit brush pack I downloaded from affinity's website, I am working on a large scale map, lots of tiny details, and having to move brushstrokes around. Problem is, whenever I rotate a brushstroke, it loses resolution, and gets blurry. Same when I am merging multiple layers with brushstrokes, they lose resolution. Can I somehow solve this problem, am I doing something wrong ?

Edited January 24 by Arteph

[NotMyFault]

Probably pixel position misaligned.

you need to check that rotated layer uses integer positions.

see 

 

 

[NotMyFault]

Please include full application window in screenshots, including layer panel, transform panel, navigator panel

[Arteph]

On 1/24/2025 at 9:32 PM, NotMyFault said:

you need to check that rotated layer uses integer positions.

see 

I am not sure If this thread is relevant to my question, as the posts in this thread are about losing resolution when merging. My problem is losing resolution when rotating.

A full window screenshot as requested (rotated object on the right) :

[NotMyFault]

the blurriness happens even before using merge.
 

How do you rotate the pixel layer?
please activate transform panel, and check the position and size. It must be integer, no fractional digits.

to achieve this while rotating and moving, activate snapping, and only the enforce whole pixel option. Do not activate any other snapping option.

 

 

[Arteph]

5 minutes ago, NotMyFault said:

How do you rotate the brush exactly?

I'm attaching a video of the process, I hope it helps :

2025-04-24 17-04-45.mkv

[NotMyFault]

Thank you for the video.

it shows that you rotate by a „free“ angle. This leads to unavoidable blurriness, as the pixels from the layer are resampled (using bilinear resampling), so every pixel of the screen is a blend of multiple rotated pixels.

To avoid, you have a few options:

• work in higher 2x resolution, and export in 1/2 resolution (number of pixel)
• add a sharpening filter like highpass or unsharp mask (reduces the issue only)
• rotate only by 90 degree or multiples, and ensure whole pixel alignment.

to get images less affected to (blur by) rotation, you may switch to Designer and vector brushes. 

[NotMyFault]

To see the issue, just paint a 10x1 px black line on white background, using pixel brush. Zoom in to 400%. Then rotate and see how it will blur depending on angle, or fractional position.

 

 

[NotMyFault]

And please reload the page, and read again my older posts. Ve added another link explaining resampling. 
and please, as requested before, include the transform panel in every screenshot or video. It is the essential tool when dealing with blurriness of pixel layers.

[Arteph]

18 minutes ago, NotMyFault said:

To see the issue, just paint a 10x1 px black line on white background, using pixel brush. Zoom in to 400%. Then rotate and see how it will blur depending on angle, or fractional position.

I tried this, and attaching the results.

The only thing that is strange to me, is that for me it blurs even if I rotate it with 90 degrees.
Otherwise, thank you for the suggestions, I like the option of Unsharp mask, I think that will work.
I've also read the link you sent, although, I'll be honest, I am far from expert to understand everything written in it. I rely on simpler explanations, so I appreciate it:)

[Arteph]

when I set the settings for snapping to whole pixels only, as you explained in your link, it doesn't blur at 90 degrees, so there's that, but that limits my choices in my artworks too much, so that won't be something that I can work around sadly.

 

[NotMyFault]

You are currently using mm as document units. 

• Please only use px as document units when aiming for sharp pixel
• the issue of unwanted blurriness unfortunately is quite „technical“. To avoid, you must follow strict edit workflows and use the mentioned tools.
• alternatively, use sharpening filters as band aid.
• Normal users will probably don’t notice any difference when looking at the final exported image from usual distance.

[Arteph]

9 minutes ago, NotMyFault said:

the issue of unwanted blurriness unfortunately is quite „technical“.

Yes, It seems like it. Thank you so much for clearing that up, and for all your suggestions !