Can't get clear image!

[lomazacreations]

I'm fairly new with Photoshop and I'm having a problem with the attached image. I've watched a number of YouTube videos and I'm just at a loss at this point. It's fairly pixelated and I can't seem to clean it up so that I print it on a sticker and/or shirt as a sharp image.

Any advice on how I can do this would be greatly appreciated. I don't want you to do this for me I want to learn to do this for myself. Thank you so much.

 

[Rich54]

You can remove the blurriness with a Levels adjustment.

Open a Levels adjustment layer. Move the Black slider to the right and then move the White slider to the left, as shown in the screenshot below (see red arrows). This forces the fuzzy midtones to be either pure black or pure white and makes the whole image look sharper.

However, the original image is so pixelated that we still see choppy, wavy lines. The "right" way to fix this is to trace the image using the Pen tool, but that tool is usually daunting for beginners. Here's an easier way that's not perfect but might be good enough.

• After you've done the Levels adjustment, copy the entire combined image to a new layer using Stamp Visible (Shft+Ctrl+Alt+E).
• Activate the Magic Wand tool and click it inside the white area, That should give you a selection of everything that's white.
• Go to Select>Modify>Smooth. Enter the number of pixels to smooth. This is trial & error, but 5 pixels is a good start.
• Now that you have a smoothed selection, fill the interior with white (Edit>Fill>White). Now invert the selection (Select>Inverse) and fill everything outside it with black.
• The final result is down below.

 

[[ iLLuSioN ]]

For logos or simple graphics, I would always recommend recreating them as vector graphics and using a vector program like Illustrator or Inkscape (but it also works with Photoshop)

Your logo basically consists of simple shapes (mainly triangles and squares). The outer shape could be created with a path and a contour. Since you can combine paths and shapes (which hasn't happened in the example yet), you end up with a clean graphic.

 

[lomazacreations]

WOW! Thank you both so much for helping me get through this headache. I just have to fill in the colors and I should be all set. I need a white logo like the one on the left and a black logo. Thanks again for all of your help.

 

[IamSam]

Just so you know, while Ps is not a true vector based program, it does have some "close to vector" tools. My suggestion if you don't have the budget or the skills to use another program, you can create paths with the Pen Tool Ps.

 

[lomazacreations]

For logos or simple graphics, I would always recommend recreating them as vector graphics and using a vector program like Illustrator or Inkscape (but it also works with Photoshop)

Your logo basically consists of simple shapes (mainly triangles and squares). The outer shape could be created with a path and a contour. Since you can combine paths and shapes (which hasn't happened in the example yet), you end up with a clean graphic.

View attachment 147946

Ok so now that you graciously helped me with this logo, do you happen to know how to change the color of the "white lines in the photo" to black instead of white? I've been able to apply a transparent background but photoshop will not let me change the color to black. Again, I'm a green photoshop user and I've been watching a number of YouTube videos to help me out, but I know I'm a work in progress. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated. I know I have a lot to learn. Thank you

 

[lomazacreations]

Spoke too soon. I did figure it out. Until next time, thank you all for your assistance.

 

[IamSam]

do you happen to know how to change the color of the "white lines in the photo" to black instead of white?

Yes. We know.

I've been able to apply a transparent background but photoshop will not let me change the color to black.

How did you accomplish this? Please explain or post a screenshot.
It's very difficult for us to know where you are in order for us to be able to tell you what you need to do. You need to show us or explain where you are and how you arrived at that point.

Again, I'm a green photoshop user and I've been watching a number of YouTube videos to help me out, but I know I'm a work in progress.

This is great! What videos are you watching that pertain to this subject?

Spoke too soon. I did figure it out. Until next time, thank you all for your assistance.

Great! Please post your finished image so we can see your progress!!

 

[lomazacreations]

My apologies it took longer than expected to get back on here to show you the finished product. I used the brush tool in order to change the color from white to black. I made it more difficult than it needed to be. I've also attached the finished product. My customer was very happy with the finished products.

 

[lomazacreations]

Here is the finished product,

 

[IamSam]

Hey! Thanks for getting back with us!! Much appreciated!

Please forgive me I'm only trying to help! But I'm not exactly understanding how you completed your final product. Did you not use any of the techniques we helped you with? You should have had a much better result.

I show you these images just so you know that you could have had the same type of result! These were created with the Pen Tool. Here I have added some of the effects you show in your finished image. I wasn't sure if you tried adding a bevel and emboss.
With the B&E
Without the B&E....


You still show a lot of aliasing (jagged edges) and abnormalities in the tips at the top and side. There are some cut out areas in the inner corners as well.


Since this project seems to be finished for you, I am hoping that you come back and let us help you to get much better results on your next project!!

 

[lomazacreations]

Thank you so much for the constructive feedback. You have taught me so much is this small amount of time. That's the only way I'm going to learn, on top of just practicing. This brings me to my next issue. I've attached another example of the letters being pixeled and quite frankly it just doesn't look high quality AT ALL. What would you all recommend me doing in photoshop in order to get this to look like a professional logo (smooth lines, etc)? Additionally, if you know of any online resources out there that can help with these easier questions, I'm all ears. I only say that because I know for a professional this will be easy, and I hate to bother anybody when I know they/you have more important work to do. Thanks again for all of your assistance. Chad

 

[IamSam]

Thank you so much for the constructive feedback.

You're very welcome.

That's the only way I'm going to learn, on top of just practicing.

Agreed!

This brings me to my next issue. I've attached another example of the letters being pixeled and quite frankly it just doesn't look high quality AT ALL. What would you all recommend me doing in photoshop in order to get this to look like a professional logo (smooth lines, etc)?

Just like the last "logo", I would approach this one in the same exact manner..............I would recreate it from scratch. Adobe Illustrator would be the program of choice but this can be done in Adobe Photoshop as well.

First and main step would be to match the font. You can do this by submitting a sample to any of the available online font matching websites.
Take the word "Hockey", make a selection or a snapshot. Submit.

I found the font called "College Bold" was a match.

On a new layer and using the Type Tool, add the new font.


Then duplicate the font/type/text layer.
Add an Outer Orange stroke to the upper (duplicated) type layer using a layer style.
Move the lower type layer to make the shadow.




Halfway there!

 

[IamSam]

Since the G in the word "Tiger" is the only straight letter, we will use this for setting our font size by placing guides along the letters edges.


Then create the font using the Type Tool and the same College bold font.
We have matched the edges of the letter G to the guides, but not the height.

Use Fee Transform (Cmd/Cntrl + T) to stretch the upper and lower edges of the letters to match your guides!

EDIT NOTE: You may have to add space between the letters to match the original.......I did not do this to save time!


IMPORTANT to now duplicate the "Tiger" font layer for your shadow just as we did before.

Add the same Layer style to your "Tiger" text, and position the shadow like we did above.

 

[IamSam]

Now for the arching of the word Tiger.

You should have two layers comprising your tiger text. One is the upper text layer with the layer style, and the other is the lower shadow layer......


Select and highlight these two layers by holding the shift key and clicking on them.
Duplicate the layers by hitting Cmd/Cntrl + J
Now merge the layers by hitting Cmd/Cntrl + E
Turn off the original two layers. Save them just in case we screw up!


ON the Tiger merged layer, enter Free Transform (Cmd/Cntrl + T), hit the Warp mode Icon in the tools options bar...


Choose "Arch" and enter 20.0 in the bend option window!



Your Tiger text should now look like this.....

 

[IamSam]

Use your Pen Tool to outline one of the Hockey Sticks.




Right click and select fill path.



Add your Orange...


Duplicate the hockey stick using Cmd/Cntrl + J
Hit Free Transform using Cmd/Cntrl + T
Right click and select Flip Horizontal.

You should now have two sticks and two layers.


DONE!

 

[lomazacreations]

Unbelievable! I can’t wait to get home to work on this. I truly do appreciate you taking the time to spell it out for me. Now I just need to practice. You can teach an old dog new tricks after all - (talking about myself).

 

[IamSam]

I truly do appreciate you taking the time to spell it out for me.

Not a problem! You're very welcome!

You can teach an old dog new tricks after all - (talking about myself).

From one old dog to another, you're absolutely right!