Text using Photoshop. Why to avoid it ?

TC
Posted By
Themistoklis_Chapsis
Nov 3, 2005
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521
Replies
11
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Closed
Hello.
I have to write an article, about why one should avoid using photoshop to write text over an image because of the "text braking to pixels" effect. Does anybody know a link with more analytical information about that? What I need is a technical analysis of the phenomenon. I know… there is the "Google" solution which of course I am going to use, but, if anyone has already found a remarkable link with an article or PDF paper, I would appreciate it a lot.

Thank you very much in advance.
Regards, Themistoklis K.Chapsis
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D
deebs
Nov 3, 2005
My rather naive response is to avoid crudding up the image file.

If there is a way to place text respecting the vector & scalable options of text without compromising the pixel based options of the image that seems a better workflw to me.
JJ
John Joslin
Nov 3, 2005
Does anybody know a link with more analytical information about that? What I need is a technical analysis of the phenomenon.

Thanks for that incisive piece of technical analysis deebs.
D
deebs
Nov 3, 2005
You are welcome JJ 🙂
Y
YrbkMgr
Nov 4, 2005
Themistoklis,

Even google didn’t bring up anything relevant. This is the first time I’ve heard of the phenomenon. What makes you think that it happens at all? And, uh, by the way, what is "text braking into pixels"?
TC
Themistoklis_Chapsis
Nov 4, 2005
Yassou (hi) YrbkMgr !

First of all, I would like to thank you all of you, about the answers of yours and especially your interest YrbkMgr to help me out by searching google.

So, this is what i am looking for.

When someone uses the type tool in photoshop to write text and then Rasterize it, the text is no more a "vector shape" and become (break to) pixels. Especially at small size letters, for example 7 points, or italic letters, or letters with ornaments or serif fonts, the print result is disappointing with non sharp text edges and sometimes you can see the aliasing phenomenon. The shape – the edge of letters – is not crystal clear if you compare it with vector text (from InDesign for example).

Ok, i know, this not a new.

I know, that true type or type1 fonts, have embedded tips to help the RIP print out correctly small font sizes. Does it happen in Photoshop when you Rasterize text?

And if one resamples the image, making it smaller, the interpolation of the re-sampling affect the type making it less clear at small sizes? I think yes.

What I am looking for is to prove – by technical means – why does this happens and why one should avoid using type in photoshop and prefer Indesign.

How the RIP address the vector text to cell pixels, and finally to dots on the film surface? And how different the RIP address the already rasterised text (through photoshop)? The vector text becomes raster through the RIP process and ends up to clear shape letters. The vector text that became rasterised through photoshop and not RIP is very different.

I know that this happens, but I have to prove it by technical means. Also I have to answer one more question. If this happens indeed, when it is safe to use type tool in photoshop… for example only for type effects or using larger type sizes ?

I know…it is a very difficult and complex matter. (Finally, I apologize for my English…)

Thanks again.
Regards, Themistoklis Chapsis
S
stevent
Nov 4, 2005
You could always export to pdf(from photoshop), and keep the text and vector data intact.
L
LenHewitt
Nov 4, 2005
When vector text is sent to a RIP, it is rasterized at the resolution of the ImageSetter, which can be in excess of 5000 dpi.

When text is rasterized in Photoshop, it is rasterized at the resolution of the containing document.

If you were to create a document at the same resolution as the ImageSetter that will be used for output, then the rasterized text created at 100% of a process colour within that document would print out almost identically to vector text.

However, text, whether rasterized OR vector that is created using less than 100% of any one process colour will still be screened, and as such will suffer from any effects of the screening method used.

have embedded tips to help the RIP print out correctly small font
sizes<<

I believe you are referring to font hinting. AFAIK, the hinting is taken into account when text is rasterized within Photoshop.
TC
Themistoklis_Chapsis
Nov 4, 2005
Len Hewitt,
yes, i am referring to font hinting (and not font tips… sorry 🙂 ). Your opinion is very useful. Thanks a lot. I think that the answer to what i am looking for is exactly at the RIP process at the image setter as you suggest me. So, If I get it right, when you Rasterize text at 300 ppi, the imagesetter will render it as it is, but if you use vector graphics or text it will use more detail (accordingly the resolution of the imagesetter).

Stevent, have you ever tried to export an image with a vector text layer from photoshop as pdf and then send it to RIP? Was the result ok&#8230;the films, plates and the final output? Text was sharp? This is very interesting technically! I am looking forward to read your answer.

Thank you both.
Regards, Themistoklis
DM
Don_McCahill
Nov 4, 2005
Themistoklis

The method Steven mentions is the process used by many graphic arts establishments in North America today. It is the reason Adobe Acrobat (the base program for the pdf format) is so popular. Many magazines accept high quality ads in pdf format, from Photoshop or from another program.

When I first read your message, I wondered if you weren’t perpetuating a truism of older versions of Photoshop. Before version 5.5 (I think) Photoshop could not store text in vector format. Up until that time, all text was rasterized immediately. This DID limit the quality of text. (And at that time, spacing of text was often quite horrid, as the program tried to align letters on pixel boundaries, or something. I remember having to kern between letters regularly to make the spacing even.)

Don
TC
Themistoklis_Chapsis
Nov 4, 2005
Don,
Pdf format and its usage, is quite popular here in Greece too. I have to admit although that I haven’t yet used it with Photoshop. I have made error free pdf documents from indesign, illustrator, corel and quark. But never send a job from photoshop with a vector text layer.

I know that one can export pdf from photoshop but I wasn’t sure how an image + text layer would end up to imagesetter. Believe it or not, it is the first time I read about it (ads directly from photoshop with text on layer) and thank you for that.

As you already know, there is the old school rule, "don’t use photoshop to type text over an image". Well, this is a very good reason for some people (including me) to be very sceptical about the "new" ability of photoshop, to have crisp, clear text using type tool. So, allow me to be surprised and curious the same time.

Well if you telling me that it is happening already, i just have to try it for my self and see the results!

Thanks for the useful info
Regards, Themistoklis.
BL
Bob Levine
Nov 4, 2005
Saving as PDF from Photoshop retains all text and vectors. Bottom line is that you should find something else to write about.

Bob

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