Smooth Edges in Pen Sketch with Bleed

[jonow]

My friend has drawn a pretty elaborate and detailed sketch that he would like to be fixed up in Photoshop. The issue is all the lines he has made have bled a little so none of the lines are straight and when you look at the detail it does not look to good.

Is there a way to easily smooth out these lines and remove the bleed without removing the detail? I have tried things from blur to refining edges and it works to some degree but I loose detail. Attached is the image and a zoomed in version to show the detail that there is and the bleeding that needs to be removed. Also I am not sure if it matters but I plan to eventually vectorize it.

[dv8_fx]

If the drawing is on its own layer, Select the drawing (CTRL+click layer icon) .... try feather selection (3 pixels) .... invert selection and delete the excess.

[jonow]

I did do that and it works for a good portion of the image but in some parts there are either very thin lines or there are sharp corners that get rounded out too much

[dv8_fx]

I sometimes have that. My workaround is to make a copy of the untouched drawing layer so I can superimpose it over the feathered layer. Then Erase what I don't like on either layer till I get the look I need.

Kinda longwinded work but works for me in what Ive done. I can't say much on how it would be like on your image.

[jonow]

Well it just sounds like there needs to be a large amount of work no matter what I do

[dv8_fx]

Looking at the image and the intricate details, it's a lot of work if you want it to be that perfect.

PATIENCE YIELDS SATISFYING RESULTS......

[jonow]

I knew it wouldn't be easy... Well thanks

[dv8_fx]

Then again... did you scan this in b&w or greyscale? Two different outputs ya know.... and it looks like your scan is in B&W which would usually have those jagginess.....

just saying...

[jonow]

I am not sure. I didn't scan it. It may have been adjusted a little before I got it but the original has very good contrast

[$1r_M4x1mu$]

Hi jonow

I've used your sample and tried to fix the edge bleeding, and i came up whit this.



A bit of improvement don't you think, and i used this third party filter Topaz Clean - Edge and Texture Control ,you can download the trial version and start experimenting whit it.

There's a couple other tool option's in this filter but the cartooned style, will be the one who works the better whit your picture.

Hope this helps.