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Image resize issue


PrinceCorwin

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I'm creating a page of stickers to print out on 8.5 x 11 sticker paper. I keep one main file open with a canvas size of 7.5 x 10 and as I find images on the web to add to the collection, I open it in PS and resize it to the size I want then drag it to my main file to place on the page for printing. My problem is that after dragging and dropping into the main file, the image is always slightly different in size than it was in its own file. I've already deselected the always resize image preference but it still happens. Anyone explain why and how to avoid?

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Mannos

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I imagine that the canvas on the main page is larger/smaller than the one you're bringing in. Try making sure that all the canvases are set to 100% zoom, and see if they remain the same then :)
 

PrinceCorwin

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I imagine that the canvas on the main page is larger/smaller than the one you're bringing in. Try making sure that all the canvases are set to 100% zoom, and see if they remain the same then :)
Thanks. I'll try that later when I get home and see if it helps.

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PrinceCorwin

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Tried making canvas and resolution same for both images but there is always still a slight difference after I drag the image to the sticker sheet file. I have the rulers showing on both files and there is definitely a slight difference (+/- less than an inch). Not really a big deal since I simply do a free transform on the new image to get a preferred size but I'm just curious why it happens

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MrToM

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A lot of your comments are open to interpretation so it's not easy to establish exactly what your workflow is.

For example:

...I open it in PS and resize it to the size I want then drag it to my main file to place on the page for printing...
So this must start out as a normal image file, right? You then, for some reason, "resize" it.

Now, putting 'why' aside for a moment.....HOW are you resizing it?

Do you mean you resample the image so it contains less pixels?
Do you mean you use the 'resolution' setting without resampling? (Which is just calculating a smaller print size)

Are you selecting everything and simply transforming the image smaller?

In short, 'resize' could be interpreted in different ways, and HOW you are doing this can dictate what happens to the file afterwards.

To continue...what do you THEN do with the file once you 'resize' it?
Save it as the original image file? (Overwriting in the process)
Save it as a new file?
Save it as a PSD file?
None of the above?

Then there is the 'dragging' part....WHAT are you dragging? From where? Are you dragging the previously saved file? Are you dragging the transformed pixels from one document to another?

You see how there are many, many, different permutations....and just in that one sentence alone!

Without expanding on your exact workflow it would be nearly impossible to determine exactly what is happening and why.

Normally, dragging layers from document to document isn't affected by size, resolution setting or any document specific properties....the pixels just get copied over to the target document.

Problems can arise when dragging [saved] FILES into documents, as colleague has already mentioned the resolution setting will make a difference.

Personally I also don't understand why you are 'resizing' the file first before transferring to the target document. Normal practice is to 'Place' or open and then drag the file directly into the target document and then adjust it there, not before. Is there a reason why you cannot do this?

If you do, does it make any difference?

Dragging pixels from doc to doc is a direct 1:1 pixel relationship so I'm at a loss as to what is happening to them in the process.

Regards.
MrToM.
 

PrinceCorwin

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A lot of your comments are open to interpretation so it's not easy to establish exactly what your workflow is.

For example:

So this must start out as a normal image file, right? You then, for some reason, "resize" it.

Now, putting 'why' aside for a moment.....HOW are you resizing it?

Do you mean you resample the image so it contains less pixels?
Do you mean you use the 'resolution' setting without resampling? (Which is just calculating a smaller print size)

Are you selecting everything and simply transforming the image smaller?

In short, 'resize' could be interpreted in different ways, and HOW you are doing this can dictate what happens to the file afterwards.

To continue...what do you THEN do with the file once you 'resize' it?
Save it as the original image file? (Overwriting in the process)
Save it as a new file?
Save it as a PSD file?
None of the above?

Then there is the 'dragging' part....WHAT are you dragging? From where? Are you dragging the previously saved file? Are you dragging the transformed pixels from one document to another?

You see how there are many, many, different permutations....and just in that one sentence alone!

Without expanding on your exact workflow it would be nearly impossible to determine exactly what is happening and why.

Normally, dragging layers from document to document isn't affected by size, resolution setting or any document specific properties....the pixels just get copied over to the target document.

Problems can arise when dragging [saved] FILES into documents, as colleague has already mentioned the resolution setting will make a difference.

Personally I also don't understand why you are 'resizing' the file first before transferring to the target document. Normal practice is to 'Place' or open and then drag the file directly into the target document and then adjust it there, not before. Is there a reason why you cannot do this?

If you do, does it make any difference?

Dragging pixels from doc to doc is a direct 1:1 pixel relationship so I'm at a loss as to what is happening to them in the process.

Regards.
MrToM.
Point taken. I'll elaborate shortly

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PrinceCorwin

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I open new file in PS with 7x10 in canvas and 300 resolution and rulers showing as my main file into which I will drop each graphic that I want to use as a sticker (I plan to eventually print out main file on a sheet of 8.5x11 sticker paper)

Next I open jpeg image saved from websearch as a separate file and use image size command to resize it to preferred sticker size (for example, I made one of them 3 inches wide) and 300 resolution. I left height and width linked and resampled to desired dimension. At this point everything is fine. Rulers are showing the desired dimensions have been achieved.

Having already renamed the only layer in this jpeg, I drag the layer from this file to my main file by dragging it up to the open file toolbar until my current display changes to the main file then I drop it, creating a new layer in main file and containing my new sticker image. It is now that I realize the sticker image is no longer exactly 3 inches wide and that is affirmed by showing rulers on my main file.

It's only off slightly (less than an inch) so I can use the free transform command on the new image layer to gently resize and rotate it to fit where I need it but I'm not sure why the image doesn't transfer from its native file to the main file at its same dimensions.

Sorry I don't have screenshots. But I'm not home right now and I haven't had a chance to get back to my computer

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MrToM

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Excellent!

Thank-you for your detailed description, from it I was able to replicate your 'problem' and I think I know what's happening.

Does the image you are dragging have any transparency around it?

Like this for example...

gear_MT_01.png

As I said before, dragging like this moves the pixels from one document to another...transparency is not included.

I can only guess that your original, and consequently your 'resized' image does not have pixels that cover the entire width and height of the layer. Each layer will be of the same size as the canvas but that's not to say that any pixels on it are also of the same dimensions.

Try this...
Add another layer to your 'resized' image and fill it with a solid colour.

Now select BOTH layers and drag both of them into your 'sticker' document.

Is it the right size now?

I'm willing to bet the solid layer is spot on.

Regards.
MrToM.
 

MrToM

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OK, let me put it another way.

Before dragging your pixels to the 'sticker' document, (so after resizing), Ctrl + CLICK the layer THUMBNAIL in the layer's panel...

gear_MT_02.jpg

This will create a marquee, (marching ants), that encompasses ALL the opaque pixels on that layer.
An opaque pixel here is defined as ANY pixel with an opacity greater than zero.

Now, drag, from the rulers, a vertical guide line to the leftmost edge of the marquee.
Drag another guide to the rightmost edge of the marquee.

If you now measure between these two guides do you get the same dimensions as after dragging the image into your other document?

I'm willing to bet it is....and that it differs from the canvas size by the same error.

Using my image above as an example the Orange part denotes the entire canvas/layer, the Purple part the boundary of the opaque pixels on that layer...

gear_MT_03.jpg


When you 'drag' from a layer it's ONLY the Purple part that moves...the opaque pixels.

The 'less than an inch' difference you see is effectively the Orange part.

In short, don't confuse the canvas/layer size, in Px, with the width of 'opaque' pixels on a layer. They are not necessarily the same....and dragging a layer to another document ONLY drags those opaque pixels.

Regards.
MrToM.
 

PrinceCorwin

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I get what you are saying and no I'm not including any transparency.
Now I've run into a kind of catch 22... I've tried to recreate my work flow with a new image and try as I might, I can't seem to recreate my problem. My edited images are transferring to my sticker sheet at the correct size. I'm going to chalk it up to being a newbie and maybe when I first started the project I was forgetting to change something before I sent it over to the sticker sheet (resolution for example... or maybe I forgot to hit ok after I changed the image size). Whatever it was, It all seems to be a non issue now. If it comes up again, I'll be sure to capture some screenshots and repost here. Thank everyone for your suggestions and help
 

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