About Philip Pereira Expertise Macromedia Fireworks 3 & 4, Macromedia Dreamweaver 3 & 4 and integration of the two, as well as most of the techniques and methods used by both.
Experience I have used both packages to produce different websites, including the use of Freehand & Flash.
Expert: Philip Pereira Date: 2/13/2001 Subject: Resizing Screen Captures
Question I work for a software developer and need to do screen captures of the software screens that clients will use. I have been using Paint Shop Pro 5 to capture the screens at 72dpi, but when I resize them smaller they look blurry. The text goes from being crisp and clear to blurry. What can I do to fix this? Also, these will be imported into flash in the end.
Thanks for the assistance!
Answer Hi Beth,
Thank you for your question.
Unfortunately, there isn't a lot I can do. When you take a screen capture and then reduce it, pixels are "thrown away" in order to compensate for the difference in file size - as a result, detail goes with it.
However, there are a few tips I can give to help minimize the loss:
(1) Be progressive in changing the image size, rather than go from, for example, 200x200 to 50x50 directly, try 170x170 then 100x100 and finally 50x50
(2) Use the "Sharpen" filter. This is a filter which comes with most graphics packages and works by increasing the contrast between pixels which are next to eachother, thereby making it look like there is more detail - and reducing the 'blurr' look at the same time.
(3) Make size changes proportionate to the original file size! This is an important one otherwise things will look bad!!!
(4) Decide what size you want it FIRST! and then make the file size change within a graphics package (like Fireworks, Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro 5) and then save it before importing it into another program.
(5) Flash isn't good at re-sizing pictures which are pixel based, so first decide what size you want the picture to be in flash, then follow "step 4" and then import it into Flash.
I hope this will help you! Please contact me if I have not been clear in any way.
