How To Prevent White Pixels While/After Creating or Editing An Image

[brake]

Greetings

 

I am pretty new to programs such as Paint.net

I have done some tutorials on the basics but I still have a lot more to learn.

 

Creating and editing images with Paint.net can be really fun and very often - hard and frustrating.

 

There are a lot of things I would ask help for, but there is one thing particular I am stumbling upon over and over again ( whether editing and image like cutting a certain part of it or creating something simple of my own) -  white pixels appear at the edges of images/icons ( whether at the edges after adding a shadow or after creating and putting a color to an image/ icon etc ).

 

I have watched tutorials where other people create and color their own images and there are no white pixels at the edges.

I tried to do the same and I failed.

 

I will be grateful on any help on how to create images with clear coloring.

 

Thanks !

[Pixey]

Hi Brake and Welcome to the forum .

 

Could you possibly post an image for us to see the problem please?  It would help us to determine what is happening.  It could, quite possibly, be that you are not getting rid of the white in the image you are cropping, and that can easily be remedied by using the AA's Assistant.

 

To upload an image for us to view, it's usual to have the image posted to an outside storage site like Photo bucket or Imgur, and then copy the URL and post it into your post.  But, if it's quite small then you should be able to use the Attach Files if you click on the More Options in the post area.

[brake]

Hi Brake and Welcome to the forum .

 

Could you possibly post an image for us to see the problem please?  It would help us to determine what is happening.  It could, quite possibly, be that you are not getting rid of the white in the image you are cropping, and that can easily be remedied by using the AA's Assistant.

 

To upload an image for us to view, it's usual to have the image posted to an outside storage site like Photo bucket or Imgur, and then copy the URL and post it into your post.  But, if it's quite small then you should be able to use the Attach Files if you click on the More Options in the post area.

 

Hello Pixey !

 

And thanks for Your fast reply . It is greatly appreciated !

 

The first image in its normal size - http://i.imgur.com/j9ZQmcN.png?1 and zoomed - http://i.imgur.com/v8uPoq8.png?1

 

The second image in its normal size- http://i.imgur.com/UflO8lG.png?1 and zoomed - http://i.imgur.com/seO7Raf.png?1

 

I am still learning to work with the program. I was watching a tutotial and did the exact icons the tutors did. So none of the images are my idea.

 

The icon on the first image I did today, and the one the tutor did didn't have the white areas as mine does.

I would say I did everything step by step, but obviously am missing something.

 

Even without zoomiing the icons the white areas around the edges are clearly visible. Which draws away the focus from the beautiful icon to those seemingly unprofessional and unpolished edges. I would like to learn to make them better.

 

Thanks In Advance !

Edited April 8, 2016 by brake

[IRON67]

What you see at the edges of an icon object, are the consequences of a lack of anti-aliasing. This happens either when you create the form or when changing the image size.
In the first case you have to pay attention to the respective tools to use with antialiasing enabled. Otherwise you have to rework subsequently by corresponding effect plugins.
In the second case you should have the image resizing always on "Best quality" adjust.

 

 

Edited April 8, 2016 by IRON67

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

Hello.

I don't know what you have done or not done, so I will just throw out some ideas.

 

 

Be sure you are making your icon on it's own layer. Don't draw stuff on a white layer, then delete the white, instead, draw on a transparent layer. You can learn about layers from paint.net's help document by pressing f1 in paint.net. Here is a direct link to the layer's page for your convenience : http://www.getpaint.net/doc/latest/LayersWindow.html

 

 

If layers aren't the issue, then perhaps something is set to a pixeling setting? (as IRON suspects)

 

In the tool bar, while you have the shapes tool or other drawing tool active, look at the Antialising, you want it enabled (enabling it for one tool I think enables it for all tools). Also, look at the selection clipping mode, I think you might want the round circle, not the square box. And, switch to a move tool, make sure you have bilinear chosen, not nearest neighbor.

 

Also, the feather plugins and AA's assistant can help a lot if you make each part/color of the image on their own layers.

 

(How to install plugins?)

 

 

Suggestion :

If you just can't seem to get away from rough edges using selection tools, then an alternative to selection tools is the Alpha Mask Plugin.

Here is an outdated video that shows selections vs the alpha mask plugin, however, I don't suggest using the plugin the way the video does, as they over complicate things.
If you use the plugin, simply...

1 Add a new layer

2 Make your black shape on the new layer

3 Select all (ctrl + a) and copy (ctrl+c)

4 Turn your black shape's layer off, click on the object that you want to cut something out on, and run the alpha mask plugin.

Edited April 8, 2016 by Cc4FuzzyHuggles

[Pixey]

Hi again.  I remember doing that green disk tutorial a while back and, if my memory is correct, the use of AA's Assistant would have helped with the edges.

 

I think you used this tutorial for the green orb and the person only used one layer.  Not a good idea, as @CC4 says ....... use more layers and use AA's Assistant.

 

Perhaps this tutorial on our forum would be of interest for you as well .

[brake]

What you see at the edges of an icon object, are the consequences of a lack of anti-aliasing. This happens either when you create the form or when changing the image size.

In the first case you have to pay attention to the respective tools to use with antialiasing enabled. Otherwise you have to rework subsequently by corresponding effect plugins.

In the second case you should have the image resizing always on "Best quality" adjust.

 

 

 

Hello IRON67 !

 

And thanks for Your reply !

 

I have Antialiasing enabled. Also my image resizing is on "Best Quality"

 

The only thing I noticed I have changed was "Display Pixel Grid When Zoomed", but I don't know if it may has any effect on the image quality, other than making the pixels more distinctive when zooming in.

 

I may have done something without noticing ( even though I tried to check the tools and the options the tutor is working with - I am specifically refering to the first image ) and am certainly missing something.

 

I gave the tutorial a second go - http://i.imgur.com/OxKsEWn.png?1 and it turned out to be just a bit better but with the same result.

Edited April 8, 2016 by brake

[brake]

Hello.

I don't know what you have done or not done, so I will just throw out some ideas.

 

 

Be sure you are making your icon on it's own layer. Don't draw stuff on a white layer, then delete the white, instead, draw on a transparent layer. You can learn about layers from paint.net's help document by pressing f1 in paint.net. Here is a direct link to the layer's page for your convenience : http://www.getpaint.net/doc/latest/LayersWindow.html

 

 

If layers aren't the issue, then perhaps something is set to a pixeling setting? (as IRON suspects)

 

In the tool bar, while you have the shapes tool or other drawing tool active, look at the Antialising, you want it enabled (enabling it for one tool I think enables it for all tools). Also, look at the selection clipping mode, I think you might want the round circle, not the square box. And, switch to a move tool, make sure you have bilinear chosen, not nearest neighbor.

 

Also, the feather plugins and AA's assistant can help a lot if you make each part/color of the image on their own layers.

 

(How to install plugins?)

 

 

Suggestion :

If you just can't seem to get away from rough edges using selection tools, then an alternative to selection tools is the Alpha Mask Plugin.

Here is an outdated video that shows selections vs the alpha mask plugin, however, I don't suggest using the plugin the way the video does, as they over complicate things.

If you use the plugin, simply...

1 Add a new layer

2 Make your black shape on the new layer

3 Select all (ctrl + a) and copy (ctrl+c)

4 Turn your black shape's layer off, click on the object that you want to cut something out on, and run the alpha mask plugin.

 

Hello Cc4FuzzyHuggles !

And thanks for Your reply!

 

I made sure to use Transparent Layer ( at least for the second image )

Antialiasing is as enabled. Also Selection Cliping Mode is set to Antialiased selection quality. And the Quality is set to Bilinear.

I don't know what else might be the reason. I guess I can not learn that in one day but it will happen in time with a lot of practise.

 

One thing I noticed was that if "Shapes Mode" is set "Draw Filled Shape" I could not use "Line/Curve" to draw with - at least it doesn't add any of the chosen colors.

 

Also thank You for the tips, the links and Your help ! They are greatly appreciated and I will try to make the best use of them.

And I have a lot more to learn and to practise.

 

I tried to do the first image one more time and it turned out to be just a bit better - http://i.imgur.com/OxKsEWn.png?1

Edited April 8, 2016 by brake

[IRON67]

The only thing I noticed I have changed was "Display Pixel Grid When Zoomed", but I don't know if it may has any effect on the image quality, other than making the pixels more distinctive when zooming in.

 

No, that has no effect. Then it is like Cc4FuzzyHuggles wrote. You have to work with every cutted piece or object in his own transparent layer without background color or you will find remnants of these unwanted color on the edges, if you cut out.

A good plugin to edit those bad edges is Tweak Transparency V2.

Edited April 8, 2016 by IRON67

[brake]

Hi again.  I remember doing that green disk tutorial a while back and, if my memory is correct, the use of AA's Assistant would have helped with the edges.

 

I think you used this tutorial for the green orb and the person only used one layer.  Not a good idea, as @CC4 says ....... use more layers and use AA's Assistant.

 

Perhaps this tutorial on our forum would be of interest for you as well .

 

Hello Pixey !

 

Thanks for replying once again !

 

Yes, for the orb I used the tutorial You linked. Also thanks for the tip and the link to the professional tutorial on the forums. I can not even compare the one with the orb I did with the Transperent glass ball and magic sphere tutorial. I will definitely try it.

 

I also went through the tutorial of the first image once again - http://i.imgur.com/OxKsEWn.png?1

 

Thanks again. It is greatly appreciated !

Edited April 8, 2016 by brake

[brake]

No, that has no effect. Then it is like Cc4FuzzyHuggles wrote. You have to work with every cutted piece or object in his own transparent layer without background color or you will find remnants of these unwanted color on the edges, if you cut out.

A good plugin to edit those bad edges is Tweak Transparency V2.

 

Thanks for referring the plugin.

I will definitely try it and see how I am doing with the other tutorials.

[IRON67]

My tip for this plugin: Try following values:

 

Blur radius: something under 5 (depends on the image/object-size)

Min: ~100-255

Edge color/middle color: source

 

All other options as usual

 

Short demonstration of the effect in the marked left side of the image:

 

Edited April 8, 2016 by IRON67

[MJW]

Not really adding anything, but only echoing what Cc4FuzzyHuggles and Iron67 said, but it appears likely to me that the problem is that the areas being colored are on white layers, so the edge pixels are anti-aliased to white. That happens because the edge pixels are partially colored and partially white. As Cc4FuzzyHuggles suggested, the solution is to place the areas to be colored on transparent layers rather than white layers. That way, when they're colored, the edge pixels will be the color used, but partially transparent.

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

Could you post a link to the tutorials you are trying to follow? Perhaps we can give ideas based on the videos/tuts.
 
 
Edit:
I found a video on youtube that I think makes the icon you made, not sure if it's the exact same tutorial you've been trying to follow or not, but, based on this video, I have some suggestions on how I might do a part of the tutorial differently.
 
At the part the person used the selection tools to cut-away those areas of the main square shape (vid time 1:50), I wouldn't use the selection tools, I would use other methods.
 
The Alpha Mask Method -
1) Draw your main shape, like in the video (a square). Optional, center your shape using an alignment plugin : Object Align is my fave choice or  Align Object.
2) Do not make selections, instead, Add a new layer and draw a circle of any color to see what you are drawing. Tip: hold shift to make a perfect circle. Optional, re-use the alignment plugin.
3) The lines, add a new layer if you will want to use an alignment plugin, or don't add a layer if you don't care. Draw lines of any different color so you can see what you are drawing. If your lines are on their own layer, now use the alignment plugin.
4) If your lines and circle aren't on the same layer already, merge the layers together to have your circle and lines be one layer. Then, go up to the Menu > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation and lower the lightness down all the way to -100 to make the shapes black.
5) Select all (ctrl +a), copy (ctrl + c), then turn the layer off. (deselect (ctrl + d) if you want to)
6) Click on your main shape's layer if you aren't already on it, and run the Alpha Mask plugin with these settings : Invert Mask Unchecked. Mix Alpha Checked. Paste From Clipboard Checked.
Congrats! You made a slightly cleaner cut. If it's still not smooth enough for you, try AA's Assistant or both AA's Assistant and feather. Or, the tweak transparency plugin. Or run feather and then duplicate the layer and merge the duplicate back down to crisp up the feathered edges. Or try the Alpha Threshold plugin. (you actually can do all the edge smoothing stuff to your black shapes before you use them with the Alpha Mask plugin. The Alpha Mask plugin will give you edges based on the shapes you copy to your clipboard, smoothed shapes or rough shapes.)
 
The Erasing Methods -
For the center hole, you can either erase a hole in the center of the main shape using the eraser tool set to a large size and adjust the hardness to 100%.
Or, you can use the circle shape(shapes tool) with the blending mode set to overwrite and your primary color set to Opacity - Alpha 0. (shapes tool can allow you to move and position the cut-out before committing)
For the lines, choose the line/curve tool and use Overwrite and Opacity – Alpha 0 to erase with the tool.

Examples of how to erase and delete with drawing tools:

-- Choose the drawing tool you want.
-- Change the blending mode.
-- Lower the Opacity - Alpha Slider in the colors window.
(In my screen shot, my primary color was white and I lowered it's opacity to 0.)


Sample picture showing different ways to erase and delete things.

Note: If you use drawing tools to erase with, remember to change your blending mode back to normal afterwards. If you try to draw or color with the overwrite blending mode, it can sometimes cause odd side-effects.

Edited April 9, 2016 by Cc4FuzzyHuggles

[brake]

Not really adding anything, but only echoing what Cc4FuzzyHuggles and Iron67 said, but it appears likely to me that the problem is that the areas being colored are on white layers, so the edge pixels are anti-aliased to white. That happens because the edge pixels are partially colored and partially white. As Cc4FuzzyHuggles suggested, the solution is to place the areas to be colored on transparent layers rather than white layers. That way, when they're colored, the edge pixels will be the color used, but partially transparent.

 

Hello MJW !

 

I am sure I did the first image on transparant layers.

The problem is not just white pixels. The second time I did the first image it was a bit better but there were still some dark pixels from the color at the edges, which makes it look like the darker color has gone out of it borders and into the lighter one. Or the opposite. And the color not being smooth and clear.

Edited April 9, 2016 by brake

[brake]

Hello Cc4FuzzyHuggles !

 

Yes that is the video tutorial I used.

 

Also thanks for taking time and putting a detailed guide on how to make the image look better. I will start practising right away.

 

And by the way the ''nlink=" didn't work for me. At least it doesn't open anything when clicking on the text link.

Edited April 9, 2016 by brake

[brake]

My tip for this plugin: Try following values:

 

Blur radius: something under 5 (depends on the image/object-size)

Min: ~100-255

Edge color/middle color: source

 

All other options as usual

 

Short demonstration of the effect in the marked left side of the image:

 

 

Thanks for demonstrating and explaining the the plugin.

I was messing around with that effect. It is really cool and handy.

Edited April 9, 2016 by brake

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

And by the way the ''nlink=" didn't work for me. At least it doesn't open anything when clicking on the text link.

 

I'm not sure which links of mine weren't working for you, they all seem to work for me. If there is a plugin you are interested in, you can find all plugins in the plugin index (which is in the plugins section of this forum). http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?/topic/15260-plugin-index/

Edited April 9, 2016 by Cc4FuzzyHuggles

[brake]

I'm not sure which links of mine weren't working for you, they all seem to work for me. If there is a plugin you are interested in, you can find all plugins in the plugin index (which is in the plugins section of this forum). http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?/topic/15260-plugin-index/

 

I didn't express myself correctly. It doesn't work when I trying to make text links myself. The code seems a bit different that the one I am used to.

I guess there is a bit difference for every site.

[Pixey]

Hi @Brake - I hope you are having fun with all the tutorials .

 

Here is a link to the code on this forum, which may be of help: http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?app=forums&module=extras&section=legends&do=bbcode

[pdnnoob]

Use a selection tool of your choice to select the edge, then use this plugin to remove the white pixels.

 

Someone made a nicer plugin for the job, but I can't remember what it was called. That one should do the trick, though.

[MJW]

I'm probably once again repeating what's already been said (I'm too lazy to read all the other responses in detail), but perhaps your problem is how you're combining the two images. Looking at the second example of the shiny button, there's an outer metallic ring, and an inner glass-like button. The edge around the inner button is very jagged. Perhaps you combined the images by selecting the button from its layer then pasting it into the metallic ring layer. If so, that's not, in my opinion, how you should do it.

 

Images should be combined by putting them in separate (transparent) layers, then merging the layers. If you want to modify the size of an element, use Paste into New Layer. Adjust the size of the selection, then after doing any antialiasing steps, merge down. Having the element -- e.g., the glass button -- in its own layer, surrounded by transparency, allows you to use AA's Assistant, and BoltBait's Effects>Object>Feather Object to soften the edges before you merge. Both those smoothing plugins somewhat reduce the size of the object they're applied to, so make sure there's something underneath. For instance, make the metallic ring extend inward far enough that it will fill in the small region that results from slightly reducing the button size.

 

(If the button image wasn't originally produced by cutting and pasting the inner button, but was instead produced by creating the metal ring and glass button on separate transparent layers, then merging, just follow that same procedure, but before merging, smooth the inner button edge using AA's Assistant and Feather Object.)