Pixelating to scale?

[dysk0nektd]

Would y'all collectively like to help brainstorm an idea with me? I'm trying to put a picture (subject on a plain background) on a grid, with the picture being pixelated enough to match the scale of the grid, but I'm getting stuck trying to keep the detail of the picture as the grid step gets larger.  (see below)  Sounds impossible, but i know i'm getting caught up in the maths somewhere.  Is there a way to manipulate the picture to get the detail in the bottom pic to transfer to the larger grid step of the top pi without changing the size of the grid?

 

 

Edited February 4, 2014 by dysk0nektd

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Hey dysk0nektd - welcome to the forum.

Let me see if I have this straight.

You want to pixelate the original image so the individual cells are larger, but not lose detail?

Unfortunately losing detail is always going to be a consequence of the pixelation process. That's how pixelation works. As the grid gets larger the blocks of color get larger and you lose smaller details as they are overwhelmed by the resampling algorithm.

Q: Are you pixelating or resizing the image?

If I've got the wrong end of the stick - please forgive me and try restating what you're trying to achieve.

[dysk0nektd]

Hey dysk0nektd - welcome to the forum.

 As the grid gets larger the blocks of color get larger 

Q: Are you pixelating or resizing the image?

If I've got the wrong end of the stick - please forgive me and try restating what you're trying to achieve.

Thanks EER, 

Thats about where i'm at in my head, just didnt know if there was a way to grid on one layer while changing the size of the picture layer to "fit" the grid.  Let me try to explain. Simplified, its for a knitting pattern for my grandma, and like everyone, i dont wanna disappoint granny.  

 

I'm not sure if original size matters, say the pic has a pixel size of 1200X1200.  If i use Pixelate+ to change the cell size to 12, i can match that up with a grid step of 12, to get something like the bottom pic of the giraffe (detail is perfect, grid size too small).  If i change both the cell size and grid step to 24 and keep the same resolution, it looks more like the top pic (grid perfect, detail lost!).  Changing only one of the two variables puts more pixelated detail in each block of the grid, and i'm trying to keep it to one solid color per grid block.   I'd like to keep the grid size as the constant at 24. I've tried changing the res, the pixel size, and any combo of anything else i can think of, but keep arriving at having to change to grid size to suit. I'm now thinking that i can't 'pull apart' the two layers (ie zoom out on the pic, but not the grid)  It's hard to explain. Go small at high res, go large at low res? I feel like i have all the pieces, just can't put the puzzle together..

[Ego Eram Reputo]

I see what you're trying to achieve

Can you tell me how many cells you want in your finished grid (WxH)? This is more critical than the grid size as it will determine the size of the image when translated into stitches.

Another thought: how about uploading the original image so I can try and find a solution for you? I'm thinking it may take a combination of resizing and pixelate to get something acceptable.

[skullbonz]

You could also try the Tile reflection plugin, http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?showtopic=6322 , on the image first and adjust to the size and angle you desire. If the need for the grid is still there then add it on another layer and adjust to match. 

[dysk0nektd]

EER - pick any image it doesn't really matter, it's more the formula that i'm after.  I'd like to keep griddage close to 40w x 50h on an image with a 4:4, 4:3, or 2:1 h:w ratio.  I'm trying to keep colors reasonable to, as an octogenarian is doing the stitch work.  (too many colors = too much yarn too handle)

 

Skullyb - thanks for the suggestion. after trying it out. two issuses 1- the blocks only 'filled out' at certain steps, and 2- there had to be some curvature to the grid for anything to really happen, which distorts the original pic.  Open to any more ideas you got tho - 

 

thanks gents. 

[Ego Eram Reputo]

The source image has a huge effect on the finished article.

Here's what I tried:

1. Opened a source image (a cartoon chicken )

2. Selected the chicken with the magic wand (select background then invert with Ctrl + I) to establish the size in pixels (see the status bar following the selection). My chicken was 461px W x 491px H

3. Divided these sizes by the preferred grid size (I used 40x40 because my image was roughly square). 461/40 = 11.5  and 491/40 =12.2

 

4. Ran the Mosaic Effect plugin over the chicken with these settings (NB the grid size is an average of my calculated sizes)

 

 

The result was I turned this

 

 

into this

 

Does that help?

[skullbonz]

I like the chicken,lol.   

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Thanks Skully.

She's a character I created a little while back. She and two smaller siblings have a couple of cameos in my book

[dysk0nektd]

Again thanks for the time devotion EER.  Honestly, pretty much the around the same results i was getting, so i just settled for a slighly smaller gridstep/ pixelation cell size than i wanted but overall i'm ok with the result. 

 

 

thanks for the warm welcome