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Home: Video University Forums: Adobe Photoshop for Video:
Photoshop question

Bill Kinkle
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Nov 12, 2004, 12:18 AM

Post #1 of 13 (4057 views)
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Photoshop question	Can't Post

Is there something special I need to do to text created in Adobe Photoshop so that it does not look choppy around the edges? Everytime I create text in PS it looks terribe, very choppy and it is driving me crazy. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for the OT post.

(This post was edited by hlanden on Jan 13, 2005, 11:07 AM)

RustyB
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Nov 12, 2004, 1:12 AM

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Re: [Bill Kinkle] Photoshop question [In reply to]	Can't Post

I posted the same question when I finally started using PS to make my DVD inserts.

Have you checked the image resolution? Mine defaulted at like 72dpi, and the text looked terrible. After changing it to 300dpi, it looked great!

Good luck!

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wedding video and the means of production

(This post was edited by hlanden on Jan 13, 2005, 11:02 AM)

gl
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Nov 12, 2004, 1:12 AM

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Re: [Bill Kinkle] Photoshop question [In reply to]	Can't Post

Bill,

There are a number of factors for text and video:

-Font size: Don't get too small. Generally nothing less than 18 if it's a primary title. DVD menus are a little different.

-Color: Never use full red. Never use full white (80% gray is best). The rule of thumb is to not use any full saturation color.

-Typeface: As much as many love the wispy looking script typefaces they are bad for video because they have a lot of thin lines. In the NTSC world thin is bad.

-Non-square pixels: Make sure you are using non square aspect ratios with any graphic element. 720x540 usually works best.

Those are the basics. IF you have met all of these criteria and you still have problems then I am afraid you have wine taste and a kool-aid budget :)

gl

�Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing.� ~ Abraham Lincoln

(This post was edited by hlanden on Jan 13, 2005, 11:03 AM)

NM
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Nov 12, 2004, 7:52 AM

Post #4 of 13 (3991 views)
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Re: [Bill Kinkle] Photoshop question [In reply to]	Can't Post

Is the text that you are creating being used for video or prints?

If you are getting this on print, its probably the resolution, set it to 300 if you are going to print.

For video adding a soft outer glow could help, very "fancy" fonts usually don't look that great on video.

NM

(This post was edited by hlanden on Jan 13, 2005, 11:04 AM)

JoelPR
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Nov 12, 2004, 10:15 AM

Post #5 of 13 (3955 views)
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Re: [Bill Kinkle] Photoshop question [In reply to]	Can't Post

1- First be sure you start your PhototShop Project at 300dpi if not your print will look horrible
2- Use clear fonts if you will put some nice neat fonts a drop shadow and a stroke will help you alot.
3- If you have to flatten your images dont flatten the Fonts this will reduce the crispiness when printing.
4- Be shure to have a beer on hand
5- Be shure to use photo quality paper this will help dramastically
6- Put a don't disturb sign at your office
7- Let us see your work when is finished
_______________________________________________________
2 Canon Gl2, 4 Irivers 512mb, Dell Precision 490 2Cpu DualCore 3ghz, 2GB Ram, Nvidia Quadro FX, 1TB HD space, Sony Vegas, After Effects,Photoshop, Encore DVD, Canopus pro coder, lots of beers and no sleep.

(This post was edited by hlanden on Jan 13, 2005, 11:05 AM)

Laura K
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Nov 12, 2004, 10:24 AM

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Re: [Bill Kinkle] Photoshop question [In reply to]	Can't Post

For print or for your NLE?
If you are printing and it looks crappy, check your printer settings.

For your NLE? Yes, start at 300 dpi and a large file. Stay away from fine fonts in a small point. Stay away from neon colors unless that's really what you want. A very slight guassian blur or drop shadow or glow helps.
L
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(This post was edited by hlanden on Jan 13, 2005, 11:06 AM)

Linda
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Jan 14, 2005, 5:20 PM

Post #7 of 13 (3678 views)
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Re: [Bill Kinkle] Photoshop question [In reply to]	Can't Post

One way to combat the problem is to make your text in Adobe Illustrator. Then import that text into photoshop.

Hope this helps you.

Linda
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videobear
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Jan 15, 2005, 9:07 AM

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Re: [Linda] Photoshop question [In reply to]	Can't Post

That shouldn't be necessary, Linda. Photoshop makes text as a "text layer", which is a vector-based image just like Illustrator would create.

Regards,
Doug Graham
Panda Productions

Linda
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Jan 15, 2005, 4:06 PM

Post #9 of 13 (3592 views)
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Re: [videobear] Photoshop question [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks Doug. I've used Illustrator to do the type, behaps I'll have to start using Photoshop instead.

Linda
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celycom
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Jan 16, 2005, 1:53 PM

Post #10 of 13 (3545 views)
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Re: [Bill Kinkle] Photoshop question [In reply to]	Can't Post

Instead of the Gausian blur, I just use a Motion Blur, 90 degrees (vertical) and 1 pixel. Also, I added a number of TV safe colors to my color palette, for instance a safe TV white (233,233,233) and TV Black (13,13,13), two yellows, a red and a couple of others that I frequently use. All are TV safe, and it keeps me from having to run the "FIlter-Video-NTSC Colors" filter on every layer.

Personally, I almost always create my titles at 72 pixels/inch, unless I know I'll be resizing upwards in my NLE, the I use 144 or 216. Excessive image size is generally wasted in your NLE, after a certain poin, and I think my titles look as good as the DV codec will allow.

bpvideo
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Jan 21, 2005, 4:07 PM

Post #11 of 13 (3231 views)
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Re: [Bill Kinkle] Photoshop question [In reply to]	Can't Post

I just ran across this with one of my projects. You need to check your color mode also. Example, Photoshop can encode color into your project as an RGB color, CMYK color, grayscale just to name a few. You might need to make sure that your time line setting are the same for imported graphics. My graphics we encoded in RGB color but FCP was looking of a color mode CMYK. As soon as I changed the settings my graphics looked fantastic. Do this saved my but on my last production. Good luck.

davefish
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Jan 22, 2005, 4:15 PM

Post #12 of 13 (3183 views)
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Re: [Bill Kinkle] Photoshop question [In reply to]	Can't Post

Just a thought...make sure you're fonts are set to 'smooth' instead of 'none' or crisp. On Photoshop 7 at least, there is a drop down menu that allows you to make a pick on the fonts for crisp, smooth, etc. Select 'smooth' and you are good to go!

dave

Linda
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Jan 27, 2005, 8:47 AM

Post #13 of 13 (2975 views)
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Re: [davefish] Photoshop question [In reply to]	Can't Post

Thanks for the tip Dave!

Linda
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