How to enlarge images without losing resolution?

[daniel coyle]

Lately I have been engraving enlarged versions of logos and images. I find the logo on the web and increase its size on my software (Chinese Laser Cad software) and, viola, I get a really poor image that does not engrave well or even has hash marks. Is there a way to take an image and scale it up without losing resolution?

[Joe Pelonio]

Yew, you have to trace it to ceate an EPS file, convert back to a bitmap to engrave, if your software does that. Lots of time consuming work, especially if a lot of detail. The alternative is to find a higher resolution image to begin with. Bitmaps, especially jpegs lose resolution as you increase size, because they are just. A series of pixels (dots).

[daniel coyle]

Thanks Joe. I use a website called Vector Magic that can convert Jpg, Png etc. into EPS files. It is extremely easy. Will that work or is this a fantasy shortcut? Once it is in EPS form you are saying I need to convert it AGAIN, back into a bitmap? I can't just engrave from the EPS image? Do I "enlarge" the EPS image before converting back to a bitmap and, if so, what is the best way to do this?

[Kev Williams]

If you have Corel, use the Photo-Paint re-sampler. Forgive the big pics, but it helps explain-

original pic:



Now, the next four pics I enlarged using the resampler. Starting with the above pic, I'm resampling at 125%,
and THEN I use the unsharp mask, percentage at 40%, radius at 2, zero threshold. Then repeat the resampling and
unsharp mask 3 times until the pic is effectively 200% of the original. The resampler doesn't just upscale everything, it
also splits the pixels somehow. There's still some pixelation as you get larger, but nowhere near as bad as just upsizing
the original some other way. The first large pic is the resampled, compare it to the 2nd and 3rd same-size pics... the
2nd was upsized once using my old PhotoSuite, the 3rd resized using 'photo resizer'. They're okay, and can probably
be sharpened up to look better, but check close, the resampled pixelation is much less...

[daniel coyle]

So, getting Corel is the key then, you are saying? The resampling tool allows for high resolution scaling?

[Kev Williams]

I'm sure there's higher-quality solutions for upscaling photos, but probably on the spendy side... I'll just say that I upscale a LOT of photos and graphics, and this is the best way I've found, for the money anyway. I use Corel X4, and I paid $35 for an online download about 2 years ago, probably cheaper now...

[Michael Hunter]

So, getting Corel is the key then, you are saying? The resampling tool allows for high resolution scaling?

Corel Photopaint is good, but almost all photo editing software will resample to a higher resolution. If you don't need the whole (expensive) Corel Graphics Suite, then something like Paintshop Pro will manipulate your photos at a much lower cost.

It is well worth you trying out the Vector Magic route - once you have converted the bitmap into EPS you will be able to make it ANY size without any further messing about.

[George Bokros]

Nice Mustang

[Bill George]

If your taking logos off the internet, you might need to check the copyright laws. They are low resolution in most cases to prevent bootleg copies. You can purchase logos in vector format or ask the owner of the logo for one to use.

[Ross Moshinsky]

I very rarely will engrave a logo that is a "bitmap". In some occasions I have little choice but generally speaking, if it's a logo, it's vector art.

So my recommendation is to learn how to find vector logos on the net and also learn how to vectorize images.

[daniel coyle]

Ok. Lots of helpful or potentially helpful counsel here.

When I vectorize, using Vector Magic, into an EPS or SVG I find I am not able to import this image/file into the chinese Laser Cad software. I can import PNG or JPG just fine. Under "supported file types" when I import it doesn't list EPS or SVG but does list, beside PNG and JPG, a couple dozen other types including BMP, DXF, TIF, AI and 16 others (but not CD). Vector Magic says it can download "vectorized images" into SVG, PDF, EPS or a "vectorized" PNG (is that a thing?) I thought PNG was a bitmap? I will play with this more and see what happens

When looking for vector logos online, where can I go to find them? Nonetheless, if I do find them I am wondering how I import into my current platform, given the problem I mentioned above, and assuming the vectorized images are EPS or SVG.

I had a version of Corel Draw (I think 11 or 12) on another computer and was able to save/(vectorize?) images as AI (which my current platform says it can import.) If this is a good solution what do folks think is the best option as far as a cheap corel package goes?

[Art Mann]

As you can see, Kev's samples are gradually getting worse and worse. The apparent degradation is most evident among smooth curves or lines. That is the type of graphics you desire to upscale. No program, no matter how sophisticated, is able to create visual information that wasn't already there. For line art, the only way to increase real resolution is to vectorize the original image. Once that is done, the lines and curves will always scale sharply and accurately, just like Joe said.

[Robert Delhommer Sr]

How about using Inkscape (a free program) and convert to a vector, resize & convert back.

[Ross Moshinsky]

Ok. Lots of helpful or potentially helpful counsel here.

When I vectorize, using Vector Magic, into an EPS or SVG I find I am not able to import this image/file into the chinese Laser Cad software. I can import PNG or JPG just fine. Under "supported file types" when I import it doesn't list EPS or SVG but does list, beside PNG and JPG, a couple dozen other types including BMP, DXF, TIF, AI and 16 others (but not CD). Vector Magic says it can download "vectorized images" into SVG, PDF, EPS or a "vectorized" PNG (is that a thing?) I thought PNG was a bitmap? I will play with this more and see what happens

When looking for vector logos online, where can I go to find them? Nonetheless, if I do find them I am wondering how I import into my current platform, given the problem I mentioned above, and assuming the vectorized images are EPS or SVG.

I had a version of Corel Draw (I think 11 or 12) on another computer and was able to save/(vectorize?) images as AI (which my current platform says it can import.) If this is a good solution what do folks think is the best option as far as a cheap corel package goes?

At this point you need to do some research. This topic has been discussed many times and I know I've given very specific advise on how to deal with logos when being imported in a program like LaserCad or similar programs.

If you want to cut boxes, you don't need much knowledge. To do graphic design and manipulate artwork, you need to learn how to do it and what works. It's taken me years to learn how to manipulate artwork to achieve optimum results. It's not something you magically learn over night.

[daniel coyle]

Ross, if you have already given out lots of advice on this subject and have a link to where you have done that, it would indeed help me in the research I am doing. Thanks in advance for that.

Robert, I used the inkscape idea and it seemed to work. It certainly improved things. I was able to increase the scale and get a more refined engraving. However, the improved engraving still has a hash mark effect to it. The old bitmap based image (that hadn't been vectorized) looks like widely spaced hash marks and the new one still looks like it is composed of hash marks though much more closely spaced. Any ideas? I took a picture with my phone that was really good but I couldn't download it onto the site here so I had to take a low quality pic with my computer camera.
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