The method of pixel alignment grid in Photoshop

Some of them were very large, the quality is very good HD PNG picture, after reduced to icon but became miserable (the details of the icon loss of serious) and when we go to see those professionals made icon, but found that the other side of the production of the icon size is small, but the details are kept very good, Is there any skill in this? Today, share an article about using Photoshop CS6 grid alignment to draw HD icon.

Photoshop CS6 has been well received since its release, and attentive friends may find that the latest PS CS6 support vector object drawing, transform pixel automatically snap to the grid, and very useful. PS CS6 pixel Auto-snap grid function in the drawing process, there is no doubt that there is no need to worry about blurring the edges of the graph, but we will find in the actual graphics design that we often need to adjust some translucent transition pixels that are not fully aligned to the grid. Used to smooth the edges of the graphic to reduce the sawtooth sensation, or to make the graph look fuller and more delicate, we call it a sub-pixel (or subpixel, and, generally, in the field of screen display technology), as shown in the following figure.

　　Pixel-aligned grid

1. Pixel Snap To grid when object is drawn

The best thing about the pixel snapping grid is to avoid the virtual edges when drawing the graphic. Solve the problem of graphic ambiguity, especially the canvas magnification several times to pull the interface, icon details, precision can reach the pixel level, so that designers will focus more on the creative expression level, do not have to worry about vague and prudent to operate, thereby improving efficiency.

When the PS CS6 initial state, only when the canvas is in 100% proportions, that is, the actual pixel scale, the drawing will not blur, enlarge or reduce the canvas to other proportions, even if the grid to help, the drawing will be blurred, as shown in Figure 2, blue and purple graphics are 100% Without opening the grid under the canvas, and the same size rectangle that opens the grid under the 100% scale canvas, we can see clearly that the edges of the purple shape are very blurry.

The grid does not work because when the initial state of PS CS6, the parameters of the grid are not in pixels, but in millimeters, as shown in Figure 3, the Preferences window can be opened by the Edit > Preferences > General or shortcut key Ctrl+k in the main menu.

Want to be in regular graphics (rectangles, rounded rectangles, circle) during the drawing process, make the pixels snap to the grid in any case, and in the PS CS6 Preferences window, simply set the grid parameters for the guides, grids, and slices tab and work with shortcut keys.

In Figure 3, you can see that the default value for the grid line spacing is 25 millimeters, change the unit to pixels, when the number in front of the unit will automatically change to 1, when the grid line is not aligned with the canvas's like pixel, you need to manually re-enter the value, and the grid line interval values and sub grid values must be equal, Figure 4 shows the 3,200% ratio , the results of two different numerical grids can be adjusted according to their preferences. The grid can be displayed or hidden through the main menu, View > Show > Grid, and the accelerator key is CTRL + ' (the quotation mark key to the left of the carriage return).

When you finish setting up, and finally make sure that the main menu > View > Align and align to > grid two options are checked, the Snap to > grid option is editable when you open the display grid.

Pixel-aligned grid setup completes, and later draws regular graphics in a non-100% view, as long as you turn on grid assistance, there is no ambiguity. There are some limitations in the CS6 of pixels in the PS-grid, constrained by the shape of the graphic, when you use the line tool, the Polygon tool, the custom shape tool to draw some shapes with slanted edges or non right angles, there is no guarantee that all corner points and edges are aligned to the grid, and of course the blur here is more anti-aliasing. You can use the grid to manually adjust.

2. Pixel alignment Grid when object transform

In PS CS6, when the width is odd or even, the 90° transformation can be aligned to the pixel, when the long width values are odd and even, and then clockwise or counterclockwise conversion will make the graph blurred, cannot be aligned to the pixel, you can rotate first, and then open the grid to assist, Do not exit the free transform mode, drag the object, the edge will be automatically adsorbed to the grid, the following figure:

　　Second, use the second pixel to make the graphics more full

For a small example, look at the role of the pixel in the graphic design, a good point.

In an interface design, you often draw triangular arrow shapes on controls such as Drop-down menus, the most common approach is to use the Pencil tool point pixel to draw, as shown in Figure 7-a, looks very clear, but in the smaller resolution screen, it will be slightly stiff, jagged, affecting the smoothness of the interface; Use the path to snap the grid to draw arrows, As shown in Figure 7-b, the sawtooth problem is resolved, but it appears that the volume sense is weakened and not plump enough; the effect shown in Figure 7-c is the effect of fine-tuning the pixel, eliminating the sawtooth and not losing the first scheme in volume sense.

Don't you see the difference? Let's compare the three scenarios together, see Figure 8, from left to right in Figure 7 in the A, B, C scheme, we see that the middle of the B scheme, although no sawtooth, but the volume is significantly smaller than a, C scheme, and C scheme at the same time with a zero-sawtooth, equal volume sense two advantages.

By magnifying the picture we can see the difference in the second pixel, to achieve the solution C method is actually very simple, look at the image of the following magnification effect and path you will understand.

As long as the path anchor points on the corner are moved outward a bit separately, let the original color lighter pixel slightly deepen on it, when the operation, enlarge the canvas so that the adjustment is more subtle and accurate, select Anchor point, more than a few times keyboard key to move, this method is not limited to the arrow shape, You can open the pixel eye to find more application scenarios.

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