1

I am in the process of transitioning from Powerpoint to image processing software to create professional-quality images for academic publications. I was trying to organize several images into a graph/document in GIMP, but I had trouble scaling these images: once their sizes were reduced, some information were permanently lost. This poses a problem for me, as I often need to resize them multiple times while arranging the elements.

For instance, if I have an image that's initially 500x500 pixels and reduce it to 100x100 pixels, I cannot subsequently resize it to 200x200 pixels as if it were being directly downscaled from the original 500x500 pixels.

Is there any design software that preserves image quality during resizing, but instead calculate the pixels and final resolution by the time I export the document?

Improve this question
5
  • First, depending on the version of PowerPoint you're working with, it can export images at MUCH higher resolution than you normally get when save a slide as an image. Somewhere in the 10,000 to 15,000 pixel wide range, which should be more than adequate for most things. Next, if you disable PPT's automatic downsampling (File | Options | Advanced | Do not compress images) your images won't suffer any resolution reduction as you change their sizes on the PPT slide. See rdpslides.com/pptfaq/… for export how-to
    – Steve Rindsberg
    Commented Mar 31, 2023 at 0:19
  • Thanks for pointing that out. The major problem with PPT for my use case is that it is difficult to adjust the size of the canvas because PPT forced everything to scale together. I thought it may be easier to deal with the picture size/resolution requirements and easier arrangement of my graphs with some other professional design software.
    – K.Mole
    Commented Mar 31, 2023 at 3:44
  • IMHO PPT+Gimp for images is the best compromise, because AFAIK PPT will keep images at full scale in the project, and rescale them on the fly when printing. This said it also depends what your images are, if they are not the photo kind (diagrams, vector, clip art...) you can use more suitable software than Gimp to produce them (Inkscape, or the drawing tool in your office suite, or specialized software for schematics).
    – xenoid
    Commented Mar 31, 2023 at 10:42
  • @K.Mole I'm not sure what you mean by "adjust the size of the canvas". Change the slide size, perhaps? But as long as you start with a slide size that's proportional to your final printed piece, there's no reason to change the slide size. You can still export images at high resolution (see the VBA code in the link I posted earlier)
    – Steve Rindsberg
    Commented Mar 31, 2023 at 15:00
  • @Steve Rindsberg Indeed, the slide size. I do not know the size ratio of my final graph at the beginning, and thought some design software might do better than PPT overall. Thanks so much for everyone for the kind brainstorming!
    – K.Mole
    Commented Apr 5, 2023 at 6:12

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

Yes. Use vector-based software, probably in your case Inkscape. https://inkscape.org

If you want a commercial solution, there are probably 3 main options, Illustrator, Corel Draw, and Affinity design.

This program (depending on how you import them) will maintain the 500x500 pixels side the document, and you can resize them inside, maintaining the 500x500 size. I recommend embedding the raster file, not linking.

These transformations will happen using another type of resolution, the PPI. So you can scale them, stretch them and squeeze them. The internal raster image will maintain the same number of pixels.

I do not recommend the usage of software like Indesign or Scribus in this case, because these link the original images externally. It is a different workflow.

Let me complement my answer.

A vector-based program allows you to use raster images, even to some extent edit them. You can use them as background, adjust the contrast, make them transparent, put them inside other objects like text, etc. It is the proper way to do banners, posters, and magazine covers; most of them use photos, digital paintings, 3D renders, etc.

There are a few things you need to complement using a raster program, like masking retouching a skin for a portrait, and detailed work IN the image itself. But a vector-based program is the center of most of the design processes.

The only exception is long publications like a book or a complete magazine, at the center is Desktop publishing software.

Improve this answer
2
  • Thanks for the timely response. I indeed started with Inkscape to arrange my graphs but also saw people saying "you shouldn't use vector-based software for raster image," so I went back to Powerpoint and GIMP. It does sound like vector-based software is better for arranging text and images. Is that correct?
    – K.Mole
    Commented Mar 31, 2023 at 3:29
  • @K.Mode - no you absolutely can use raster images in Inkscape. You just can't edit the raster image in Inkscape. However, it can resize raster images without resampling them, which is exactly what you need.
    – Billy Kerr
    Commented Mar 31, 2023 at 12:00

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.