How to Smooth Out Jagged Lines in a Bitmap Image GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Software & Apps > Design

How to Smooth Out Jagged Lines in a Bitmap Image

A simple trick can smooth your edges

By Sue Chastain Sue Chastain Writer St. Petersburg College Sue Chastain is a former Lifewire writer and a graphics software authority with web design and print publishing credentials. She's also skilled in WordPress administration. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on December 2, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Design Graphic Design Photoshop Animation & Video 3D Design

What to Know

Open the image in Paint.NET and go to Effects > Blurs > Gaussian Blur. Set the Gaussian Blur Radius for 1 or 2 pixels.Go to Adjustments > Curves. Increase the slope of the diagonal line so the degree of change between pure white and pure black is reduced.Look for a Levels tool if your image editor doesn't have Curves. Adjust the white, black, and mid-tone sliders to achieve a similar result. This article explains how to smooth the lines in a bitmap image using graphics software. This clip art tends to have jagged lines in a stair-step effect that doesn't look great on-screen or in print.

Getting Rid of the Jaggies in Line Art

You can use this little trick to smooth out those jaggies fairly quickly. This tutorial uses the free photo editor Paint.NET, but it works with most image-editing software. Adapt this technique to another image editor as long as the editor has a Gaussian blur filter and a curves or levels adjustment tool. These are fairly standard tools in most image editors. Save this sample image to your computer by right-clicking if you'd like to follow along with the tutorial. Sue Chastain Paint.NET is designed to work with 32-bit images, so any image you open is converted to 32-bit RGB color mode. If you're using a different image editor and your image is in a reduced color format, such as GIF or BMP, convert your image to an RGB color image first. Consult your software's help files for information on how to change the color mode of an image. Start by opening Paint.NET, then choose the Open button on the toolbar to open the sample image or another image you'd like to work with. If you're using the image from the tutorial, you'll first want to change the color mode to Black and White. Select Adjustments > Black and White. With your image open, go to Effects > Blurs > Gaussian Blur. Set the Gaussian Blur Radius for 1 or 2 pixels, depending on the image. Use 1 pixel if you're trying to keep finer lines in the finished result. Use 2 pixels for bolder lines. Select OK. Go to Adjustments > Curves. Drag the Curves dialog box to the side so you can see your image as you work. The Curves dialog shows a graph with a diagonal line going from the bottom left to the top right. This graph is a depiction of all the tonal values in your image going from pure black in the lower left corner to pure white in the top right corner. All the gray tones in between are represented by the sloped line. We want to increase the slope of this diagonal line so the degree of change between pure white and pure black is reduced. This will bring our image from blurry to sharp, reducing the degree of change between pure white and pure black. We don't want to make the angle perfectly vertical, however, or we'll put the image back to the jagged appearance we started with. Select the top right dot in the curve graph to adjust the curve. Drag it straight left so it's about midway between the original position and the next dashed line in the graph. The lines in the fish may start to fade away, but don't worry; we'll bring them back in a moment. Now drag the bottom left dot to the right, keeping it at the bottom edge of the graph. Notice how the lines in the image become thicker as you drag to the right. The jagged appearance will return if you go too far, so stop at a point where the lines are smooth but no longer blurry. Take some time to experiment with the curve and see how it changes your image. Select OK once you're satisfied with the image. Save your finished image by going to File > Save As when you're satisfied with the adjustment.

Optional Using Levels Instead of Curves

Look for a Levels tool if you're working with an image editor that doesn't have a Curves tool. You can manipulate the white, black, and mid-tone sliders as shown here to achieve a similar result. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Tutorial to Add Fake Rain to a Photo in GIMP What to Look for When Buying a Projector ACV File (What It Is & How to Open One) How to Change a Google Docs Background to a Picture The 4 Best Photo Editor Apps of 2022 PBM File (What It Is & How to Open One) Vector vs. Bitmap Images How to Make a Torn Paper Edge in GIMP How to Add a Watermark to a Photo in Corel Photo-Paint Straighten a Crooked Photo With Paint.Net How to Create the Out of Bounds Effect in Photoshop Black and White Photography: Make Great B&W Pictures PCX File (What It Is and How to Open One) How to Change Image Color in Microsoft Office Types of Digital Image Artifacts and How to Avoid Them How to Make a Photo Look Snowy in Paint.NET Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies