PSP9 - noisy when reducing image

[carlos]

Hi all,
I need to scan my signature in and resize.
I scan it in as a tiff, max res (600 dpi), using a thick black marker, as big a signature as possible.
I start psp9 (running on w7 64 bit - but the same thing happened on XP 32 )
I load the tiff, rotate it, then use [select] tool to get as close as possible to the "edges" of the signature.
I paste as new image and save as pspimage.
I resize the canvas - increase height so that theres a bit more space above and below the signature, and that pixelheight is a factor of 100.
I resize the canvas - increase the length so that the length is 3x height.

By this point, dimensions are ... 13500 x 4500

Using select tool, I select the signature and move it around to centre it height-wise, and so its not too close to the edge on the left.

Now I have to resize to 1500 x 500 . When I do this, the signature becomes really noisy - loads of specks in the black of the signaure; I dont know why.
I've tried everything - set to monochrome, set to 256 colours, etc.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

[df]

What is the size of your original scan vs the size of the final?

[df]

So let me see if I'm following here. You're using a thick black marker to create a signature as big as you can make it. Then you scan it in at 600 dpi. Then you crop the scan to just the signature and you wind up with something that's only 100 pixels tall. Are you really only writing at 1/6th of an inch or am I missing something? If the scanner has the capability and you're not using it, try to only scan just around the signature itself, not an entire page.

At any rate, you say you use the select tool twice. Which one? I'd be willing to bet that it's the magic want tool. If so then you may not be getting as much black as you think you are. If that's the case then after you make any selection click Selections> Modify> Remove Specks and Holes (PSP 9 may have called it something else but it would be similar, I don't have 9 on my system anymore). This should fill in any holes that the magic wand misses.
If you want to approach it differently you can click Selections> Invert to select the background, then press Delete to subtract that from the image.

Another note, when resizing the canvas you'll want to do it at about 50% intervals. Increasing 450 times the size of the original all at once will come up with huge jagged edges. If you're interested I made an upsizing script that you're welcome to try, it should work on PSP 9 but again I don't have that to test. https://www.dropbox.com/s/ia5o2683egtpd ... .PspScript It upsizes at around 150%. To go bigger just run it multiple times until you get to the size you need.

[carlos]

So let me see if I'm following here. You're using a thick black marker to create a signature as big as you can make it. Then you scan it in at 600 dpi. Then you crop the scan to just the signature and you wind up with something that's only 100 pixels tall. Are you really only writing at 1/6th of an inch or am I missing something? If the scanner has the capability and you're not using it, try to only scan just around the signature itself, not an entire page.

At any rate, you say you use the select tool twice. Which one? I'd be willing to bet that it's the magic want tool. If so then you may not be getting as much black as you think you are. If that's the case then after you make any selection click Selections> Modify> Remove Specks and Holes (PSP 9 may have called it something else but it would be similar, I don't have 9 on my system anymore). This should fill in any holes that the magic wand misses.
If you want to approach it differently you can click Selections> Invert to select the background, then press Delete to subtract that from the image.

Another note, when resizing the canvas you'll want to do it at about 50% intervals. Increasing 450 times the size of the original all at once will come up with huge jagged edges. If you're interested I made an upsizing script that you're welcome to try, it should work on PSP 9 but again I don't have that to test. https://www.dropbox.com/s/ia5o2683egtpd ... .PspScript It upsizes at around 150%. To go bigger just run it multiple times until you get to the size you need.

No, after cropping the signature I wind up with something that is still a few thousand pixels tall - 3000 or 4000.
I think the "despeck" tool doesnt quite work - holes and tears are too big: plus being a felt marker, the edges arent perfect and they go a bit funny when you do this.

Thanks for script, but I dont think Im upsizing: I increase the canvas size with no scaling in order to get a 3:1 ratio, then reducing from 13500x4500 to 1500x500.

What is the size of your original scan vs the size of the final?

Not at work now, so cant quite remember - but suspect it would be around 6000x4000 or something like that.

To be fair, I think this has only happened since I started using new scanners.
Also, to be doubly fair, I tried this on another utility and the same thing happened.

I think what I need is a way of just getting the outlines of the signature with some kind of intelligent smooth edging or something.
Or, before reducing, a good way of getting rid of All dots and stuff smaller than 3x3, or 3x1 so its totally black,

Thanks

[df]

If you're having too much trouble selecting the black, try selecting the background (white) and invert the selection. Increasing the contrast first may also help.