Re: [Gimp-user] Scaling images

[Richard <strata_ranger hotmail com>]

> From: alittleangel16 hotmail com
> To: gimp-user-list gnome org
> Date: Sun, 12 Jan 2014 22:37:19 +0000
> Subject: [Gimp-user] Scaling images
 Is there any way I can scale images down in size, whilst keeping the 
quality of the image? I am a Media teacher having to use this software 
with the class and they must have high production values for their 
controlled assessment. However, I do not know how to get around the 
problem that all the work is predominantly blurred because students have
 scaled down the pictures resulting in horrendous blurring. 
> Any advice would be greatly received.
>
> Thanks

When you scale an image's raw pixel size (e.g. Image > Scale Image command) you WILL lose some image quality 
as a normal part of the scaling process.  You can tweak the results slightly by changing the interpolation 
method at scale time, but the image simply has more/less pixel count after scaling than it did before.  E.g. 
if you scale an image by 50% with no interpolation then GIMP literally throws out every other row/column of 
pixel data; with linear or cubic interpolation, it literally merges every two rows/columns of pixels together 
(resulting in some blurring).

On the other hand, if you wish to change the physical printed size of an image, you do not actually need to 
scale the image (in terms of pixel count), just change the image's pixels-per-inch resolution (Image > Print 
Size).  You can also do this on-the-fly from the Print command.

-- Stratadrake
strata_ranger hotmail com
--------------------
Numbers may not lie, but neither do they tell the whole truth.