Smoothing the Image

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Smoothing the Image

The JPEG compression process may cause sharp edges in an image to appear rough or jagged. You can apply the Smoothing command to blur the edges and create a more even transition between areas of high contrast. Smoothing removes a small amount of data from the image, and can reduce file size.

A higher Smoothing setting applies more smoothing and further reduces file size. However, too much smoothing can cause blurring and loss of detail. Keep in mind that Smoothing does not improve all images. Compare Smoothing settings to the original to determine if the option is appropriate for your image.

The Smoothing command applies an effect to the image that is identical to the Fireworks Gaussian Blur filter. See Blurring an image in Using Fireworks 3 or Fireworks online Help.

To smooth an image:

In the Optimize palette, click on the triangle next to the Smoothing setting and drag the slider to select a setting. For most images, a setting of 1 or 2 is appropriate.

Try other Smoothing settings to find the appropriate level for your image. If desired, use the 2-Up or 4-Up window to compare various versions of the image.

Note: Be sure that all optimized images in the 4-Up window have the appropriate Quality setting applied.

In the example, the image on the left has no smoothing applied, and the edges around the windows and the top of the building appear somewhat jagged. The image on the right has a smoothing setting of 2 applied. The rough edges are smoothed, but the sharpness in the black and white edges of the SKY sign are preserved.

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