Techniques for Diagrams with Clarity (less fuzzy)
 

I've consistently had an issue with all my diagrams turning out fuzzy/grainy. I'm pretty sure it's because I'm using too many colors, but I've seen other user's diagrams with tons of clarity and sharpness.

Can someone with experience provide some advice on how to create clearer (sharper) looking diagrams?

For example,

Here is my before/after:

Before shrinking to appropriate pixel size:
https://i.ibb.co/2qZFZj1/Example-NEED-HELP.png

And after. Notice it appears pixelated and out of focus:
https://i.ibb.co/f9kbjWq/grainy-example.png



I am trying to work towards diagrams with lots of Clarity AND Detail such as this one below from Steamboy (obviously he is/was a much more talented artist, but that's besides the point):

https://i.ibb.co/P6rNmW0/Capture-ex-clarity.png



Any advice on how to make my drawings less fuzzy/blurry?

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Thanks, I’ll try that with paint! I’m willing to test anything.

Try making a drawing at 1:1 scale to begin with. That way you dont have to re-size it.

Okay, I think that might be best. at first it seemed like it might be more difficult that way, but overall I’m sure the results are worth it.

What programs do you use when drawing 1:1, if I may ask? I use Inkscape to build/color/everything, then I send to paint.net to resize.

Inkscape is great to use, but I can figure out how to create 1:1 drawings using it.

I use paint.net for everything, set units to pixels...

Nice! I’ve always had a difficult time with paint.net, but maybe I need to give it another chance. With as intricate and detailed as some of your drawings are, if you did it all in paint.net that gives me hope.

I also only draw in 1:1, I have a few drawings in other scales.
Many of which I've recently replaced with 1:1 drawings, because I didn't like the old, resized ones.

A trick to achieve clarity is to cheat with the number of floors, columns of windows etc.
I don't count how many floors I draw anymore, compared to the real building.

Totally. Residential is usually 3 pixels per floor, and office is 4 pixels. For example, don't try to shrink 19 floors into 56 pixels because that makes every floor blurry... make it 57 pixels exactly and they will all look sharp and clear. Of course there are buildings wth strange floor heights, but the rule above will cover most buildings out there. No one will notice if your 50 floor building really only has 49 floors drawn...

Thank you all for the help and explanations. Because of your advice, I was able to clean up the drawing. I did most of the editing in paint.net as suggested, and it came out much nicer than the previous version I believe.

https://i.ibb.co/BTPWtr1/Capture-better-glassier.png

Looks great :)

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Thank you, I tried to sharpen on paint.net but it seems the sharpening is a bit more extreme than the example you showed of a 3. I only sharpened it by 1 degree, but it looks like this (tower on the left).

My preferences keep switching back and forth between the original and the sharper image. Currently, I think I prefer the original but it's also possible I've just looked at it too long to think about it objectively.

https://i.ibb.co/VmHyhM5/Capture-test-sharp.png

Drawing with 1:1 scale is the easiest way to save time and not break the sharpness.
Steamboy and I also draw on a 1:1 scale.:)

That’s my plan going forward even if it means I have to re-learn everything. The results of you and others don’t lie.

I use that scale also, since i starting using it my drawings looks better

The fuzzy drawing here was from when i made buildings in a scale of 10 pixels per floor, and the one with better quality is a remasterization i made with 1:1 scale, the quality is better and i also save a lot of time since i dont have to do a lot of details

https://i.imgur.com/xALgrDn.png

Another random question:

What technique/methodology is used to get the opaqueness of the windows in this diagram by S-p-E? I tried a test one to see if I could reproduce, but my floor lines are coming in too strong, or not blended enough. Any advice is appreciated.

Here is S-p-E's diagram.
https://i.ibb.co/0Xj1byW/2908-EBB9-5...5650-D99-F.jpg


Here is my quick attempt at a similar technique, but notice the floor lines are too strong and the opaqueness is not that great...
https://i.ibb.co/mNhwymV/dwg-test-9-22.gif

I've been drawing pixel buildings for 25 years now. First in Sim City 2000 and since 2010ish for SSP.

Opaque glass is something I've never learned in that time. I'm always disappointed in the results when I draw glass buildings. If it in some case seems like I've succeeded, I got no clue how I did it.

So yeah, I'm willing to learn this technique too :D

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