Resolution Probs editing Word Graphics in Photoshop

[Another Dan]

(Running Word 2002 and PS 6, on XP)

I don't know if this is more a Word question or a Photoshop question, but
I'm sure 'you' know the answer!

I frequently use Photoshop to edit graphics contained in Word docs. I can
usually simply select the graphic in Word, copy and paste it into a new
Photoshop file. Photoshop graciously proposes the size and other settings,
based on what is in the clipboard, and all is well.

Occasionally, however, the graphic will be seriously degraded when pasted in
Photoshop, and I can't figure out how to resolve the matter. (Smooth
gradients become banded, small text becomes illegible, etc.) The very same
graphic can usually be pasted into Visio without similar loss of definition
(alas, Visio doesn't offer the tools needed to update the images).

I have tried adjusting the settings in Photoshop's File > New dialog,
without success. Unfortunately, Word does not readily disclose the resolution
or other details about the graphics. I can improve results by making sure the
graphic is scaled at 100% before copying it, but this doesn't always work.

I'm hoping there is a simple solution that won't entail first saving the
graphics as separate files, but if that's what it takes, who am I to complain?

Most grateful for any assistance...

 

[Mary Sauer]

From where are you acquiring these images?
If you are using the Clip Organizer, it can be used as a standalone application, you
cannot insert from it, but you can drag and drop into your program. It might be a
better solution than copy and paste from Word. Most of the bitmaps in the Organizer
are not hi-res. Visit the Office ClipArt site and input "highresolution" (all one
word) into the search
http://office.microsoft.com/clipart/default.aspx?lc=en-us

The Clip Organizer is in a folder similar to this
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\MSTORE.EXE" Drag the MSTORE icon to the
desktop and create a shortcut.

 

[Another Dan]

Hi--
Thanks for your reply!

The graphics are from a fairly wide range of sources (but no clip art):
screen shots, flow charts, photographs, etc., prepared in other apps and
copied into Word. The original files are not available, and Word is not
forthcoming with details about the images (size, resolution, format). I can
usually make needed changes to the images by popping them into Photoshop, and
pasting the new version back into Word. Can't figure out why some of the
graphics become degraded at the outset (i.e., upon pasting them into PS).

Thanks again!

-----------------------

 

[TopRung]

How are the Graphics saved into the Word document> That is, where do they
originate from and what was their original size (rez) before being inserted
into the Word document?

 

[TopRung]

It all depends on the size of the image withing Word. Test this. Take a high
res image and add it to a word document. Then size the image to about 25% of
its original size, copy/paste into PS> you will see that it is "blurred" and
dithered.

Because of this, try to see if you can resize the image in the Word document
before the copy and paste. Depending on the images original size, this might
help. There is a RESET option on the size tab, so it will try to reset the
image to its original size. Just a thought!!!