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How do you sharpen an image in Illustrator?

Last updated on March 5, 2023 @ 1:55 pm

Image sharpening is an important part of any design process. There are a variety of ways to sharpen an image in Illustrator. Here are a few methods:

1. Use the Sharpen tool

The Sharpen tool can be found in the Tools panel and can be used to sharpen the details of an image. The default settings will sharpen the edges of the image, but you can also adjust the settings to sharpen the center of the image or the entire image.

Go to Illustrator Effect menu and click the Document Raster Effects Settings then change the resolution to High (300ppi)

2. Use the Blur tool

The Blur tool can be used to soften the edges of an image. You can use the settings in the tool options to blur the image in various ways.

Go to Illustrator Effect menu and click the Blur tool and use it on the image

3. Use the Healing brush

The Healing brush can be used to fix small errors in an image. You can use the settings in the tool options to Heal the image using various methods.

Use Smooth tool to sharpen image in Illustrator

4. Use the Eraser tool

The Eraser tool can be used to remove small details from an image. You can use the settings in the tool options to erase the image in various ways.

Use the Eraser tool to sharpen image in Illustrator

PRO TIP: When sharpening an image in Illustrator, be careful not to overdo it as this can result in a distorted or “pixilated” appearance.

5. Use the Distort tool

The Distort tool can be used to distort an image. You can use the settings in the tool options to distort the image in various ways.

Go to Effect menu and click Distort and Transform tool to sharpen image in Illustrator

6. Use the Clone tool

The Clone tool can be used to copy and paste an image. You can use the settings in the tool options to clone the image in various ways.

Use Image Trace tool to clone and sharpen the image in Illustrator

7. Use the Gradient tool

The Gradient tool can be used to create a gradient in an image. You can use the settings in the tool options to create different types of gradients.

Use Gradient tool to Sharpen image in Illustrator

8. Use the Adjustment layers

The Adjustment layers can be used to adjust the brightness, contrast, saturation, and hue of an image. You can use the settings in the Adjustment layers to make specific adjustments to the image.

Go to Edit menu and click Edit Colors as an alternative to Adjustment Layers tool to sharpen the image in Illustrator

Madison Geldart

Madison Geldart

Cloud infrastructure engineer and tech mess solver.