Foo - Adobe Creative Suite help--enlarging and smoothing an image

So I'm working on the figures for a research paper using Adobe creative suite, and I'm running into a problem. One of the images I have is sort of low-resolution, but I want to enlarge part of it to create an inset image. The result is all pixellated. Is there any way to smooth/anti-alias the image once it's been enlarged?

I'm a total photoshop novice, so any help is appreciated. I can't find a filter to do what I need...

So I'm working on the figures for a research paper using Adobe creative suite, and I'm running into a problem. One of the images I have is sort of low-resolution, but I want to enlarge part of it to create an inset image. The result is all pixellated. Is there any way to smooth/anti-alias the image once it's been enlarged?

I'm a total photoshop novice, so any help is appreciated. I can't find a filter to do what I need...


Rasterize it.


Once it's enlarged, use the brush tool and blur the rough edges.

Woohoo! Better lucky than good, I always say... I was able to find a hi-res version of the image I was trying to enlarge, so the problem solved itself by being eliminated entirely. :D

Thanks to all for the help and advice, though. If your gall bladder ever acts up, let me know. :) :beer:

Go to the edit tab, the very bottom it says preferences. Roll over it and then click General. You will see a thing that says bicubic. Swich to bicubic softer. It help much. I made my avatar enlarged to a normal size pic with that.

There are 3rd party fractal-based resizing filters. They actually do quite a good job of enlarging an image without the large pixelated blocks.

DrPete ~ what I do is:
For enlargement: Bicubic Smoother
For reduction: Bicubic Sharper

trick is not to enlarge a photo, if you really really need to tho, anymore than 140% and you start noticing pixelation...(really that's ment to be 125% but you can get away with more). if i need to make a picture big cause i've no other option i'd tend to use the filters and do something with them, if that's not suitable i'll tell whoever to supply a decent photo or it's gonny look ****..


post the image and tell us what size you need it to be and we'll tell you if it's a lost cause or not.

DrPete ~ what I do is:
For enlargement: Bicubic Smoother
For reduction: Bicubic Sharper
Thats what I just explained how to do.

Thanks, everyone--I have a very protective Principal Investigator, so I can't really post the pic that I need to work on. All the advice has been extremely helpful, though. I'll post the Medline citation if/when the paper gets accepted! :)

Please assure me this has nothing to do with your junk.

No, nothing to do with junk--zoomed-in images of healing wounds in genetically altered mice. :)

dang, i thought it mighta been zoomed in images of "junk" :D
just kidding ya know.........