Realized 70% of the way thru this that the version I was using is higher resolution, but is also missing about a half-centimeter wide column worth of art on the right or left side of each page. It doesn't really affect the important parts, but it's a real feelsbad moment.

Tried a different approach at SFX/moans on this one, I'm feeling better about it but I'm not sure why it ends up blurry. Still don't really understand how to cleanly shade over text that's embedded in the art either

Also, not really sure why exported edited images are so massive.

*file size issue has been addressed.

>not really sure why exported edited images are so massive

Because they are in RGB color mode.

Base +8, aurst +7, MrHelloNotThere +5, mellowjello +8, djgee2f +7, WaRiUr +9

@I_Leopard

As an editor for the Little White Butterflies scanlation group, I'm qualified to point out what I believe to be the problems plaguing your work.

I'm assuming you use Photoshop to edit. Your exported images are so large because your raw files (and subsequently, your PNG files) aren't saved in greyscale, but in RGB color. Photoshop by default has all these files in RGB color. To change from RGB color to greyscale, go to the top menu, select "Image", then "Mode", and finally Greyscale. It's astonishing how many people don't realize this.

The very first thing I always do whenever I edit is I convert the RAW (the untouched files) to PSDs, which is a lossless format that won't degrade no matter how many times you save and edit them. The shortcut for that is Left Shift + Left Ctrl + S, then save your RAW file type as "Photoshop" (PSD). PSDs have a pretty large filesize, so be sure to have enough hard drive space to be able to save them. From there, you have to convert the PSDs from RGB color to Greyscale, then when you save your files from those PSDs, you have to save them as 32-color B/W PNGs, except for the color title page, which you save as a jpeg to cut down on bloat (excess filesize). A shortcut to save and export files is
Left Shift + Left Ctrl + Left Alt + S (Yes, you have to press all 4 buttons simultaneously for this shortcut).

Check your RAW's file size with what you export, and if there's a huge discrepancy, your files are bloated. Case in point: this gallery. I've checked the RAW files that you used, and this gallery shouldn't be any bigger than 25 MB Edit: 35 MB, at most. PNG files are bigger for sure, but 21 pages shouldn't be 153 MB, not by any stretch of the imagination.

I'm also assuming that you don't edit in layers, and that all your work is on the RAW directly. Learn to edit in layers. You should always have a duplicate copy of the RAW on one layer, one for cleaning bubbles, and several for redraws (depending on their complexity). The shortcut for adding layers is Left Shift + Left Ctrl + N, all pressed at the same time. Name your layers as well, so you don't get confused with which layer does what.

By the way, the short answer is that you can't cleanly shade over text without making it painfully obvious that you're covering up something that should be redrawn. It's pretty obvious to me that you just simply whited out the RAW text without any redrawing, clone stamping, or context-aware filling, especially in the later pages. Pages 18 and 19 are the most egregious examples.

As to your SFX/moans, check your text. I believe the reason why your SFX/Moans are blurry is because instead of changing your font size, you stretch the text to fit the bubble. That is a big no-no. When you stretch your text, your text loses its smoothness and becomes blurry as a result.
Make certain that your text is on "Smooth" by highlighting an entire text bubble and right-clicking, Also make certain if you've leveled your scans (but I don't think you have), that your leveling layers are below your text layers, so your text doesn't get darkened or blurry. Make sure that "Faux Bold" or "Faux Italic" isn't highlighted as well. I think some of your text is in faux bold, but I could be wrong.

EDIT: Thanks for all the support. I didn't expect this one comment to blow up so much. I_Leopard reached out to me via PM and told me that he uses GIMP to edit. GIMP is simply unsuitable for decent-level editing, because it lacks the functionality, the algorithms, and the suite of tools that Photoshop has. Originally, I just wanted to address the 2 main problems with this edit: why the files were so bloated and why some of the text appeared blurry. But as I took a deeper dive into this project, I noticed that those problems had root causes from what I assume to be the early parts of the edit, which was what I wanted to point out (and subsequently, why I made my original wall of text). Oftentimes, one minor problem gone unchecked can lead to many other problems, both directly and indirectly related to the original problem. I don't consider my wall of text to be a proper, step-by-step how-to guide for editing, because I left out many pertinent parts, including typesetting via text boxes, properly leveling and cleaning scans, redrawing where necessary, layers and layer masks, opacity of said layers, how to stylize text with strokes and drop shadows, and a whole lot of other things that I skipped over.

It's nice to see people actually care about their hentai being well-edited by knowledgeable editors, because I know that people are sick and tired of seeing countless other works being butchered by people with no idea what they're doing and/or people who don't care about their editing at all. All too often, I see works from great artists have subpar scanlations, and I wanted to get the point across that all e-hentai users all around the world should expect and deserve better from scanlations.

Last edited on 03 January 2020, 06:49.

Base +28, YoKnight +6, Dedic545 +7, BL.Kunkka +16, Gixl +6, tegolew +7, warced +10, horishi +8, yetsun +14, csavarhuzo +6, Coobadge +6, Firegunz +6, meganeshounen +7, and 119 more...

I wasn't expecting a masterclass in scanlation editing here of all places

Base +9, tegolew +7, csavarhuzo +6, Firegunz +6, Oddsky +8, VitekLV +7, Soldier A +6, p187 +7, Themonta +7, Horizon48 +8, eternal_darkness +13, Pr1de +16, Broctopus +6, and 43 more...

A sex massage that actually has a good end? Now that's new. :D

Base +7, Oddsky +8, AhKai +6, EruniaGaia +5, ragnel alondite +6, MrHelloNotThere +5, mellowjello +8, appahai +4, djgee2f +7, ghost_of_sanakan +7, MechWarriorNY +9, chanzy +9, The14thNoah +12, and 1 more...

The gentleman that managed to create a establishment specialized in servicing female elves is truly living the dream and a model entrepreneur to us all.

Base +7, Oddsky +8, Soldier A +6, AhKai +6, Orion9137 +11, sir mc doogle +4, EruniaGaia +5, ragnel alondite +6, Alioshin +4, TheDemonLordofB7R +8, MrHelloNotThere +5, something-creative +6, BrimstoneZV +6, and 10 more...

Elf that has at least 31 siblings: I dOn'T KnOw hOw kiDs R MaDe...

Base +6, Oddsky +8, sneak47 +4, Gabs999 +6, Soldier A +6, Mrsuperhappy +34, qazzy5 +23, Orion9137 +11, Pr1de +16, Broctopus +6, jiro13 +7, theokayman +6, Simon9000 +6, and 35 more...

where is "male: prostitute"? clearly this is sex massage for money. lol

Base +8, EruniaGaia +5, Stoicism +6, MrHelloNotThere +5, appahai +4, m42a +16, The14thNoah +12, sweetflan +9

@Alias23 sex ed in the elf world is only taught when youre at least 500 years old
this elf is 499 so obviously she doesnt know

Base +6, EruniaGaia +5, Gim-Li +10, ragnel alondite +6, MrHelloNotThere +5, mellowjello +8, Bulopu +16, A.Kasuga +6, appahai +4, djgee2f +7, MechWarriorNY +9, Powerguido +6, sweetflan +9

No wonder Elves always get lewded

Base +6, MrHelloNotThere +5, mellowjello +8, Powerguido +6, sweetflan +9

She must be really sheltered.

Base +7, sweetflan +9

Please, considerate to translate also this one:

/g/1497241/bdb59fa6b8/

Base +9

@Alias23 In some mediums about elves, they were known to be very lewd and even RAPE humans.

Even then, different races could have different rules. I'd honestly have no complaints if an elf village wanted me to help them pump out kids.

Base +9