HistoryinScale -- check out the resized image

I was lucky to have worked with 2 excellent and very talented web designers for a couple of years. Most of what I know, I learned from working with them. The rest comes from trial and error, poking around in the help files and going online looking for information.

Like Robert said, I think a lot of people learn through online tutorials rather than books. For one thing, the price is right (free).

My wife uses PSP 7 for all her graphics. She learned more from the tutorials in the Yahoo groups on PSP then from the manual she recieved with the software.

David,
A bit off the topic, but do you have a book on PSP7 I can borrow? I've just learned more in 30 seconds than in playing with it for 2 months. Thanks for the tutorial!

Scott

Oh, one note about the smilie images...If you remove the linebreak so the two img tags are next to each other -- /img][img , you can add a space and they'll appear side by side like this:

I have PSP 7 and here are the steps I usually take.

1. Load the image.

2. (in the menu) Image > Resize

3. (in the resize window)
Resize type: Smart size
Resize all layers - checked
Maintain aspect ratio - checked

Then I generally have Pixel size selected and either fill in the desired width or desired height. By having maintain aspect ratio checked, when you change width or height, the other is adjusted proportionately.

4. (in the menu) Effects > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask

5. (in the Unsharp Mask window)
I generally start with the following settings:
Radius - .50
Strength - 100
Clipping - 5

I'll sometimes adjust Strength to see what I like. Somewhere in the range of 50-150/175ish usually does the trick.

6. (in the menu) File > Export > JPEG Optimizer
Yes, for some images, GIF Optimizer might work better. If you need to do transparency, then you have to make it a GIF. However it's easiest to explain as JPEG.

7. (in the JPEG Optimizer window)
Compression - a setting of 10 is a good starting point. Compressing more than 15, 20 will definitely make the image smaller, but around that point the quality begins to go downhill. Play around and save a couple and compare. See what you're happy with.
Format - I usually go with what gives the smaller size.

8. Then you'll be prompted where to save it and then you're done.

The following both have a 30 day trial.

JASC Paintshop Pro 8
http://www.jasc.com/products/paintshoppro/

Macromedia Fireworks MX 2004
http://www.macromedia.com/software/fireworks/

I'm not a graphics expert, far from it. I know enough to get by and do what I need to in order to get the job done. Personally I find myself going back to PSP almost all the time. However I have to admit I'm impressed with Fireworks MX. I was able to create a command where I could select hundreds of images at once and it would process the selected images, apply filters, resize and save into a new folder. When it came time to prepare the digital pictures my mother took at the racetrack and get them ready to upload for her website, I could execute the command, select 300 or more images and let the process run and walk away.

It's AOHELL!!!! Yeah I noticed the slight difference as well....Im just detail oriented that way. LOL
I really appreciate it...I have axed it for now....may loose the smilies(I think they're pretty cool, again the simple stuff amuses me!)...and go with that...How bout Rosie the riveter REVISED in a skimpy teddy? ROFL just kidding!!!!

One question for ya though you might know...is there anything I can download to do image re-works even if its just a free trial for 30 days? Does PSP have a trial? Because right now I have NOTHING...
Thanks,
Chris

Hey Chris, Did you upload the image I resized or did you resize/resave it? I'm just wondering because the one coming off the AOL server isn't as sharp. If you didn't do anything to it, then it might be AOL's caching or optimizing or something? Just curious.

The top is the one I did, the second is the one served from AOL.



If you compare the wing edges, the tail markings and nose markings you should be able to see a slight difference. The top is 12857 bytes, the bottom is 9594 bytes. When compressing .jpgs, the greater the compression, the more you'll see subtle color shifts, artifacting and slight distortions. I try not to go more than 10-15% compression on .jpgs.

Ahhhhhh but alas I fixed it!!!! Woooohooooooo its really the simple things that amuse me!
Chris

You broke it Chris.

Well for some odd reason its now showing up as a red X just as it was when I first started this....I uploaded the new pic to my page but for some reason...its not working. Any suggestions?
Chris

Thanks David....works for me...one ??? though I need to upload this newer image onto my page where my current one is and then change the img link in my signature....correct?
Chris