Downsizing Internet Images - ...help please...!

Palomar · 2003-09-12 10:56:10

*I thought Clark had started a thread earlier this year regarding help with computer-related stuff. I combed through 5 pages of "Free Chat" archives, can't find it.

Okay, here's the situation. I like the following very much and want to include it at my "Age of Voltaire" group's homepage in a few months:

http://college.hmco.com/history....eat.jpg

Gorgeous, huh? Such elaborate and ornate clothing, furniture, wigs! The man directly in the center of the portrait is Frederick the Great of Prussia; Voltaire is 2 persons to the left of him, leaning forward and wearing a lilac-colored vest. If you're wondering why there are no females in the portrait, it's because Frederick was gay, and also did not like women.

The image is too big for the "photo" option of my newsgroup; it's 600 x 436 pixels -- 79k. I need it to be at least 1/2 that size.

Someone told me it's possible to downsize images ourselves. But I don't know how.

Can someone help? Low-tech answers, please.

--Cindy

RobertDyck · 2003-09-12 11:12:04

Here is a simple means to scale an image. Load the image with Microsoft Paint. It is included in the Accessories of any version of Windows later than 95. Within Paint click on Image then Stretch/Skew. You can then change the size of the image by entering a horizontal and vertical stretch factor. To double the size enter 200, to half the size enter 50. To avoid distorting the picture, always ensure you enter the same number for horizontal and vertical. You will get the least pixel distortion if you reduce the size to a simple fraction: for example 1/2 (50%), 1/3 (33%), 1/4 (25%), etc.

Paint isn't the most sophisticated program, but it is the easiest to use. You may have some loss of resolution. Expensive professional programs do a better job, but they cost money and their additional features take time to learn.

Also make sure you save your file in the right format. Pictures like this are best compressed using JPEG (*.jpg), but geometric shapes and charts that use solid colours are best compressed using GIF (*.gif). A bit map file (*.bmp) uses no image compression at all so it will be the largest file.

Pat Galea · 2003-09-12 12:09:43

Another good option is IrfanView. Very easy to use, and best of all... it's FREEWARE!

http://www.irfanview.com

Palomar · 2003-09-12 14:07:26

*Thanks Robert and Pat!

Now I'll be able to use so many additional images.

--Cindy

dickbill · 2003-09-12 14:30:18

The image is too big for the "photo" option of my newsgroup; it's 600 x 436 pixels -- 79k. I need it to be at least 1/2 that size.

Nice picture. It's not so big actually 600X436. Twice as small would mean more difficult to discern details, so I assume you meant that the file weight, 79k, was too big, right Cindy ?

In such a case, do not reduce the "size" in pixel of the picture, just compress more at the "save as jpeg " option. An image of 600X436 can easily be compressed to 40k, in medium/low jpeg quality. I assume many paint softwares give you the option to compress more or less the jpeg, for example photoshop.

Palomar · 2003-09-12 14:55:28

dickbill: "Nice picture. It's not so big actually 600X436. Twice as small would mean more difficult to discern details, so I assume you meant that the file weight, 79k, was too big, right Cindy ?"

*I'm reluctant to admit that I'm rather computer illiterate. I don't know which is giving me the problem: The pixels or the file weight. By the way, my computer illiteracy isn't due to laziness; it's just that I spend 50 hours a week on it for work-related tasks alone, and I'm not inclined to spend much more time on the computer. Anything I've learned about the internet or this computer beyond the necessities has been by trial and error. Usually error, ha ha.

dickbill: "In such a case, do not reduce the "size" in pixel of the picture, just compress more at the "save as jpeg " option. An image of 600X436 can easily be compressed to 40k, in medium/low jpeg quality. I assume many paint softwares give you the option to compress more or less the jpeg, for example photoshop."

*Okay, I'll see what I can do. Thanks for your comments about changing the file weight. I really don't want to jeopardize the details of such a rich and lovely painting.

--Cindy

Spider-Man · 2003-09-13 08:46:06

Cindy, what does it give you as the limit for the image? A file size (in kilobytes) or a size in pixels?

Palomar · 2003-09-13 09:42:19

Cindy, what does it give you as the limit for the image? A file size (in kilobytes) or a size in pixels?

*Hi Spider-Man:

The folks at Yahoo! unfortunately don't give much information to Group owners. In the "Photo" section the owner is given the choice of "pointing" to a photo on the internet or on one's own computer, then uploading. No information is given to the owner as to limits of size, etc. I discovered this when attempting to insert a particular portrait of Voltaire -- which did "take," but which bloats the homepage out to the left and right of the screen, and makes viewing the entire homepage impossible. It's a really unbecoming effect.

This image is the largest I've been able to show at my group [323 x 402 pixels, 33k], with a perfect fit:

http://www.visitvoltaire.com/images/fre … udy33k.jpg

But this next image greatly bloats out the homepage [513 x 342 pixels, 43k]:

http://www.sculpturegallery.com/italy_2/voltaire3.jpg

I can't figure it out. Yahoo! is a great hosting service, but they are scanty with information and guidelines for owners, and they never answer inquires sent to them.

--Cindy

Spider-Man · 2003-09-13 13:36:03

Okay, well that's good; it's not a matter of file size.

And yes, on some computers, depending on factors including the operating system, internet browser, and resolution justification, a large image will spread it out like that. Even on forums, for instance, that can happen. For instance, if you have a lower resolution (in the 800 or 600 range) this will probably spread a good portion of the text over to the right and out of view:

Yahoo isn't totally the best, of course. I'll see if I can do something about that for you, Cindy... I'll be in touch.

Palomar · 2003-09-13 13:45:51

Spider-Man: "For instance, if you have a lower resolution (in the 800 or 600 range) this will probably spread a good portion of the text over to the right and out of view:"

*Yes, it did.

Spider-Man: "Yahoo isn't totally the best, of course. I'll see if I can do something about that for you, Cindy... I'll be in touch."

*How nice. I appreciate your offer. At your convenience, of course (also, I may be offline for the next couple of days).

--Cindy

Spider-Man · 2003-09-13 13:58:49

*Yes, it did.

It doesn't cause any problems for higher resolutions, though, which is good ? most people run at around 1020 or so nowadays. Your problem may be rather unique to you, and a few others, instead of everyone.

*How nice. I appreciate your offer. At your convenience, of course

Of course. *Smiles.*

(also, I may be offline for the next couple of days).

Then the world wide web shall weep with unbearable woe at your absense, and wish your swift return so that it may be so pleasantly moonstruck once again.

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#1 2003-09-12 10:56:10

Re: Downsizing Internet Images - ...help please...!

#2 2003-09-12 11:12:04

Re: Downsizing Internet Images - ...help please...!

#3 2003-09-12 12:09:43

Re: Downsizing Internet Images - ...help please...!

#4 2003-09-12 14:07:26

Re: Downsizing Internet Images - ...help please...!

#5 2003-09-12 14:30:18

Re: Downsizing Internet Images - ...help please...!

#6 2003-09-12 14:55:28

Re: Downsizing Internet Images - ...help please...!

#7 2003-09-13 08:46:06

Re: Downsizing Internet Images - ...help please...!

#8 2003-09-13 09:42:19

Re: Downsizing Internet Images - ...help please...!

#9 2003-09-13 13:36:03

Re: Downsizing Internet Images - ...help please...!

#10 2003-09-13 13:45:51

Re: Downsizing Internet Images - ...help please...!

#11 2003-09-13 13:58:49

Re: Downsizing Internet Images - ...help please...!

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