Tech: Resizing a picture for an avatar ?

Subject: Tech: Resizing a picture for an avatar ?
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 08 Sep 10 - 06:29 PM

I have become a sponsor on a forum which allows me to post an avatar whose maximum size is 150 x 50 pixels, or 6.8 kb, whichever is smaller.

I have resized the picture which I wish to use to 150x50 pixels, but it still takes up over 12 kb, which the forum software will not accept.

I have looked at the avatars of other sponsors, and even with the maximum 150 x 50 pixels, they seem to be able to get their pictures under 6 kb (with no loss of resolution).

How do I achieve this ?

All advice gratefully received...

Subject: RE: Tech: Resizing a picture for an avatar ?
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Sep 10 - 06:34 PM

I upload my images to Flickr.com. They have an option to download a small square image back to my computer. I use that.

If your image editor has an option to save at a reduced resolution, try that?

rags

Subject: RE: Tech: Resizing a picture for an avatar ?
From: GUEST
Date: 08 Sep 10 - 06:34 PM

You may be able to use less bits per pixel. Alternatively, export it as a .jpg file with a greater level of compression.

Richard

Subject: RE: Tech: Resizing a picture for an avatar ?
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 08 Sep 10 - 06:51 PM

I checked out Google for avatar resizing programs, but they all seem to produce a square image, which is not what I want. I need it 150 pixels wide (vertical height will work out at about 30)

I will try the compression thing, thanks.

I use the Panasonic Photofun Studio for editing, which is probably laughably elementary, but it was what came with the camera.

Hopefully I can get it to do what I want.

Subject: RE: Tech: Resizing a picture for an avatar ?
From: GUEST,olddude
Date: 08 Sep 10 - 06:55 PM

Murray
PM me your email, I will do it for you when I get back on saturday
Dan

Subject: RE: Tech: Resizing a picture for an avatar ?
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 08 Sep 10 - 07:24 PM

Dan, I appreciate your offer, however I have managed to stumble my way through it by shifting the compression slider bar to 80% (trial and error) and this gives a pic size of just over 6kb, which the website has accepted. (If you go to the Acoustic Guitar Forum and search for posts by murrmac123 you will see my creation ...)

Thanks to Richard btw who advised the compression thing.

Subject: RE: Tech: Resizing a picture for an avatar ?
From: Bill D
Date: 08 Sep 10 - 07:29 PM

What did you use to reduce it?

I would use Irfanview, a well-known free image viewer and editor.

First you would 'crop' the image to the approximate shape you want, and you have done that, but it would be better to use the original image and set the shape. Then you would resize it to 50X150, using the 'retain aspect ratio' setting changing the DPI (dots per inch) if necessary to reduce it to the 6.8kb.

Any standard image editor will have similar settings, maybe with slightly different names or locations.

Subject: RE: Tech: Resizing a picture for an avatar ?
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 08 Sep 10 - 07:48 PM

The Panasonic Photofun Studio has its own built in resizing tool, which I use a lot for Ebay listings, but I have never had to use the compression thing before, I just alter the dimensions..

I will check out your link, Bill, thanks, it may well be that I will come up with a better image by doing it your way.

Subject: RE: Tech: Resizing a picture for an avatar ?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 08 Sep 10 - 10:20 PM

One can use a jpeg - but I had most luck when working using gif files - one can reduce the number of colours which can also massively reduce the file size.

Subject: RE: Tech: Resizing a picture for an avatar ?
From: Bill D
Date: 08 Sep 10 - 10:45 PM

I hope it helps, Murray. Irfanview is good to have, anyway.

Subject: RE: Tech: Resizing a picture for an avatar ?
From: Gurney
Date: 09 Sep 10 - 01:56 AM

I had the same problem with TradeMe, our version of EBay.

Microsoft paint fixes the issue. Just get the picture onto paint, from the toolbar at the top select Image-- Stretch/Skew, and retype from 100% to whatever size you want. I use 30%.