Terry Sneed wrote:
Will someone explain to me how to resize my picture to get it to work in my Avatar please? Thanks
Terry
Terry;
One simple way to find out what tools are already on your computer is to select an image that is either a .gif or .jpg, then double-click on it, which will open it in the image program that is currently associated with that image file type. It could be almost anything, but some graphics application should open with your image in it.
While it is possible that there is no application on your computer that is associated with .gif or .jpg files, this is untypical. Should that be the case you can download several free or low cost image "editor" programs.
Assuming that you DO have some image editing application installed, when it opens look under each of the upper row menu items for commands labeled as follows (or similar):
Crop
Resize
Image (Size)
Adjustments
Filters
Effects
The first item - "crop" - is most important as a first step. When you click on Crop you are then able to drag a rectangle or square around the entire image, then push or pull on the centers of the top, bottom and sides, removing all unnecessary background elements. When you have only the best portion of the image surrounded by the draggable border - double-click in it to activate the Crop. Everything outside your selected area will be removed. If you are not happy with the result just press Control + Z to undo it and try again, until you get the best crop.
The next step is to use the command that allows you to resize the image. The command that does this will allow you to change the dimensions by percentage, or pixels. It will also have a checkbox that locks the aspect ratio so that when you change either the width or height, the other dimension will be changed automatically, maintaining the relationship of the original's dimensions. Since our avatars have a maximum dimension of 100 pixels it is easier to find the option to resize in pixels and select it. Look at the current dimensions in pixels, as shown in the image properties readout. Whichever dimension is larger is the one you will be resizing to 100 pixels. As long as you selected the checkbox to maintain the image ratio the other dimension will be resized in proportion. When you are ready to reduce it just click on OK, or Apply. Your image will be reduced in the program interface.
Go back to the image command to see what the new file size is, after reduction. If it is less than roughly 32,768 bytes (32 Kb at 1024 bytes per Kb) and it looks good, you can save the edited image under a new file name, and upload it as an avatar. If the file size is over that figure you will need to do more editing to get it down to our allowable file size limitation. The method you employ is different for .gif and .jpg images.
To reduce a .gif file you need to have options for "optimizing" it, by reducing the number of colors and changing the encoding type. Hopefully, your image editor will allow you these options and you can experiment with them until the file size drops under 32 kilobytes. Most .gifs can be reduced to 64 colors, with a method that maintains good color representation, using about 50% diffusion or "dithering." Save the reduced image when you find the best appearance at a file size under 32 Kb.
To reduce the file size of a .gif your image editor must allow you to change the quality of the saved .jpg. By reducing the quality you reduce the file size. Only reduce by the rate that does the least to distort the image and get it below our file size limit.
The filters can be used to sharpen or blur the reduced image, while Adjustments can be used to improve contrast, brightness, gamma, or color saturation and hue.
I hope this isn't too confusing. Ask if you have specific questions. Let us know what application opens the file you intend to edit for use as a avatar. Some of us will have the same program and can fast track you to success.
