Need Help Posting to Gallery

[kali13_damonj]

So how do I resize my layout without it being distorted? It has to be no more than 150k in size but obviously when we first make the layout it is a huge file. Every time I try resizing it, it makes it look blurry and super hard to read! Please help because I wanted to post my layouts that are for Jan. 1-14th for the challenge tomorrow! Thanks a ton!

[Tiff]

There are a couple issues - first, number of pixels, which translates into the size you see on the screen. For scrapbooking we usually do 600 x 600 pixels. That translates to around 6 x 6 inches on your screen (roughly).

Then there is the dpi, which I think you set to 72. (this is like the detail of the image as opposed to the overall dimensions)

If that doesn't get you under 150, then you need to bring the jpg "quality" down.

(So, there are 3 features to get your image size down, and they're kind of all independent of each other.)

If you tell us what software you are using, we can give you some more specific instructions. I use PSE 7 and use the Save For Web feature. That gives you an area to put in the 600x600, and sliders to bring the quality/file size down.

Hope that points you in the right direction!

[pennyshilling]

There are so many ways to do resize and for me I always found it difficult to get it just right no matter what program I tried. But someone put me onto the the MEGA TIMESAVER ~ MEGA DOODLE ACTION.....you should be able to just Google this. ( I hope it is ok to put this info here...if not please feel free to delete....I won't be offended).

There are a number of different actions, but I mainly use the "preview 600 X 600 jpeg" action. So easy... save your file first as a PSD then just hit the action.
It will confirm the size ( you can change if you wish), then you are taken to a new screen to preview the image. Here you can check and change as required to stay under the 150kb limit and then when you are happy save it. I like to label it 'web image'. Just make sure you insert the words web image BEFORE THE .jpg otherwise the file type will not be recongnised. The screen will dissapear after you hit the save button and you are back to your original unalterd psd file. Definitely a huge timesave.
Hope this may be of assistance.

[kenandbelly]

Hi there-

I feel like we just had a conversation about this in the forum but I can't find the thread. (Anyone else remember it?).

Anyway, here's what I do to get a 150 kb version. There are lots of ways to do this (and I'll definitely be checking out the action Pennyshilling mentioned) but this is a basic way to do it in PSE.

1. Save your .psd file.
2. click on Layer --> flatten image.
3. drag the image smaller (you may have to duplicate the layer first), to about 1/8 its original size.
4. open a new file. I set it to 5 inches by 5 inches with a dpi of 100, but I think 6 x6 and 72 is standard. For whatever reason 5x5 and 100 just looks more crisp on my screen.
4. drag the small image to the new file and adjust it to fit.
5. click on file--> save to web.
6. a new window will pop up. There will be a toggle for the quality that you can adjust to get a filesize just under 150.

I did find where Girlie had outlined the uploading process. Here's what she wrote in another thread:

girliealonzo
Site Weed GirlpostPosted: Tue Jan 12, 2010 9:35 am Post subject: Reply with quote Edit/Delete this post Delete this post View IP address of poster
hi ! it is not a stupid question...let me try to help you.

1. you have to register in the gallery so you can have access there and be able to upload.

2. once you are registered, log in and then you can see in the upper right portion of the gallery box an option to 'upload photos'. note: make sure your layout/ photo is only 150kb (and below) to be able to upload to the gallery.

3. once you click 'upload photos', a new window will appear where you can attach the layout you want to upload, put the title and description of that layout.

4. after putting in all the needed information...click 'upload/submit'

i hope i was able to help...
if you have any more questions...feel free to post it here.

happy posting!!

Hope this helps!

[kali13_damonj]

Thanks every one! But I am still confused. lol. I use both PSP and PS CS4. I use PSP more but also love CS4 so I cant use that action mentioned because it is for PSE. Does anyone know of any other actions that help. I have tried what was said and it still makes my layouts soooo blurry. I use the QP's Gina made so they are a 12 x 12 size and obviously I add to them with a bunch of elements to make them more me but I would hate to post them resized if they look as horrible as they are when I resize them. :( Any advice would be soooo appreciated! Also, how do I know if the layout resized is 150kb? The only way I have been able to tell is after I have already saved it and then I click on it and go to properties to see but is there a way to tell in the actual program before I save it? Thanks!!!

[Tiff]

I THINK anything that works in PSE would work in PS, but maybe the versions matter?? PS CS4 means a version of photoshop, right??

It sounds like you are getting the file small by taking the quality too low, as opposed to reducing the number of pixels. Have you tried File -> Save for Web in PS CS4? In the Save for Web window, it shows the file size under the image, so you can see how the size changes as you vary the sliders. (In PSE7, anyway)

[pennyshilling]

This method should work in most versions of Photoshop (I just use the action now because it is so much qucker for me)

Step 1. Save your completed layout as jpg file (I also keep a psd file with all the layers in case I need to change something or find a typo etc).
Step 2. Go to Image>size> and reduce to 600 X 600

Step 3. Adjust the quality (shown on the left side in small text) to be under 150 kb. I usually go for around 135/140 to make sure it's well under the limit. Then click OK.

Step 4. Save image and put WEB IMAGE or something similar in the name and then hit Save. TO GET BACK TO YOUR ORIGINAL SIZE PAGE....go to Edit>STep Backward. This should do the trick ...now the WEB IMAGE can be uploaded to the gallery.

[kali13_damonj]

OMG thank you every one!!! I have been doing this all day! So I totally appreciate all the help!!!!!

[pennyshilling]

Just further to my post above. The blue lines seen are my guide lines. Whilst they remain visable the are only visable when opened in photoshop.

Anyway hope this helps with your resizing...I know this can be real tricky to start.

[kali13_damonj]

It is! I just dont want my layouts to be low quality. I want them to look nice in the galleries! I appreciate all the help!

[Tiff]

It is! I just dont want my layouts to be low quality. I want them to look nice in the galleries! I appreciate all the help!

Just wanted to say I saw the 3 layouts in your gallery, and they look good to me! The text is maybe hard to read, is that what you don't like? The 2 most recent came in at 500x500 pixels.

[kali13_damonj]

Well before it was all blurry but now it is just really hard to read the font. I had to make it 500x500 or it would be too big to upload to the gallery. I tried everything to get it to be readable.

[Tiff]

Actually, I AM able to read the words! 600x600 would maybe make it easier. I say let it go for a while, and come back to the issue. Perhaps your brain will make a breakthrough while you're not looking!

So often I find that if I take a break, my brain will make connections by itself, and when I come back to it, I wonder why I had some much trouble before.

When I was first figuring out how to save for web, I had to play around by doing things like, saving the same file at 300x300 pixels, 400x400 pixels, etc. Then when I viewed them in Picassa, I could start to see the pattern of how the settings effected the image.

[kali13_damonj]

Okay! Thanks for all the help and input. I do need a break. lol

[veronica]

Thought I'd add my 2 cents worth too in the hope I can help out. (Hope it doesn't confuse you anymore). Personnally, i find this the quickest and easiest way.

I work in PS CS3, so it should be similar to CS4.

I save all my layouts first as a JPEG in the original size.

Then I resize them to 600x600 pixels:




Then I go to "File" and "Save for web and Devices":


To get the correct file size, click on this little double arrow on the side and then click on "Optimize File Size".



Type in 150K.


Click OK.

Now click "save". I always save my resized layouts for example as layoutname_web.jpg

Hope this helps you.
Vxx