Resizing avatars

[flightsimmer]

I'm finding it impossible to resize an avatar to a file size that will be excepted by Leverguns.com.
I can get it down to a little over 8 kb and 75 x 100 pix then anything lower it just goes to pieces.
How can I do it?

[Old Ranger]

Wow, and I thought I was the only one with this issue! But then again anything with computers causes me to go into cranial overload!

flightsimmer, I agree with you as it was impossible for me to use anything that resembled a picture, thus my little Viking smiley guy was the best I could do...Maybe someone will have an answer for us both there. Glad that you brought this up.

Wade

[Mike D.]

Too bad the acceptable level is so PUNY. I can't do it either, so no avatar pic.

[FWiedner]

If you use Microsoft Office Professional 2003 (I think) or later you should have access to a tool called the MS Office Picture Manager.

Using this tool will allow you to size an image to either a set pixel ratio or to any given percentage of the current image size that you select. It also provides tools to do all of the other photo cropping and color adjustment stuff that folks like to do. No special effects that I am aware of.

[flightsimmer]

If you use Microsoft Office Professional 2003 (I think) or later you should have access to a tool called the MS Office Picture Manager.

Using this tool will allow you to size an image to either a set pixel ratio or to any given percentage of the current image size that you select. It also provides tools to do all of the other photo cropping and color adjustment stuff that folks like to do. No special effects that I am aware of.

I have Picasa and Camedia Pro and neither can make the file size below about 8 kib without loosing the picture all together, it just washes out into color bands.

[pdentrem]

I used photoshop and resized to a 80x80 at 14k and then saved it using save for web etc and using the jpg compression to tailor the size down to about 4k. The original picture was 11mb. The simpler the background the less the memory required. Also watch the pixel per inch as well. I used 96 per inch prior to the final sizing.

[Old Ranger]

I don't have a clue as to what ya'll are saying about pixa-somethings and such. I did manage to open the picture I was going to use and it didn't go. But I kept going back to something about a "Skew"??? and would take 100% and make it 50% until it finally took here as an avatar. Now as to what I had done, I couldn't tell ya a thing other than I kept hammering at it until something worked! As I said before, I don't know squat about computers, but I am a determined old cuss at times. BlaineG gave me the idea on another post about shrinking, and I just ran with it...did I know what I was doing? Of course not! But it did work....

Wade,
The self-confessed anti-geek of the computer world

[flightsimmer]

OK, I give up. I went online to PICNIK online picture editor and resized my avatar picture down to 50 x 67 (lowest prctical setting) and compressed the file down to the lowest possible setting and still could only get the file size down to about 7.31 kib.
I have no idea how you other guys were able to post an avatar. Mine is no more complicated than any of the others I've seen on the forum.
Oh well, you just won't know what I look like, sorry.

[pdentrem]

See me your picture at a reasonable size and I will send it back to you fixed. I will be at the range tonight so likely you will not see it until tomorrow.
Pierre

[Mike D.]

I have everything on my iMac, but can't, or don't know how to, resize it down to microscopic size to fit this forum.

[AJMD429]

I just either used the 'Paint' program that came with Windows, or did it on Photobucket.com after uploading the picture there. Don't remember which.

[Hobie]

Post it here and I'll post it back to you in a size you can use.

[olyinaz]

There's a free program called FastStone Photo Resizer that works well for this sort of thing. Not very user friendly, but it WILL make your photo small enough for sure.

Best,
Oly

[flightsimmer]

Oh, OK, I get what you mean now. I must have been having a senior moment. Here it is.

[pdentrem]

Here you go.

[flightsimmer]

ALL RIGHT! Now that looks great. I'll save it for future use. Thank you very much.
But the big question I have and possibly others do too, is why, with three different picture editing programs was I not able to get below about 7.31 kib?
Can you take time to share so others can benefit.
Thanks again. I know I enjoy seeing those that I am talking or listening to.

[pdentrem]

Ok. Here is how I resize pictures in Photoshop. This is on PS CS5 but most commands are the same all the way back to Photoshop 5. Other programs tend to work the same way.
These are just screen shots that were resized the same way just not as much.

I selected a random picture and the following screen shots should hopefully show the step required to make an avatar.

I hope this answers a few question and helps others out there.

[Mike D.]

No can do. Photo resized but keep getting "invalid URL" message. Too complicated and not worth the effort.

[pdentrem]

Mike are you trying to upload from your computer or from a website?

[1894c]

you guys are the best...love it when we help each other out... :)

[Hobie]

Mike,

You have my e-mail addy. SEND me the pic and I'll fix it for you.