Using IrfanView to resize (resample) your images.

 

In this tutorial I am going to cover the basic's of Resizing (Resampling) your doll images to competition required size using I_View.

InfanView (I_View) is some of the easiest to use picture editing software available. Best of all it is free and downloadable.

Visit http://www.irfanview.com for the newest updates

Lets start at the very beginning, using the Folder icon to open the image you wish to edit, or you can also use File>Open from the main menu bar.

Locate the folder your image is in using the drop down menu.
Once you have located your folder you need to locate the file or image you wish to open.

To make it easier, you can use the Preview Active option to help you locate just which image you are looking for. Select your image and either double click or use the open button.

When you open the file your image is going to be HUGE!!

That is why we are reducing its size.

To make it easier to work with, use the Zoom out icon to make your image fully fit the screen. You do this simply by clicking on it until the image is at your desired size.

Once you have it so you can see the entire image you can crop off the edges. We do not want all that vacant space or once we resize the image we will loose the detail of the doll.

 

You do this by simply holding down your left mouse button and dragging the mouse to form a rectangle or square around the desired area.

If it is not perfect don't worry, you can make adjustments to it by holding your mouse on the line, when your mouse changes to a double headed arrow you are in the right spot, hold the left mouse button and move it where it needs to be.

 
Once you have your cropbox just right, use the Scissor (cut) icon the cut out the selected part.
Once you do this you will end up with a big black box where your doll used to be, do not worry this is supposed to happen.

Now using Clipboard (paste) icon to bring your doll back.
When your doll image returns it will be at full size and most likely take up your whole screen again, (remember we had zoomed out so we could work on the whole image)

If like me your image is on its side, you will need to turn her up the right way. If not skip this step and carry on.

Goto

Image>Rotate Right (or Rotate Left depending on which way your image is laying)

OK now we are ready to make our image the right size to submit to the competition.
Goto

Image> Resize/Resample

On this popup window we are going to change the size of the image to make it competition size BUT without losing the quality of the image. We will do this by RESAMPLING

NEVER RESIZE!!!

The difference is all in the quality of the final product. When you resize it basically deletes DPI, therefore reducing the quality of the image. Resampling will change the size of your image but maintain the quality.

Competition requires your images be no more than 600x600

To change your the size simply type 600 into your Height box, your Width box will automatically change to match while keep your image in proportion.

If your image is longer than high, change your Width to 600. Again the other box will auto change to preserve your proportions.

Keep your Units on Pixels. This should be your default setting anyway.

The only other thing you need to change is the DPI, if it is above 96, you need to reduce it to 96, if it is at 72, you can leave it at 72 or if you prefer change it to 96.

Monitors never register more than 96DPI EVER, so to have it higher just makes your file size needlessly large and slower loading.

Even though we have Resampled to preserve the quality of our image, we need to just sharpen it up a little to improve the focus.

Compare this image to the Sharpened image lower down and see what a difference it makes.

Goto

Image> Sharpen

 

WOW amazing what a difference one little click can make.

We are ready to save.

 


I would encourage you to also take a little time to experiment with the other features this software provides.

Using Enhance Colors if your picture is a little pink, you can reduce the red, a little yellow increase the blue.

Best way to make the most of your software is to play with it and see what it can do.

I know what your thinking, "I know how to save a file"

And normal I wouldn't bother to step someone thru this but I want to make sure your get the best quality outcome possible, so please bear with me.

Goto

File>Save As

Locate where you wish to save your image too.
Name your file:
When naming your file you can not have Caps or Spaces in your file name or they will not work with the upload software. You can however include - or _ in place of spaces in the name.

Now you are going to find a list a mile long in the drop down Save as Type menu. You need to make sure you choose JPG. We want the best image possible and JPG is the standard format that will provide this for you.

Now once you have named your file and chose JPG as your file type you will get another little window, the only thing you want to change on here is the Save Quality bar, slide it all the way to best. 100

Now you can hit save.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

Here we have it, Competition size image showing off our doll.
We have good detail and quality without an oversize file.

This file is 332x600 pixels and only 155KB.

Even on a dial up connection this file will load in roughly 22secs.

This tutorial and graphics where created by Kelsie Aman, I am in no way affiliated with the manufactures of this software or the manufactures of the doll featured in this tutorial.
This tutorial was created for educational purposes.