Do not take this in anyway as a flame. It is NOT. I just wish to stress that when you post an image please compress it to a fairly small jpeg. 300k maximum, 100k or less is even better. I know many members are excited to post their wonderful images on the forum. And I very much enjoy viewing them. But honestly I'm sure a lot of people like me will stop a post when the image coming in is a 750k file. And in so maybe missing a great picture. This is a busy forum and this just eats up space and time. It is cery simple (most every paint program allows choices for jpeg compression. And a large file usually looks just as nice on the forum in a medium jpeg compression as it would at a maximum jpeg compression. If you MUST post a large file, at least post a note in the topic headline that it is. I.E. New Image WIP (large image file). Thanks for your time in reading this, and listening to me go on. James

I agree James. I have a slow internet connection and if I have to wait more than a few minutes for a pic to load, it isn't worth it. I just move on to the next. No doubt I have missed out on seeing some great pics, but so it goes! Rob

I agree. I'm on DSL and still don't like the big files (impatient? Perhaps...), hence I try to compress mine well. I generally use PSP, and it has a built-in optomizer that'll tell you the filesize before you save, and I shoot for about 180k or less, just because I know what it's like to be on analog. People posting multiple meg .bmps just isn't cool.

Gotta agree here. I use a 56K modem (48K connection at best) On SCREEN there is little reason to have a BIG file. Providing a link for those who want to print and having a BIG file is OK. But I too rarely want to wait 3-5 minutes to load each image. In rare cases a large one is ok so you can zoom in on fine detail. All the best. Eric

Count me in on this one, as well. When I see a huge image start to load, I'm outta there.

It's prolly worth mentioning the Gallery at some point.

One other thing. A small compressed file without all its information is less likely be something that someone would steal and try to use. But as a wallpaper or inspiring printout who wouldn't steal an image or two from the talented artists here? ;-) And really with the new jpeg compressions in Adobe PhotoShop(high-end-expensive for Mac and PC) and Paint Shop Pro (It is PSP I'm thinking about, right? lo-end-Affordable for the PC)and and Adobe PhotoShop Lite affordable also for the Mac and PC) jpeging (new word giggle) is a breeze to do. James

Black Spell, The image is indeed of a lesser quality. But I think good enough for the forum. Quite good in some compressions too. And if there is interest in seeing more detail and the need to see the large file. Then you can always repost with a warning, or send it via e-mail to whoever requests it. Or as mentioned above. Place it in the gallery. I do agree that some art that has been here I would have liked to see it larger and with more detail. So I have asked some members and corresponded via e-mail to view these. I also got to know these people better. Well I'm rambling on and its late. ;-) James

If you are using Photo Shop, be sure to check off "baseline optimized" in the options dialog that comes up when you are saving in jpeg format -- this produces a much better looking picture, with far fewer artifacts in it, than does the default setting. Jim

I agree here to but when I requested a smaller posting size I got flamed out the ass by people who felt their work was far to good to be reduced I mean who the heck wants to waite for a 1024x768 image to download. The only files of that size that I will waite for are if they are texture maps but I think those should be in zips or sits when posted in the free stuff section JanP

Image size max. 1024x768 pixels (I want to see the picture without scrolling) at 72, maybe 96 ppi, and with JPEG quality at roughly 80 % - that will result in reasonable file sizes, I guess. - wal

A Gaussian Blur at <1 pixel will boost the compression at the level you choose. Ummm... that's a rumor I heard on Internet, so FWIW YMMV.

What?

A picture w/o sharp transitions compresses better, is the theory.