Sizing pictures

[BIG RED]

How about a quick tutorial?

I still don't know how to size pictures I save to my computer, say, to use as an avitar. I have bothered enough guys asking to do it for me as a favor, including a few here, on how to get the picture down to the right size. I always end up cutting it in half, or lose a corner, etc etc. I know it couldn't be to tuff, even for me. I'm sure others might want to know also.

If it doesn't take to much to time to print up the steps, I would be thankful.

Thanks BIG RED

[michiken]

Try downloading irfanview a free graphics editor from download.com (http://www.download.com/IrfanView/3000-2192-10491149.html?tag=list)

This program will allow you to resize, crop, filter and about a million other things.

[Red Knave]

I still don't know how to size pictures I save to my computer, say, to use as an avitar. I have bothered enough guys asking to do it for me as a favor, including a few here, on how to get the picture down to the right size. I always end up cutting it in half, or lose a corner, etc etc. I know it couldn't be to tuff, even for me. I'm sure others might want to know also.
I agree that Irfanview should be in everyones toolbox.

Here's another way using a Microsoft Windows' built in program -
(I am assuming you have Windows XP)
1 - Click Start / All Programs / Accessories / Paint
2 - When Paint is running click File / Open and choose the picture you want to resize.
3 - If you want to extract a piece of the picture click the dotted rectangle in the upper left panel under the File menu. When you move your mouse cursor into the actual picture it will change to a + sign. Select the upper left corner of the part you want to cut out and hold down the left mouse button. Drag the mouse to the bottom right corner of the piece you want and let go of the left mouse button. Now, click the right mouse button and choose Copy. Click File / New and in the blank space on the right, right click again and select Paste. The piece you selected (copied) should show up here as a new picture.
4 - If you want to resize an image, select Image from the top menu and then Stretch/Skew. In the Stretch section you can make the picture half size by entering 50% for Horizontal and 50% for Vertical and click Okay. Keep the Horizontal and Vertical the same to maintain the proper aspect ratio. Also, if you find you have goofed up the percent, remember that the percentage of Horizontal and Vertical stretching is based on the image in the window, not the original image. So if you went 50% when you really wanted 60% of the original, the second Stretch needs to be 120%. (120% of 50% gives you 60% of the original)
5 - You can make picture files smaller (or larger) just by saving them as different file types. Load a picture with any extension (like .bmp. which is a Windows bitmap file). You could save it, for example, as a .jpg file by clicking File then Save As and choosing JPEG as the type from the drop down menu labelled Save As Type.
Combining these tasks can usually get me what I want.
HTH