GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
kittyKat | 05/26/2006 @675 | edit post

This is a tutorial how to resize and make thumb nails for GFX art galleries. click on any of the thumb nails for a larger view. YOU must have Photoshop to use this tut How to resize ok first step as you can see this image is to big for GFX it needs to be resized 2 ways you can do this Open Photoshop click on top tool bar IMAGE then IMAGE SIZE resize it to 716 bam now thats done *NOTE* never mind the height that doesn't matter we just want to resize the width! ok now there is another ay of doing this click on file then save to WEB and change the size to 716 pixels *again note* never mind the height that doesn't matter we just want to resize the width! name it and save as a gif or jpg or if you are  Slapo save as png ok now how to make thumb nails lets do the 200x150 thumb nail Take your image you have click on IMAGE then image size maybe resize it to lets say 500 by what ever the height will be click ok its the width we wanna change not the height click ok now click on File then top tool bar then click on NEW make a new document 200x150 pixels ok now we have 2 documents open drag your original document over to the new blank 200x150 does it look ok? ok maybe you think its still off and it needs to be resized go back to the original image and make it smaller top tool bar IMAGE then image size make it like 400 wide pixels again never mind the height ok now do it all over again take your origianl image and drag it over to the 200x150 image does this look better? keep doing it till you feel it looks ok NOW lets say you want a black line or white line around your thumb nail to frame it this is how you do it now because your layer is larger than the 200x150 you have to crop it click on the crop tool and crop your image stay right on the edges we dont want it any smaller we just wanna get rid of any extra ok now that its all cleaned up double click on that layer in the layer panel a box will open click on stroke then make sure your stroke is on the inside and chose your color there like white or black or what ever but make sure its on the inside now the size is by default 3 you can make it thicker or thinner once happy then click ok ok now you have your thumb nail go to top tool bar FILE then save to web save it some where on your computer and get it ready to upload to GFX now you say but what about the 64x64 thumb nail? well do all these same steps I did with you for the 250x150 but change that around to the 64x64 ok? if you are still confused well I guess I will continue this tut for the 64x64 but this will have to be when I get back on Monday and can update this Tuesday so there you go this is how I do it and feel free to study this and what ever ok? enjoy also NOTE the image I used for example belongs to http://utkad.gfxartist.com/ I made no money from this and just used her image here at GFX for this tut to help people learn how to make thumb nails and learn how to resize. bada bing. -------------------------------------------------- On another note: Ok this is my opinion never ever try to squish the whole image into a thumb nail why? cause doing so is giving the viewer the whole thing away YOU want them to click if you give it all away on the thumb nail 1. its gunna look funny and 2. they might just be NOT interested to see it again. so give them a PREVIEW of what they will be seeing don't give it all away on the first shot of the thumb nail you want them to CLICK. Also taking your whole image and squishing into a 200x150 will make it pixelized and well this would be a VERY bad thumb nail Another note when making your thumb nail find an interesting part about your work here is an example

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
Andy--Jones | 05/26/2006 @696 | edit post

Very good tutorial Pam but you say OK too much.Go back and try again. I will vote when you have re done it. PM me when you have done so.

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
kittyKat | 05/26/2006 @697 | edit post

sorry andy its the coffee I should be packing! im a little strung out

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
Kaduflyer | 05/26/2006 @785 | edit post

Haha...you're such a techno head Pam!!.....I make my thumbs by approximating the size with the rectangle tool...hit 'crop'...then if it isn't the right size just keep nibbling bits off with the crop tool!!....I'm not very technically minded as you can see...in fact I still wonder how they get all those little people in my TV set!!!

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
sdavis75 | 05/26/2006 @788 | edit post

An alternate way to create your thumbnails: 1. Open your image file in Photoshop. 2. Select the CROP tool. 3. To constrain your cropped area to the correct aspect ratio for the large thumbnail enter a width of 2 and a height of 1.5 (leave the Resolution field blank). 4. Crop the area you wish to include in your thumbnail. 5. After cropping, go to Image>Image Size (make sure “Constrain Proportions” is checked at the bottom of the window) and type in a width of 200 pixels. You’ll see that your height will become 150 pixels. 6. Save-As (don’t forget to re-name!) your cropped image as a JPG file. For your small thumbnail, follow the steps above, except you’ll want to constrain the Crop tool to a width and height of 1 (or you can simply clear the constraints and hold the SHIFT key while dragging your area). In your Image Size window, enter a width of 64 pixels. If you want to add a frame to your thumbnails, see Pam's instructions on how to do that above. [Message edited on 05/26 @789]

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
Andy--Jones | 05/26/2006 @792 | edit post

I just use the crop tool and guess at the size! I am ussually not far off with the ratio (takes a couple of attempts to get it not looking squashed or elongated sometimes). I too am not that good with technical things to do it the right way.

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
slaphapy5 | 05/27/2006 @021 | edit post

uhh... I use the crop tool... set the width to 200 px and the height to 150 px or 64 px by 64 px... thanks for posting a tut tho pam... good that somene finally made one... Mark [Message edited on 05/27 @021]

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
kittyKat | 05/27/2006 @043 | edit post

ok I just tried it your way slappy and sdavis75 well.......hmmmmm I set the size....then selected area I picked the crop tool then it resized automatically. and I didn't like what it took or how it looked it lost some of its crispness. its ok the way you guys do it..... and I have been doing it so long like this it takes me less than a minute. examples the way you guys do it here is another example I just wanted a close up the face I did it your way see what happened? it killed its crispness. :S and the way I do it I like to be able to select what I want and where I want it. this way, it can be moved around till im happy any hoot so there you go there are more ways to make a thumb nail [Message edited on 05/27 @048]

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
slaphapy5 | 05/27/2006 @047 | edit post

kitty... with the crop tool you CAN select what you want... you just set it to 200 px (you have to write in px) by 150 px... then you click and drag the area you want... set the ppi to 300. you wont lose crispness... sd set it to 2 by 1.5 because if you dont type in px(for pixels) or pc(for picas) then it sets default to inches... which will be 2 by 1.5 inches... then if you resize it like he does after to 200 by 150 manually... it will distort it... if you do like me and set it to 200 by 150 px from the start, it doesnt distort at all, its perfect... trust me.... Mark

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
kittyKat | 05/27/2006 @050 | edit post

I did any ways im not saying one is better than the other both do what you want them too its preference I guess [Message edited on 05/27 @054]

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
slaphapy5 | 05/27/2006 @051 | edit post

i'm curious how you got it that blurry then... look at all of my stuff none of it is *that* blurry... Mark

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
sdavis75 | 05/27/2006 @070 | edit post

I just type in 2 x 1.5 because all I'm interested in at that stage is the RATIO. Pam, the only reason you would end up with a blurry thumbnail is if you select an area on your original file that is SMALLER THAN 200 x 150 pixels. As long as you are cropping an area larger than 200 pixels wide, you will not lose resolution or quality when you re-size the image under Image>Image Size. It cannot get easier than this. Trust me. Make sense? [Message edited on 05/27 @071]

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
kittyKat | 05/27/2006 @076 | edit post

yep sure does thanks

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
addicted2macs | 05/27/2006 @118 | edit post

Gotta agree with sdavis on this... go with the ratio and just make sure your cropped image is greater than 200 pix on the long side. That'll let you work the 'image size' magic just fine. Works every time. [Message edited on 05/27 @119]

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
kittyKat | 05/27/2006 @136 | edit post

ok so wait a second guys are you all telling me my way is not right? I have never had a complaint with my thumb nails in fact I have gotten many compliments reason I made this was believe it or not many here don't know how to make a thumb you will find many many talented artists here and when it comes to thumbs forget about it..... and I wont mention names any ways like I said I have been doing it this way for a long time... its really not that hard and its done pretty quickly

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
sdavis75 | 05/27/2006 @142 | edit post

Listen, Pam, you're doing it wrong!!! Wrong wrong I say!! You do have beautiful thumbnails. Keep doin' what you're doin'. There's more than one way to skin a cat.

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
Wysiwyg | 05/27/2006 @150 | edit post

I have 2 default settings for new documents in Photoshop one for big thumbs and one for small _200 x 150 & 64 x 64 (both at 72dpi) I'll take a full sized flattened image and bring it into those 72dpi sizes...move around and shrink as needed till I get the look I want

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
Andy--Jones | 05/27/2006 @156 | edit post

you can name me Pam, I do crap thumbs!

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
addicted2macs | 05/27/2006 @807 | edit post

Again, I'll second sdavis... It's just another way to get to the same end result. You make wonderful thumbs!!

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
thienbao | 05/28/2006 @318 | edit post

Cool tut Pam! i've noticed some distorted thumbs for a while too. anyways, i've got a little to contribute...I pretty much do what you do, creating new documents with the dimensions of the thumbs, except I just drag the original image into that document and Free Transform it there, instead of going back and forth using Image Size. When i do this, i get to see what the thumb look like before commiting the sizing. that's what i do...bout time this was created.

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
Tommyguns | 05/28/2006 @340 | edit post

Pam, you made this WAY TOO DIFFICULT for all the newbies! Is it part of a plot? This way takes too long and honestly, I don't feel like making another "tutorial" for everyone. Tommyguns

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
thecolos | 06/11/2006 @925 | edit post

well i think the easiest way is: creat a new file with 200x150 or 64x64 pixel open ur image grap (click, hold & move) the hole thing an move it into ur new file here u can move ur image around until u've found the perfect look and if u want u can scale the hole thing down. thats the way I do and I think it works perfect - especially for beginner. But this is just one of several!! cheers matt [Message edited on 06/11 @925]

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
sdavis75 | 06/12/2006 @130 | edit post

My way is still the easiest.

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
scandiaca | 06/12/2006 @926 | edit post

There were the cropers There were the drag-n-dropers Make a thumb and clock it!

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
Wysiwyg | 01/10/2008 @683 | edit post

Figured this thread could use a bump....thanks again for writing it Pam.

Re: GFX TUT how to make thumb nails and resize
ekim | 02/25/2008 @271 | edit post

I would be concerned about the aspect ratio, changing the width while keeping the height will usually result in image distortion.