Hello, I've tried to make some icons, but to get one less than 5k seems hard for me. I take down the size to very tiny then take down the resolution and wha la, it's less than 5k, but. . . .it's not clear, real fuzzy with such low resolution. What's the secret? Everyone else's seems to be nice and clear.

People have had luck using the GIF format. It seems to be a bit more efficient with small images.

well .. as far as I can tell, you are using an image size of 29x29 .. the web site will enlarge that to the 'expected' 60x60 and that will contribute to your fuzzy appearance .. also, the image itself is a little on the muddy side, granted I am seeing the same image you are complaining about (enlarged by the site)

perhaps if you uploaded your original to a photobucket acct and provided a link.. some resident .gif-wizard will come along and put the shizzzam on it

or ...

you could browse this list .. Avatar Sources for a candidate

There are applications out there that are specifically designed for creating icons. I used to have a freeware one which could convert images into very small files. As a bonus it also made animated gifs. Can't recall what it was called but there are probably others available.

or... you could browse the site from across the room.. :p

Kidding.. but seriously, in addition to the .gif format, try using .bmp. Also try reducing your pixel per inch count. In CS2, I believe there's a function called "save for web" that helps with size reduction.

Good luck :o)

Thank you to everyone for the suggestions. I tried the Avatar Sources that Keifer suggested, and the ones I liked were over 5k, but I'll go look again.

third eye suggested to use the .bmp format, but they are not allowed for icons. I will try some more GIFs like caedes suggested!

Thanks again everyone!

Hey! Look at that! Size 60x60 and saved as "CompuServe GIF" which is the only GIF setting I saw in PhotoShop, did make my icon much more clear! This isn't really the icon I want, but at least I know more about the process now! Thankies all!

might I suggest .. irfanview (windows) .. FREE

It's an image viewer that does just about anything you might want .. resize, rotate, flip, sharpen, picture-in-picture, insert text into a picture (ie: signature©right) ... including use photoshop plugins (if you have them installed) ...

I've used it for years .. and I'm using it now to resize my images, since I've been too lazy to install Photoshop on my new PC

Thanks Keifer, only problem is, I'm on a Mac. . .well ok, that's not really a problem, just that irfanview appears to be for windows only. I looked at it and it looks like a cool program!

well ... hmmm .. if the commercials are to be believed then MACs come with every conceivable widget related to color, life, pixels, pictures, food, coolness, uber coolness and coolness de uber

Please tell me that isn't just MORE mac propaganda

(*ducks*)

;o)

Very cute avi Martie ! ;-)

Thanks laurengary!!

Keifer, The commercials are right! I have all the uber coolness software, but I lacked the knowledge of how the heck to make a good icon using less than 5kb! I had a loose nut behind the keyboard! lol!

hmmmpppffttt! .. PCs have a loose nut in front of the keyboard


if anybody tells Bill Gates I said that .. I will deny it

Too bad you've got a Mac Riverside

Keith's given you some good advice about editing software but it seems Irfanview or PhotoFiltre which I use will be wasted on your machine. Perhaps your need to trawl across the WWW yourself to find something compatible.

In the meantime your very welcome to Email your unprocessed pix to me, & I'll happily convert them for your use. I never wear one avatar more than 4 days myself cause they tend to smell after a while ! . (o:

Huh.... we'll just show Bill your avi Keith, see how believable your denial is then little man ! ;-D

LOL! Thanks gonedigital for the offer, but really, it wasn't a software issue, it was that they need to be saved as a .gif. I was trying to take a picture and save it as a .jpg or .png at such a low resolution (to meet the under 5k limitation) that it became bitmapped. When Caedes responded above to try a .gif format, I did and that fixed it! I now can make a nice clear icon.

I hadn't realized that they get smelly after a while, but now that you mention it, maybe I better change soon!

Hi Riverside
I'll keep a look out for your new icon (o: but take note not all icons will alter to below 5k when converted to gif.
By the way your present icon is very nice.

Thanks gonedigital! Here's my new one, I changed after sniffing the older one.

oh .. lauren's gonna have a fit

What did I say Riverside ? they do go a bit smelly after awhile don't they ! your new outfit is very nice. (o: It seems you've got this avatar thing nicely sorted out now.

By the way if your looking for an animated gif have a shuffle through this free website, the majority are far too big for Caedes but you'll find a few nice ones that will fit.