 Unit
5 Optimizing Images 1 0f 14
After an image has been adjusted for brightness and contrast, it is time
for the final steps to optimize it for use on the web. Remember, the
object in this step is to get the final file size as small as possible
without losing essential quality. There is a lot of art or
subjective judgment in this step, but I have found the following
sequence to work:
- Crop the image so that unneeded portions are eliminated. This will
reduce the image pixel dimensions and thus file size. Often
you can greatly improve an image by cropping.
- Using tools in Photoshop, resize the image to the size you want if
it is too large. If you created the image by scanning, this step
might not be necessary.
- Using Photoshop, sharpen the image if needed. After resizing a
large image to a smaller one, sharpening will improve the final
quality.
- Index the colors in the image to a web-safe Palette using
Photoshop.
- Compress the image by saving it and choosing an option that gives
you an acceptable quality and file size tradeoff.
Let's go through an example; don't start Photoshop until I tell you
to do so.
|
|
