Aspect Ratio for dummies

[dtissagirl]

So. This is not a tutorial exactly. It is a plea. Please please please stop screwing with the aspect ratio of your icons/wallpaper/digital art.

[warning: lots and lots of images inside the cut-tags]

Comments

[leftofmyheart]

Hopefully, it'll help the smushed icons disappear from the face of LJ. Ohh I definitely hope so. I will pimp this anytime I see a badly smushed icon.. :) THANK YOU so much for this. It needed to be done!

[muzakgurrl]

Can you believe I never even knew how to use the crop tool? Thank you for showing how it's done! :)

And in regards to the whole explanation: THANK YOU. *G*

[dtissagirl]

It works *exactly* the same as if you went with Marquee Tool + Image >> Crop + Image Size. I just find it easier to use the crop tool because it can crop and resize at the same time... and I'm lazy. :)

[adolwyn]

Yay thanks for the hints! Now, I noticed that you use the 200 pixels/inch (rather than 72) - is this for a specific reason? Does it create a better quality picture?

[dtissagirl]

Yes, especially for icons, which are so small -- it seems the bigger resolution makes them clearer. It makes the file size bigger though -- my icons are usually all over 30KB size because of it.

[scout27]

Finally, finally! I'm so glad you did this sweetie! I mean, seriously! Hopefully LJ will be a much prettier place because of this post!
*runs off to pimp*

[ex_stormwin]

Your post should be required reading for all icon makers before they even touch a graphics program. Thank you.

[dtissagirl]

Hee. If I could get *half* of them to understand the aspect ratio thing, I'd be a very happy Tissa. :)

[ex_stormwin]

That and bad text placement.

The two things that make the baby Jesus cry... and the adult Martin want to *spork*.