Reducing an Image without losing quality

[MrSki]

I am just tossing this question up to see what kind of ideas come forth.

I often run across graphic files of logos and/or other detail oriented images that need to be reduced in order to fit on a web page. The problem is, often when they are reduced they are also reduced in quality so that they are barely legible.

Is there an efficient way to reduce and image, especially one with text within it, and still be able to clearly read it?
Mitch Duszynski
Web Developer
Human Kinetics
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825
Tel: 217-351-5076 x2474 | Fax: 217-351-2674
mitchd@hkusa.com |

http://www.humankinetics.com

 

[HowardMarks]

heya,

by reduced, do you mean in scale, or in memory size? If you mean scaling down the pictures to be smaller, try making sure they are all set to be RGB (rather than indexed colors) as this will mean they look a lot smoother when viewed smaller. If you mean in memory size, then go to'save for web', where you will have the option to save as a JPEG or GIF. the rule of thumb is JPEG is better for photos etc. where as GIF is better for simple graphics with less colours. In save-for-web you have the options of reducing the number of colours/image quality, with a preview window to see what the saved file will look like. Try experimenting to get a good balance between filesize and quality.

Hope this helps a bit!
Nick (Web Designer)
nick.price@misuk.net

 

[MrSki]

I was referring to reducing in scale. Many of the images are way to large to display on the limited space of a browser screen. But when I reduce them (they are GIF images in 256 color format) as it gets smaller the text gets so distorted that it cannot be read.

I guess I will just have to leave it to the client to provide it properly if they want it used correctly. Mitch Duszynski
Web Developer
Human Kinetics
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825
Tel: 217-351-5076 x2474 | Fax: 217-351-2674
mitchd@hkusa.com |

http://www.humankinetics.com

 

[HowardMarks]

Yeah, you will find the final image depends mainly on the quality of the original one, especially when its something small and fiddly like text....
The only other thing i could suggest would be to reduce the image and then re-write the text on the smaller version, but of course this may only be possible depending on the layout of the image.

Nick (Web Designer)
nick.price@misuk.net