[Pro] background images

Freeway
1

Can someone please help me with what I hope is a simple matter? I want to test putting a full page size background image on a page and then ‘ghost’ it so that it does not clash with the main content. How do I get the ghost effect?

Will I have to configure the image so that its size is the same as my web page? What about the dpi? Is 72 okay?

As always, I will appreciate any help I can get.

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2

On Sep 14, 2011, at 6:07 AM, John Bates wrote:

Can someone please help me with what I hope is a simple matter? I
want to test putting a full page size background image on a page and
then ‘ghost’ it so that it does not clash with the main content. How
do I get the ghost effect?

Photoshop, Acorn, Pixelmator, or place it in an image box on a scratch
page in your document, apply Image Magick Action to it, and export it
as a new file.

Will I have to configure the image so that its size is the same as
my web page? What about the dpi? Is 72 okay?

Use massive amounts of compression – quality down near 2! – and yes,
72ppi. Depending on what sort of imagery is in this photo, you may be
able to set it up to tile in one or more axes, which would cut down
the total size dramatically. But if you want the image to be a large,
single image filling the screen, all you can do is guess what the
largest size will be, and make sure that the edges can “die” to a
solid color without looking too odd. Then set that as your background
color, place your background image (it layers above the color) and set
it to no tile, center center or center top.

As always, I will appreciate any help I can get.

Hope this helps,

Walter

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3

Thanks Walt but how do I set the compression? I’m such a beginner!

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4

You do that in the application you are using to convert the image from
whatever format it is into a Web-friendly JPEG or similar.

In Photoshop, you open the original image, then Image / Size to change
the pixel dimensions, then File / Save for Web to open the Web export.
Choose JPEG Low, then tweak from there. You’ll see a live feedback of
the final file size. Aim low, like below 60K.

In Freeway, make a new blank page, and draw an image box on it. Import
your image, scale and crop it how you like, apply Item / Actions /
Photo Magic Action (sorry, I misnamed it earlier) and use that to set
the fade (hint – use Opacity slider) and then in the Inspector,
switch to the output tab (third from left) and set the export quality
settings there. Freeway uses a different scale than Photoshop. While
Photoshop uses 1 - 12 for its “quality” scale, Freeway uses a
percentage. They are not exactly (or even remotely) alike, even if you
translate from one scale to the other.

You have to experiment and see how low you can go without scaring
small animals. If you turn on the live Graphics Preview in the View
menu, you will be able to see the file size change in the Inspector
while you alter the compression, and you’ll also see a live updating
view of how awful the compression will look.

Remember, a background image is in the background, and it’s not what
people are looking at per se, so often this is a good thing to let
happen anyway.

Once you have settled on a compression quality and size, you can
export the image from Freeway by selecting the image, choosing File /
Export, and choosing a destination and filename (don’t forget
the .jpeg extension – it won’t add that for you, and you need it!).

Back to your page, choose the image you exported, whether from
Photoshop or similar, or Freeway, in the Page Inspector, second tab
from the left.

Walter

On Sep 14, 2011, at 8:48 AM, John Bates wrote:

Thanks Walt but how do I set the compression? I’m such a beginner!

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5

Thanks Walt. I don’t know what I’d do without you and DeltaDave.

Regards

John

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