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CAITs' Corner

Webpage Graphics


What's a
Blue Armadillo?
  • Blue Armadillo is a program that can be found on school computers. Many people aren't sure what it does.
  • Blue Armadillo is a small program that will simultaneously convert an entire folder of photo images into another size. This can also be done in Photoshop Elements but since Blue Armadillo is a much smaller program it can be accomplished quicker.
  • Before doing this, it is a good idea to create a separate folder for the new picture files that will be created. In my example I have volleyball photos. So I would create a separate folder called Small Volleyball Photos before converting my files.
  • After doing this you can launch Blue Armadillo
  • When Blue Armadillo opens you must click on the Settings button and provide some information before the conversion occurs.
  • When the Settings window opens, click on the Select button in the Source Folder section. Indicate the location of the orginal photos. In my example the photos are in a folder called Volleyball Photos. Locate the folder and click the button at the bottom called Select Volleyball Photos.
  • Next, click on the Select button in the Destination section. Indicate the folder where you want the new files to be created. In my example the photos will be created in a folder called Small Volleyball Photos. Locate the folder and click the button at the bottom called Select Small Volleyball Photos.
  • In the File Dimensions section you can enter the size you wish or choose one of the common sizes.

Common Sizes
Thumbnail
Half Page
Full Page
160 X 120
320 X 240
640 X 480

  • After entering all of this information click OK.
  • When you return to the original Blue Armadillo window click Start.
  • A small window will appear indicating the progress. It will disappear when the conversion is complete.

 


Adobe Photoshop Elements

Batch Conversion

  • Photoshop Elements also allows you to convert the size of a large number of files simultaneously. I will convert photos in a folder called Volleyball Photos to thumbnail size in my example. Before entering Elements and performing the batch conversion, I will create a folder called Volleyball Thumbnails for my new files
  • Now start Photoshop Elements and choose Automate --> Batch from the File menu. Elements allows more options for batch conversion. The chart below explains some of these options.
Option Explanation
Source The name of the folder that contains the original photos
Conversion Type The default is PSD. Change this to JPEG.
Image Size Enter the preferred size for the new photos. You may find it useful to use the chart from the Blue Armadillo instructions. I will use 160 X 120.
Rename Files Click the Rename Files box. Choose "document name" in the first box and enter the word "thumb" in the second box.
Destination The folder where you want the new files to be created. In my example I will choose a folder called Volleyball Thumbnails.
  • Click OK. Photoshop Elements will display the conversion process of each file.
  • When the process is completed you can exit the program and work with your new photos.
  •  

    Save for Web

  • When posting photos to a website file size is often an important issue. Often people viewing a webpage will become frustrated if it takes a long time to load. Some will leave before the page is completely displayed.
  • To make your pages load quicker Photoshop Elements offeres a feature that will reduce the amount of memory used to store your photo without changing the photo's actual size. You can reduce the memory used to store a 640 X 480 image from for example 2 megabytes to 300K
  • To do this, open your photo by choosing Open form the File menu.
  • When the photo appears choose Save for Web from the File menu.
  • A preview of the two versions of the photo will appear side by side. Below the photos you will see the size of the two files. Make sure under the settings in the top right corner you change it from GIF to JPEG if necessary.
  • Click OK. You will be prompted to save the optmized version of the photo. Save the file in the same location as the original to replace the larger file.
  • When the saving process is completed close the file and choose Don't Save.
  • This proces must be done one file at a time.

 

 

 

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