Art in Public Places - Image Standards and Formatting

All images submitted with a Public Artist Roster application must have a square format (1920 pixels) and a file size less than 1.8 MB. The square format allows horizontal and vertical images to be shown side-by-side. Photo editing programs describes both Photoshop and IrfanView and provides links for software purchase or download.

 

Formatting Specifications

Formatting with IrfanView

Formatting with Photoshop or Photoshop Elements

 

Formatting Specifications

File Format

Submit only high quality JPGs (do not use GIFs, TIFFs, or other formats).


Image Size

Images must be 1920 pixels on both sides. You will need to resize your images accordingly and add black borders to two sides to square the image. If possible, it is best to start with an original uncompressed image that is no less than 1920 pixels on its longest side. Final image resolution should not be less than 72 ppi or dpi.

 

File Size

Files must be less than 1.8 MB in size.

 

File Labeling

Files must be titled with a number indicating the viewing order, followed by an underscore, and then the artist's last name and first initial. Use "0" in front of single digit numbers. Do not use more than 30 characters and use only letters, numbers, and underscores.


PC example: 01_SmithJ; 02_SmithJ.

Mac OS 8, 9, or 10 example: Include a ".jpg" extension at the end of each image title. 01_SmithJ.jpg.

 

If you are working as a team with other artists include the artists’ last names separated by an underscore in the file name.


Team example: 01_SmithJ_DoeJ (for PC) or 01_SmithJ_DoeJ.jpg (for Mac OS 8,9, or 10)

 

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Application image example. "The Grove" by Wayne Chabre.Formatting with IrfanView

Framing an image “squares” it and allows horizontal and vertical images to be shown side-by-side. A squared image will have a black border added to the “long” sides of the image.

 

1. Open image in IrfanView by selecting “File” from the toolbar, then "Open" and select your image file.

 

2. Select “Image” from the toolbar, then “Resize/Resample”.


3. Make sure "Preserve aspect ratio" is checked and that "Unit" is set to "pixels". Determine which side is longer in "Set new size" and set this to 1920 pixels. The shorter side's number will then adjust automatically.


4. Subtract the pixel length of the short side of the image from 1920. Divide the number by 2. Write this number down. This number determines the size of the border needed for the long side of the image. Click "OK".


5. Select “Image” from the toolbar, then “Canvas Size”.


6. Insert the number from step 4 in the boxes for the long sides and enter 0 in the boxes for the short sides. Check to make sure that black is the set border color.


7. Select “OK” after entering the information.


8. The image will appear with borders. (IrfanView’s screen background is black, so it may be difficult to see the new borders. The borders should be apparent when the image is inserted into a document or viewed with other image viewing programs).


9. Label and save the image as a new version of the original.

 

10. Check the image properties to make sure the image file size is not larger than 1.8 MB. If the image is larger than 1.8 MB re-save the image and incrementally decrease the "Save Quality" in the “Save” menu until the image is small enough.

 

Example: If the width is 1920 and the height is 750, then borders need to be added to the top and bottom of the image.
1920 – 750 = 1170
1170 / 2 = 585
In “Canvas Size” you would then set Left: 0, Right: 0 and Top: 585, Bottom: 585.

 

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Formatting with Photoshop or Photoshop Elements

The following instructions require that the Photoshop "Tools" toolbar is open. To open the toolbar, select "Window", then check "Tools".

 

1. Open image in Photoshop by selecting “File” from the toolbar, then "Open" and select your file.


2. On the "Tools" toolbar, click on the "Set background color" box (the recessed box near the bottom of the toolbar). This opens the "Color Picker". Select black as the background color.


3. Select “Image” from the toolbar, then “Image Size”. Select "Resample Image - Bicubic" and “Constrain Proportion”.


4. In "Pixel Dimensions" set the longest side to 1920 pixels. Select "OK".


5. Select “Image” from the toolbar, then “Canvas Size”. In "New Size" set both height and width to display in pixels. Set the shortest side to 1920 pixels (this will expand the canvas around your shorter side). Make sure the anchor is set to the center.

 

6. Select “File” from the toolbar, “Save as”, set to JPEG, and name your image according the labeling standards.

 

7. In "Image Options" set "Quality" to "8". Then set "Format Option" to "Baseline ('Standard')" and click "OK".


8. Check the image properties to make sure the image file size is not larger than 1.8 MB. If the image is larger than 1.8 MB repeat the previous step and increase the image compression in the “Save” menu.