~ SOME BASIC INFO ~
If you're an old hand at Photoshop, Gimp, Corel, Picasa etc you won't be needing most of the images advice further down the page - but the text in red are the parameters for anyone sending in image and text files.
When you send me biog or copy about your work, generally referred to as blurb,  please attach it as a simple text file or just write or copy and paste it directly into the email. You can have 20 images of your work in your gallery - as well as a self portrait drawing or photograph if you want to. If you send a photo or drawing of yourself, send it at 72ppi and 2.5 inches high (180mm). See below for ppi etc.

Send images the right way up, at 72ppi and make the dimensions the kind of size you'd like to see them on screen. ie somewhere around 8 -10 inches wide for landscape and not much higher than 7.5 inches for portrait configurations. These are only approximate sizes, just be sensible about them.
Make sure the image file names are just as you want them to appear on the site. Please don't send 300ppi files to my email.

If you send me a link, copy and paste it from your browser so I have the full address
http:// www. address...
If you have large files archived on a disc or uploaded to a webspace - like shots of an opening or event, that's a different matter. Snailmail the disc, or hand it to me or Dale (she lives nearby) or send me the link to your uploaded files.
I'll use what images I can and collage them up in Photoshop - the same as you see in the Exhibition Opening and Past Event galleries.
Most people are doing fine on most of all this - and are sorting it out for themselves - thank you.
jpg is the file extension of the most common image file found on the web. It's pronounced Jay-peg and can be saved at any resolution. An extension is anything that comes after the last dot in a file name. A resolution, in image terms will be expressed as a number - for instance, your camera is capable of  a resolution of 10 million pixels - or an image file is 300 ppi = pixels per inch - or 72 ppi etc etc.

ppi is also commonly understood as dpi = dots per inch in the printing industry. Computing resolution is often written as ppi = pixels per inch - but to all intents and purposes and for everyday use, they are the same thing. I will carry on using the term ppi here.

 For computer screen resolution,  images at 72 ppi are the norm because it allows them to appear quickly, depending on their physical dimensions . A good quality resolution for cutting an image to CD  to take to a professional printer would be 300 ppi - because you get much better detail.
All image file handling software, even the simplest will allow you to look at :- 
The images resolution, its file extension, its height and length in pixels, inches, or mm - and allow you change them. They will also, among other things - allow you to lighten or darken the image etc and also turn it the right way up.

There are plenty of small and free useful programmes, some will automatically adjust your files  and save them as web friendly versions or web galleries. Have a look here http://www.snapfiles.com/freeware/  under the Graphics and Photos section. The whole freeware section at Snapfiles is interesting whether you have a major image editing programme or not. I've never encountered a problem there - and also, you don't have to sign up to download anything.
This site,  http://www.artzend.com/index.html  archives digital art tutorials and programmes mainly. Those of us who look for specific little programmes for specific jobs, all have our favourite sites  and I don't want to add more links here, but If you have anything in particular that you'd like to share, I can put it up in the LINKS page.

In an image editing programme, when you check an images ppi, there will be a dialogue that says something like 'Image Size'. If it's 72ppi - don't scale it up any further, it'll just go fuzzy. If it's height and width are near a size of 8-9 inches - at 72ppi - fine, send it. You might see a  dialogue in 'Save' that says something like 'Save For The Web' - use it, it's very handy. It will save at 72ppi but you will still need to check that the images physical dimensions are right first. Within your editing software you will  also need to see that a dialogue similar to 'constrain proportion' - it's usually on by default - so that the height and width stay relative to each other. You need only change one dimension and the other will automatically change. If the ppi is bigger than 72 change the width or height before you alter the ppi.

If you rename a file, It's best to use 'Save as' (so that you keep the original safe) then alter the file  name slightly, because if you are saving it in the same place as your original - it will overwrite your original file. If you want to keep the same file name, save it somewhere else. I usually save them into a separate folder I call 'Web Versions.

To change a file name of  an image on your hard drive, right click on it and go down to 'rename' but don't change it's extension - ie the bit after the dot. If you are new to all this spend a little time sorting this stuff out for yourself, it's not difficult - Google for answers to things you don't understand - often the help files that come with image editing software are very good.

In the end they are your images - so be responsible for them. Again - most people are doing fine on most of this.  All the web work I do for the group is simply a part of what I can very happily contribute  - and I'd like it to stay a happy contribution, not an exasperation. If I make mistakes with stuff you send  me - just let me know - no problem - have patience and it'll get done.

Most people seem ok with attaching images to emails, or learn quickly -  after all, many art competitions etc are now entered through sending in jpgs and it's become the norm - So If you want to make sure you send out the best versions of  your image - get to know a little about your image editing software.

At some point we are going to need a few people to start learning about how to use the 'backend' of this website - as back up - to help with - or to take over doing this web stuff  - so if you have a real interest let me know.

Dai.H.