[skanter]

If you're not familiar with M.C. Escher, prepare to have your mind blown - and get some great screensavers!

http://www.mcescher.net/

In return, please tell me how to crop and format them for Kindle 1 (is it 800X600?) as I've never made my own screensavers before...

 

[Bacardi Jim]

Yes, they must be 600 (wide) x 800 pixels and in greyscale.  If your image editing software allows you to variably reduce color saturation, I find that an 85% reduction usually works pretty well.

 

[skanter]

Yes, they must be 600 (wide) x 800 pixels and in greyscale. If your image editing software allows you to variably reduce color saturation, I find that an 85% reduction usually works pretty well.

Thanks - let me know if you get good results with Escher etching prints.

 

[ricky]

These are insane.  I have loved his stuff for decades.  Thanks for the link and the info re turning them into screensavers.....

 

[skanter]

Yes, they must be 600 (wide) x 800 pixels and in greyscale. If your image editing software allows you to variably reduce color saturation, I find that an 85% reduction usually works pretty well.

Some of the Escher pics are slightly smaller than 600X800 ( i.e. 570X772) and leave a small, blank margin on the left. How does one make pics correct size using Photoshop or Picasa?

Thanks...

 

[Bacardi Jim]

Some of the Escher pics are slightly smaller than 600X800 ( i.e. 570X772) and leave a small, blank margin on the left. How does one make pics correct size using Photoshop or Picasa?

Thanks...

I don't use either. But I suspect that you can go into "Edit" or "Format" or some similar tab and change the "Dimensions." On most programs, there is a box to check which keeps the dimension ratio the same (height:width). The default is for the box to be checked. You may need to uncheck the box to manually set the dimensions to 600x800.

 

[skanter]

I don't use either. But I suspect that you can go into "Edit" or "Format" or some similar tab and change the "Dimensions." On most programs, there is a box to check which keeps the dimension ratio the same (height:width). The default is for the box to be checked. You may need to uncheck the box to manually set the dimensions to 600x800.

Thanks - I'll experiment.

 

[foogrrl]

In Photoshop it should be under Image (if not, it's under Edit) and Image Size.

If you resize directly to 600x800 it may distort the picture somewhat if the ratio isn't the same.  You can see if it looks okay, or you can set the smaller size to 600, leaving the box checked, which will make the large side more than 800, and then use the crop tool set to a fixed size to cut out a 600x800 piece.  At least, I think you can get a fixed size on the crop tool.  Photoshop won't install on this computer for me, so I can't check.  *sighs*  If you can't with Crop, you can use the Selection tool and copy and paste it to a new graphic.

If that's clear as mud, I'll break out the laptop, which has it installed, and write up more directions, if necessary.

 

[skanter]

In Photoshop it should be under Image (if not, it's under Edit) and Image Size.

If you resize directly to 600x800 it may distort the picture somewhat if the ratio isn't the same. You can see if it looks okay, or you can set the smaller size to 600, leaving the box checked, which will make the large side more than 800, and then use the crop tool set to a fixed size to cut out a 600x800 piece. At least, I think you can get a fixed size on the crop tool. Photoshop won't install on this computer for me, so I can't check. *sighs* If you can't with Crop, you can use the Selection tool and copy and paste it to a new graphic.

If that's clear as mud, I'll break out the laptop, which has it installed, and write up more directions, if necessary.

Thanks foogrrl, I think I can figure it out...

 

[skanter]

Well done, Jim! How, exactly, did you get to proper 600X800 size?

 

[Bacardi Jim]

Well done, Jim! How, exactly, did you get to proper 600X800 size?

"Exactly?"

I cropped it here, then cropped it there. Then I used my Ulead Photoimpact software (think of it as a Photoshop knockoff) and simply told the program to make the image 600x800. This stretched it up-and-down a bit, but not enough to make it ugly/unworkable. Then I sharpened it a touch.

 

[Bacardi Jim]

I can't tell you how to do it in Photoshop.  I don't own Photoshop.  I own Ulead Photoimpact, which is a streamlined "lite" version of Photoshop and only cost me $10 at CompUSA.  I know that the basic controls and effects are essentially the same as Photoshop, but I have no idea how the specific tabs are labeled or which options come up under which tab.  Sorry.

 

[Bacardi Jim]

"Relativity" has always been my favorite Escher.

 

[Raiden333]

Wow, that's really good work. Looks like I'll be adding more savers soon.

Any chance of doing the space birds one? I imagine it'd be pretty hard since it's kind of small, I tried to find a bigger one somewhere... You seem pretty good at photo editing though, so I'd appreciate it if you could give it a shot.

 

[Andra]

Thanks Jim, I think that Relativity was the first Escher I saw - and it's still my favorite.

 

[Raiden333]

Wow, the space birds one looks GREAT! I was worried the lines on the columns would start to blur or something when stretched, but it looks just like the original. You're doing some great work here, you oughta collect them all into a zip whenever you finish, I'm sure a lot of people would love them. Escher was the man, I loved his work since I was like 8 or 9.

 

[Bacardi Jim]

It just took a little careful cropping.

 

[Kathy]

Awesome BJ! Really love these. They are so different. Great job.

 

[skanter]

Thanks, BJ, for posting these - they are all going on my Kindle 1. I'd still better figure it out myself, as I want to use my own photos as screensavers. Good job!

 

[intinst]

I have most of them, but they are on the other computer my wife is using. I'll get them for you later if no one else has them.