Free online avatar crop and resize tutorial

**JackCY** · 10-17-2011, 07:14 AM

Hi,

there are other guides and software but no online ones yet.
So here is one free online tool that you can use.
I just found it and tried it as I'm not on my computer.

It's a pixlr on http://pixlr.com/.
If you don't like that your final picture has hard edges use Gaussian blur and sharpen.

1) open photo editor (http://pixlr.com/editor/)
2) open image from computer/URL
2b) Filter -> Guassian blur (Amount: 11)
3) select crop (press 'C')
4) set Constraint (under the menu bar) to "Output size" and set Width: 115, Height: 145
5) click and drag on the picture to create a rectangle with grid
6) move and resize the rectangle so it creates avatar that is pleasant to the eye, try using rule of thirds
7) hit enter to apply the crop and resize
7s) Filter -> Sharpen
8) File -> Save (CTRL+S), save or upload where ever you like, JPG/JPEG and set the Quality as high as possible while keeping the size lower than 19KB. (Usually Quality is around 95-99)
9) done, set your picture in user control panel (User CP -> Edit Avatar)

Gaussian blur and sharpen is optional, the next picture for example looks better without Gaussian blur and applied just a little bit of Filter -> Unsharp mask (Amount/Radius/Threshold: 20/2/0) at the end. Every picture needs a bit different treatment to be nice and sharp, play with the other features if you like.
BTW it looks very similar to Photoshop but the features have less options, it's free and online.

Example:

Original: 2)

Gaussian Blur: 2b)

Crop and resize: 7)

Sharpen: 7b)

Other options:
Without Gaussian blur and sharpen:

After applying Unsharp mask (20/2/0):

**Ghostwheel** · 10-17-2011, 04:10 PM

Thank you. Got it figured. Very useful.

Perhaps we should sticky this?

**123456789** · 10-18-2011, 02:23 AM

Thank you, JackCY. Very useful post!

**sed0007** · 11-19-2011, 12:26 PM

Thanks for this!! I played with this and finally got Steve Mcqueen to replace the one in the INTJ archives of Huey Long. Now I can relax and explore the rest of the site.

---------- Post added 11-19-2011 at 03:29 PM ----------

Ghost Wheel, that is the coolest avatar!!...It's from my all-time favorite PBS Masterpiece Theater series from the early '80's..."Riley, Ace of Spies"...I have looked in vain for the DVD at all the PBS stores, but have never found it. Thanks for refreshing my recollection of this excellent production.

**Distance** · 11-19-2011, 12:30 PM

Wow, people put a lot of work into avatar resizing. I just eyeball an approximate crop for dimensions. Resize and chop off the few extra pixels left over.

**sed0007** · 11-19-2011, 12:34 PM

Guess it depends what software you use to crop and resize.

**topcat** · 03-15-2012, 10:53 AM

A simple tutorial using paint

http://makeavataronpaint.webs.com/

**Vogon Poet** · 11-26-2012, 01:09 PM

I love pixlr.com! Thanks for the quick guide!

**out** · 12-21-2012, 01:28 AM

Thank you; this was very helpful.

**Cocolata** · 12-21-2012, 08:09 PM

Thanks, this was very helpful!

**JuxtAposE** · 12-24-2012, 10:31 AM

Extremely helpful. Thanks!

**Chimera** · 03-05-2013, 02:28 AM

Thank you :-)

**sed0007** · 03-05-2013, 07:15 AM

Thanks. I rarely use Paint. Can you tell me if there is a way to maximize the file size? (30) so you an maximize the quality and trim down the ones that are more than 30 after editing?

10-17-2011, 07:14 AM	#1
JackCY Core Member [108%] MBTI: INTj Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 4,320	Hi, there are other guides and software but no online ones yet. So here is one free online tool that you can use. I just found it and tried it as I'm not on my computer. It's a pixlr on http://pixlr.com/. If you don't like that your final picture has hard edges use Gaussian blur and sharpen. 1) open photo editor (http://pixlr.com/editor/) 2) open image from computer/URL 2b) Filter -> Guassian blur (Amount: 11) 3) select crop (press 'C') 4) set Constraint (under the menu bar) to "Output size" and set Width: 115, Height: 145 5) click and drag on the picture to create a rectangle with grid 6) move and resize the rectangle so it creates avatar that is pleasant to the eye, try using rule of thirds 7) hit enter to apply the crop and resize 7s) Filter -> Sharpen 8) File -> Save (CTRL+S), save or upload where ever you like, JPG/JPEG and set the Quality as high as possible while keeping the size lower than 19KB. (Usually Quality is around 95-99) 9) done, set your picture in user control panel (User CP -> Edit Avatar) Gaussian blur and sharpen is optional, the next picture for example looks better without Gaussian blur and applied just a little bit of Filter -> Unsharp mask (Amount/Radius/Threshold: 20/2/0) at the end. Every picture needs a bit different treatment to be nice and sharp, play with the other features if you like. BTW it looks very similar to Photoshop but the features have less options, it's free and online. Example: Original: 2) Gaussian Blur: 2b) Crop and resize: 7) Sharpen: 7b) Other options: Without Gaussian blur and sharpen: After applying Unsharp mask (20/2/0):
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10-17-2011, 04:10 PM	#2
Ghostwheel Member [34%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 1,367	Thank you. Got it figured. Very useful. Perhaps we should sticky this?
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10-18-2011, 02:23 AM	#3
123456789 Member [05%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 224	Thank you, JackCY. Very useful post!
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11-19-2011, 12:26 PM	#4
sed0007 Core Member [210%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 8,423	Thanks for this!! I played with this and finally got Steve Mcqueen to replace the one in the INTJ archives of Huey Long. Now I can relax and explore the rest of the site. ---------- Post added 11-19-2011 at 03:29 PM ---------- Ghost Wheel, that is the coolest avatar!!...It's from my all-time favorite PBS Masterpiece Theater series from the early '80's..."Riley, Ace of Spies"...I have looked in vain for the DVD at all the PBS stores, but have never found it. Thanks for refreshing my recollection of this excellent production.
sed0007 is offline post a comment

11-19-2011, 12:30 PM	#5
Distance Core Member [410%] MBTI: eNTj Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 16,409	Wow, people put a lot of work into avatar resizing. I just eyeball an approximate crop for dimensions. Resize and chop off the few extra pixels left over.
Distance is offline post a comment

11-19-2011, 12:34 PM	#6
sed0007 Core Member [210%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 8,423	Guess it depends what software you use to crop and resize.
sed0007 is offline post a comment

03-15-2012, 10:53 AM	#7
topcat New Member [01%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 41	A simple tutorial using paint http://makeavataronpaint.webs.com/
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11-26-2012, 01:09 PM	#8
Vogon Poet Core Member [114%] MBTI: iNTj Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 4,563	I love pixlr.com! Thanks for the quick guide!
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12-21-2012, 01:28 AM	#9
out Member [05%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 208	Thank you; this was very helpful.
out is online post a comment

12-21-2012, 08:09 PM	#10
Cocolata Member [17%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 706	Thanks, this was very helpful!
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12-24-2012, 10:31 AM	#11
JuxtAposE Member [11%] MBTI: INTj Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 465	Extremely helpful. Thanks!
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03-05-2013, 02:28 AM	#12
Chimera Member [05%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 222	Thank you :-)
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03-05-2013, 07:15 AM	#13
sed0007 Core Member [210%] MBTI: INTJ Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 8,423	Thanks. I rarely use Paint. Can you tell me if there is a way to maximize the file size? (30) so you an maximize the quality and trim down the ones that are more than 30 after editing?
sed0007 is offline post a comment