I was downloading some files from a store this weekend and they took FOREVER. I double checked my highspeed connection and download speed to see if it was a problem at my end. Nope, no problem there. This was the first time I purchased from the store and so I figured it might just be a bandwidth issue at their end.

However, the problem was really in the actual size of the files. They were larger than usual. Much larger than necessary. Some of the kits were zipped into smaller packets. For which I was grateful, as I only had a limited amount of time to do my downloads before rushing off to work. However, what seemed strange is that the kits that I was buying really shouldn’t be that big at all.

The problem? Huge JPG papers and preview files. Much bigger than needed. After downloading the files, I remedied that right away by doing a quick comparison test on the files I thought may be causing the biggest issues and then compressed them to a more acceptable level. It would have been so much easier and better for me as a customer had the designer done that themself. So for anyone out there who doesn’t know how or when to do this - here’s a few tips:

How to Keep your JPG Files Manageable

As any digi-art designer will tell you, it doesn’t take long before those JPG files sizes can end up bigger than big. Which makes them time consuming to download and they take up so much more storage space on our hard drives as well. The solution isn’t to change your designing methods. It doesn’t involve lowering your product quality either. Nor do you have to change your ppi settings if you aren’t inclined to do so.

Compress When you Can

The way to keep these files smaller is through file compression. How much compression you can get away with and still have a quality print will depend on how much the color varies between pixels that sit right next to each other. Large areas of solid color can take more compression than papers with large areas containing multi-color designs or texture. Papers with lots of texture and color variations can not be compressed as much as papers with large smooth areas of a single color without losing quality.

The General Rule of Thumb

Some consignment shops have a minimum compression value allowed. If you are selling through such a shop, be sure to follow their guidelines. Even so, keep in mind that there is no “right” compression value for every paper. You want to compress as much as you can without producing any unwanted artifacts or pixilating. We’re talking about the print quality here more so than what the paper looks like on screen.

I recommend you shoot for a level somewhere between 8 and 10. When compressing lower than 8 you’ll start to see significant quality issues arise.

How I Compress My Files:

I use primarily Adobe Photoshop products for my designing and CS3 is the version I use most often.
- BEFORE I flatten and save any paper, I always save my file in the native PSD format and tuck it away so I don’t accidently write over it. This file eventually winds up in my Working Files folder. I have one (or more) for each project I work on.
- Then I select the menu option File > Save As. When the dialog pops up, I choose the file type jpg in the dropdown list. Then click okay.
- When the jpg dialog window pops up I choose a level between 8 and 10. Then I click the optimize option and save the file. Special Note: I DO NOT use the “progressive save” option box!
- Then I test for quality and make changes if necessary.

Test for Best Results

If you are working with a paper that has many color variances to adjacent pixels or highly textured areas, I encourage you to run a test or two before deciding on a final compression rate.  Red papers are particularly problematic because of the translucence of it.  So always test files with lots of red, whether you’ve included textures or not. 

To run an on-screen test simply save your paper at level 8. Then save it using a different name at level 10. Then open both papers and pull them all into one file, stacking the layers from greatest compression level to least. In other words the file compressed at 8 should be higher on the layer stack than the one compressed at 10. Maximize the file to 100 percent and compare each layer by turning visibility off each layer as you move down the stack. Be sure to view the same spot on each layer for a good comparison.

If you can’t see a difference, then chances are good you’ll get the same high quality print from either compression rate. In which case, you can stick with the level 8 compression. If you have lots of red in your paper or if you think there still might be some quality concerns – then also run a printer test.

To run a printer test, cut a 2” square swatch from the exact same spot on each paper. Then put these swatches side by side and print the page without any further compression or without flattening the file. This printer test will show you if the stronger compression was too much or not.

Once you do this a couple of times, you’ll get a feel for which compression level works best based on your paper designs. The results of your tests will still vary though. So when in doubt always do a test.

Smaller Files = Happier Customers

Compressing a file at level 8 usually results in a file that is about half the size of the same file saved at level 12. If you can do this without any loss in quality it is well worth it to save file space, speed up delivery, and keep your customers happy!

A Personal Note About Preview Files…

I’m one of those scrappers who loves to have a copy of that wonderful preview file you post in the store.  Except I don’t want it to be oversized.  The one I recieve in my kit doesn’t have to be a full 800×800px size file.  Something more along the lines of 400×400 or even 300×300 is perfectly acceptable and takes up soooo much less space.

I encourage you to ask you customers what they prefer.  If they really don’t want a large preview file, then you may want to consider making smaller ones to include in your download packets.

Think of the server space and bandwidth savings you could have!

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