Playing around with digital images

In class we reviewed a couple of things. First of all:

  • Pixel-based software vs. vector-based software

My main takeaway was that pixel-based software means that you may end up with big, grainy pixels, whereas with vector-based software, images can be expanded without that side effect. *This knowledge came in handy, as I’ll explain in a minute.

Second, we looked at some

  • Recommendations for accessible image editing software
    • Pixlr (use online through an app)
    • GIMP (free and open-software)
    • Prisma
    • Mirror App
    • And…. PowerPoint! / Google Slides

Google Slides experimentation

I have to admit that I am a bit slow on the technology uptake. Rather, I won’t learn something until I need to. Playing around with possibilities just for the sake of it doesn’t appeal to me. Since I already use Google Slides a lot, and I know that students do, too, I figured I would play around with Google Slides for image editing, much thanks to Michael’s demonstration and own enthusiasm for this hack.

Here are some screenshots of Google Slides that I put together and edited, also using the Explore tool (the tool in the bottom right, which handily offers slide compositions).

I wanted to use Google Slides to make a website header image for this blog.

It took several attempts and playing around to land on this (which may or may not stay as the header image):

Trickiness explained:

  • You can download individual slides as JPEGs or PNGs, but these, when uploaded, get grainy (pixel-based! boo)
  • You can download individual slides as Scalable Vector Graphics (.svg) (vector-based!), but you can’t upload those to WordPress (boo)
  • In the end, I downloaded the slide as an .svg, opened it, took a screenshot, and uploaded that screenshot
  • The result is a little grainy, but not as grainy as the original JPEG or PNG
  • Is this the best approach? Probably not, but it does work.