Technical stuff

Hey folks, some technical advice to keep your files small.

1) When you get a file, do a "Save as:" and change the name. You'll get a dialogue box asking if you want to "maximize efficiency". ALWAYS UNCHECK! This is a weird vestigial feature of photoshop whose soul purpase is to make your file bigger than in needs to be.

2) Go to Image>Mode> and make sure "RGB" is checked. If CMYK is checked, change it to RGB. It'll ask if you want to flatten the layers and say "Don't flatten". Save immediately after this step. Your prints on a laser printer might look a little "truer" when set to CMYK, but most printers translate RGB best since RGB is the native color of the screen. We'll be printing these on an inkjet plotter that basically has 6 or 8 different colors rather than CMYKs 4!! So trust the printer, and leave it in RGB.

3) Use multiple layermodes at 100% opacity of the same image rather than 1 layer at 40%, etc. For some reason, changing the opacity of a layer makes that layer take of WAY more memory. Also, it tends to make an image look "washed out" and low in contrast. Don't be shy of being assertive!