HOW TO PREPARE YOUR DIGITAL IMAGES FOR ENTRY INTO AN AWA EXHIBITION
Updated: 07/2022
Photographing:
- Use a digital camera with a high megapixel capability.
- Set camera’s resolution to highest setting (large). If taken with your phone, the size will be changed to 72 dpi. You must send this image to your computer to change the image to a 300 dpi before submitting it. ** see notes in item 14
- Shoot several photos of your paintings. Photo quality is enhanced with use of a tripod.
- Aim the camera at the center of the piece
- Place the painting so its surface is parallel to the camera lens.
- Be sure to square the image with the plane of the camera lens. Use an easel or attach the painting to a board or wall to keep it steady. Using a white or black background is helpful.
- Do not use a flash; you will get good results if you shoot outdoors in the shade. Avoid shooting at dawn or dusk; the warm lighting will alter your artwork’s colors.
- Import images into your computer.
- Use a photo-editing software such as Adobe Photoshop Elements. Most computers have a photo editing program.
- Save your original photograph; make a duplicate.
- Working from your duplicate image, straighten or rotate your image if necessary.
- Use the cropping tool to crop your image. Only the painting should show, as it will when it is matted.
- Do not adjust the color, unless it is necessary to make the image look more like the painting.
- In the Image Size dialog box, reduce your image to 1800 pixels on the longest side. Be sure the box to constrain proportions is checked if applicable. You must also change the dpi (dots per inch or pixels per inch) to 300.
- Rename your saved file. (Should be first four letters of last name, first four letters of first name, then – title.) (You may abbreviate the title).
Example: A painting by Mary Smith called “The Storm” would be labeled:
SmitMary-Storm.jpg.
Do not number your image.
- Save image as .jpg to maximum quality.
- It is a good idea to save the images that you plan to enter in the show into a named desktop file on your computer so you can find them easily when entering. If the image is manipulated to not faithfully show the painting, the painting will be disqualified at delivery.
Digital Requirements:
Image size: 1800 pixels on the longest side
Resolution: 300 dpi
File Format: jpg–highest quality
File Name Protocol:
First 4 letters of Last Name, First 4 letters of First Name, hyphen, title.
Example: SmitMary-Storm.jpg