Web images share similar requirements whether used on xoops or ordinary html pages.

Basically you should use the right image type. This is discussed in another FAQ HERE

There are a number of image editing programs avaiable so the following is simply about the basic considerations. To leanr how to do all this you will need to consult the help files of your specific program.

Note: always save your work with a different file name so you do not overwrite your original image!

Prepartion may include the following:


Cropping
Cropping is the process of cutting away a section of the original image to leave the desired part avaiable for the final image.
If you want to crop an image and enlarge that section, the image should be high resolution first, or you will lose some clarity and definition.

Saturation, contrast, tone
These are direct affects on the colour components of the image. They will change the density and brightness.

Retouch
Often including cloning which is the process of overlaying a part of the image over an adjacent area of it. This is sometimes used to change complete sections. Other features of your program may allow for painting in colour and tone to 'correct' and enhance defective or undesired areas. The key here is to learn to use your program and play.

exif data
If exif data exists on an image, you may want to remove this to reduce the file size. This is an important consideration for web preparation.

Resizing
The next requirement is to resize the image if it is too large for the space allocated for it. You will need to be aware of your maximum file size in pixels and bytes for the area you want to use it in your Xoops site and make sure the image is within these limits. Most images will reduce in size very effectively.


Compression
Usually the final part of a graphics sequence before saving any work, is to compress the image, so as to retain as much visual quality as possible while making the image load fast on the page.

Saving
Save your changed images as something else! Otherwise you will overwrite your original image. Make your names descriptive of the image, but also connected to any text associated with the image. This improves SEO. (Search engine optimization)

This is a very brief outline of requirements. Many image manipulation software will provide detailed instructions on how to prepare images for web use.