Resizing help

[D-Ballz]

Hello... So, I need my comics to be roughly 65% of their original size if they are going to fit comfortably on the page, however, even a 5% drop in size lowers the quality of the comic, and to drop it the 35% necessary would just have too much of an impact on the comic quality... Does anyone at all have any tips for how I can resize without losing the quality of the comic?

I'm using Paint Shop Pro, just in case you need that information.

EDIT: I've found a way that more or less manages it... But it's a semi-dodgy process...

What I did was I rotated it 90 degrees, then pressed print screen. Then I pasted this into Paint Shop Pro and cropped it, and rotated it so it was the right way up again. It just about manages the process, but if anyone has a better way to do it without sacrificing quality, it would be much appreciated.

[Alectric]

Seems like if you want better quality resizing, you'd need a better program than Paint Shop Pro.

[D-Ballz]

I probably would get a better program... However, my computer is utter crap and, as a student, I lack the amount of money required to buy a new one. I also can't afford Photoshop either, unless you're suggesting that I download it illegaly...  ;)

Which I totally wouldn't do, of course.

Srsly, if any police are reading this, I am a perfectly law abiding citizen...

Although Photoshop would probably end up ruining my computer anyway, even if I did download it.

So, anyone got any tips on how to do it better with Paint Shop Pro?

EDIT: As a hint for how bad my computer is... It was made for Windows 98, so it is around 12 years old, and it crashes surprisingly often anyway, even if I am not running any programs.

[Funderbunk]

There are lots of freeware programs specifically for the purpose of resizing graphics, but I don't know if they're trustworthy. Perhaps you could look into them nonetheless, though.

[Gar]

Here, try this http://www.gimp.org/

It's probably the best-known freeware art editing software. It's basically the free photoshop. Doesn't have ALL the features of photoshop, but it's better than Paint Shop Pro, and the download and install for it are totally safe.

[Funderbunk]

I forgot about Gimp. Gimp is FANTASTIC for a freeware program.

[Dr. BlkKnight]

If you do want legal Photoshop, check if your institution gets Adobe products discounted. Usually much cheaper than their grand-and-a-half counterparts.

Otherwise, yeah check out the free alternatives.

[D-Ballz]

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone!

I'll be sure to try gimp out.

[Knara]

I forgot about Gimp. Gimp is FANTASTIC for a freeware program.

If you don't mind the lack of CMYK and its really annoying interface  ;)

I second the "find a discounted student version of Photoshop" recommendation.  It's really worth the money if you're gonna be serious.

[D-Ballz]

Well, personally, all I want is resizing. I'm just the writer for my comic, so i'm not going to be messing around with graphics or anything. I'm really not good at it. All the other arty stuff, that's what my artist, Jenny, works on. I would use her graphics programmes for it, but she lives at the opposite end of the country.

[Knara]

Well, personally, all I want is resizing. I'm just the writer for my comic, so i'm not going to be messing around with graphics or anything. I'm really not good at it. All the other arty stuff, that's what my artist, Jenny, works on. I would use her graphics programmes for it, but she lives at the opposite end of the country.

What format does she send her graphics to you in?  Hardcopy? PSD?  What?

[Funderbunk]

I forgot about Gimp. Gimp is FANTASTIC for a freeware program.

If you don't mind the lack of CMYK and its really annoying interface  ;)

Hence the qualifier "for a freeware program". I mean, Blender has nothing on Maya or 3D Max, but for something free to use it's awesome.

[Gibson]

I've been using GIMP for the last few months while I've been away from my home computer, and while I have issues with it, it's a pretty decent patch until I get my regular program back. It takes a bit to get used to it, but it does everything I've needed it to do except gradients. It's pretty crap at gradients.

[D-Ballz]

Well, personally, all I want is resizing. I'm just the writer for my comic, so i'm not going to be messing around with graphics or anything. I'm really not good at it. All the other arty stuff, that's what my artist, Jenny, works on. I would use her graphics programmes for it, but she lives at the opposite end of the country.

What format does she send her graphics to you in?  Hardcopy? PSD?  What?

Erm... .jpg, I believe.