So for the first time, I discovered that you could save in JPEG and get the same image quality but with less file size. This is all well and good... but now I have 70 pages of comic, all saved in PNG format. So here's my question:

Should I go back and change all my comic files to JPEGs or should I not worry about the old ones since they're already uploaded and only worry about saving in JPEG for the upcoming comics?

Thanks! (I know, it was very silly of me. I'm a very silly person.)

Maybe just reupload files as you have the time. Any new readers will appreciate that if they go into your archives.

usedbooks
Maybe just reupload files as you have the time. Any new readers will appreciate that if they go into your archives.

That's what I figured... I have the intense need to do it all at once though. >_<

Oh yeah? Never knew that JPEG was a space saver. I have to use PNG to apply colour to my drawings, but toying around with the formats could probably leave it looking the same with less memory build up :\
Thanks!

I already went ahead and changed all my files. Problem solved!

This can be closed. :)

-Jpeg is much better for online files,.

HOWEVER PNG32 is a better file format for saving files at full quality on your hard drive. Jpeg will very, very gradually decay in quality each time it's opened (although this takes hundreds of thousands of openings), depending on the quality you saved it at initially.
So for archiving files for later use on your own hard drive PNG32 is the better format if you want a slightly compressed more universal format than than PSD and more reliable than PDF. :)
-PNG32 is also more compressed than BMP files and a bit better than TIF files.

GracehFaceh
This can be closed. :)

The discussion can still continue.
(just in case inB4lock)

My IT teacher gave the advice that PNG works better. First time trying it out the text didn't come through, aside from that no difference.

Only advantage to PNG is transparency. Otherwise JPG is the way to go.

BffSatan
Only advantage to PNG is transparency. Otherwise JPG is the way to go.

PNG 32 does do transparency because it can include an Alpha layer.
It's a much better file format than GIF for complicated web images that include transparency, but not if you want a smaller file size.

PNG 8 bit is almost exactly the same as the GIF format, but you can't have an animated PNG 8 bit unlike GIF images.

OzoneOcean pretty much laid it out...

I use GIFs for my final output for the web of my pages because they're black and white, so even with a small color profile, I can get a really good looking output with anti-aliased lines, etc.

If I were using color, I would most certainly use jpeg, since I can get a smaller file size, and all the colors I need.

For images with transparency PNG 32 would be my choice over a GIF, simply because GIFs limit your colors, and you can't achieve really nice transparent/translucent drop shadows (if so desired), etc. GIFs represent a number of problems that a PNG 32 solves, though you trade that off in file size.

To the point about JPEGs degrading over time. Its true, but it should be noted that when ozoneocean said that they degrade every time you open them, that its not to be confused with every time you VIEW them. They degrade when you open them (say for editing) and then save them again. JPEG is a compressed format, so every time you open and save them, you're interpreting a compressed image, and then RE-compressing it, so every time you losing some data....

I'd recommend using an uncompressed format until you're ready for your final output. This could depend on your software (IE- if you're working with layered photoshop stuff, a PSD would likely be idea. If you're working with a flat image, perhaps a TIFF would be ideal).

Mattchee
To the point about JPEGs degrading over time. Its true, but it should be noted that when ozoneocean said that they degrade every time you open them, that its not to be confused with every time you VIEW them. They degrade when you open them (say for editing) and then save them again. JPEG is a compressed format, so every time you open and save them, you're interpreting a compressed image, and then RE-compressing it, so every time you losing some data....

Ohhhhh, whew! I was getting worried there! That won't be a problem since I save my files in PSD before I finally save the finished product.

Thanks for the advice so far, guys!

I'm scared of JPGs, for precisely the reasons Mattchee mentioned. I have a habit of noticing things waaaaay after the fact and going back and making small changes.

You should never keep a JPG as your 'archival' version of a file, so if you're doing that Syndactyly, don't. :] Keep a PSD (layered) or TIF (flat) version in case you want to make changes or whatever. Just use the jpg for web upload.

Never used TIF before... I tend to store things as PNG or in a layered format.

right now I store everything in sai, psd, tiff and jpg.
.sai is of course from paint tool sai and I keep my final lineart in this format (with all the normal and vector layers).
.psd for the lettered/colored pages.
.tiff for pages flattened and resized to 300dpi for print.
and finally .jpg for web.

Takes quite a lot of space on hd that way :D

I keep finding black and white stick figure comics saved as .png.
Really makes me want to punch the author in the throat and then rouse at them.

I have found it best to save the images as BMP while working on the art to keep the detail intact, and when the images are completed and ready to upload to the Internet I change them to JPEG... To edit and save your stuff in JPEG over and over is like recording on a VHS tape over and over...you loose quality every time you do it.

I take back everything I have ever said about pngs. Jpgs can't handle contrast and they look like shit unless you turn the quality up to 100 and then the file is twice the size of a png and still with shitty contrast.

An example.

http://www.drunkduck.com/BffSatan/gfx/jpgs%20suck.png
Far left is a jpg set to a quality of 80.
Middle is a jpg set to 100.
Right is a png.

The text is a jpg and a png, jpg is on the left.

I exported the entire comic in all three formats as well.
The jpg at 80 was 215kb. Pretty low, but the quality is awful.
The png was 452kb. Bigger, yes, but much better quality.
The jpg at 100 was 630kb. Pretty fucking huge and it wasn't even as crisp and clear as the png, especially the red on black font down the bottom.

Plus saving it in png means I don't have to worry about a little bit of white space on the edges.

I just thought I'd mention this since I saw this topic again.


And yes, I am aware that largely what you should save an image as comes down to art style. I am talking about my art style here and about how it looks shitty in a jpg format.

I usually save my pages as PSD and PNG for the originals. Then when I resize to 72 dpi, I save them as jpgs. For those people saving as TIFFs, what's the reason behind that?

BffSatan
And yes, I am aware that largely what you should save an image as comes down to art style. I am talking about my art style here and about how it looks shitty in a jpg format.

Actually, with your style, you use few enough colors that you could probably save as gif. A compressed png is pretty much the same thing as a gif anyway. (For anyone who has gradients, subtle shading, or uses a fairly decent palette, a compressed png doesn't work. It essentially is a gif.)

Ametan
I usually save my pages as PSD and PNG for the originals. Then when I resize to 72 dpi, I save them as jpgs. For those people saving as TIFFs, what's the reason behind that?

Print.

Ka-blam requires pages in TIFF format, Comixpress accepts them as one of the formats and Lulu asks that when you make a printable PDF, you use TIFF too.

Other places sometimes accept that format too (although most professional printers demand either PDF or some other print formats).

usedbooks
Actually, with your style, you use few enough colors that you could probably save as gif. A compressed png is pretty much the same thing as a gif anyway. (For anyone who has gradients, subtle shading, or uses a fairly decent palette, a compressed png doesn't work. It essentially is a gif.)

Thanks for the advice. I've thought about it before but I can't seem to export them as a decent .gif straight from flash and converting the file often messes it up.
You're right though, I think this is definitely something I should look into.