Hello there.
I'm popping in with a plea to my fellow bloggers.
There is one aspect of blogging that I struggle with, yet many of you seem to have mastered with ease.
Headers!!
There was a time when I would assemble a collage into a header on PicMonkey and then make that my header.
There was a time when I could figure out where to find the size of the header and even alter it.
Now when I go to PicMonkey I am told I need to do a free trial to be able to save my creations. Used to be I could just log in, make my collage and then save it. I just used the basic (free) plan at that time. For those of you who use it, is there no such thing as free use anymore?
After spending some time on it today, I got fed up and decided to just edit my header by putting a simple picture up there with a very basic title. You can see the GIGANTIC result above.
Thinking I would go in and change the header dimensions, it seems the only ways I have found to do it require playing with HTML.
As you might have guessed I am not the person to be doing that!
If anybody can tell me an easy way without involving HTML to shrink it, I would be very grateful.
Perhaps someone can point me in the right direction.
Until then, don't be frightened by my gargantuan pond :/.
Wish I could help, Kim. My blog header is in a terrible state just now and I don't know how to fix it. Your pond looks cool!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lorrie. It helps to know I'm not the only one who is so challenged by headers.
DeleteI am so techno-challenged and no help at all. My grand-daughter helped make my collage for a header but when I posted it it also is way bigger than I wanted and I have no idea how to shrink it down.
ReplyDeleteIt helps to have a kid available for these techie questions. It comes so naturally to them :).
DeleteI use Photoscape now because it is free! I open a photo and crop it to a pleasing shape....put a black border around it and then resize it to 918 wide (the height will vary) My hubby just told me every blog is different so this may not even help you! lol Then I put text on my banner and save it. When I put it up, I uncheck the box that says shrink to fit. I love changing my banner and do it often. I hope this helps you! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your input, Diane. This sounds like an easy way to go. I am going to check into it. Your headers always look so nice.
DeleteHi Kim - I have used PicMonkey since they started but I do pay the annual fee at one time as it's a bit cheaper. They changed to the NEW PicMonkey about a year ago but I have not changed over yet - need more time to digest all that and am past the age for change, haha!!! I am able to continue with the older version without any problems so far.
ReplyDeleteAs you may have noticed I Iove making new headers and find using the COLLAGE option quite easy for this. I usually pick the second layout in CARDS which has three good sized spaces for adding your choice of images, and I only use my own photos that I've usually already edited for color, sharpness etc. Then I go right to SEND TO EDITOR to make any adjustments, add frames, add my type etc. The final size has to be adjusted to fit the space at the top of your particular blog layout, mine is usually about 1100X550 and if it looks a bit big or too small, I go back and adjust those numbers slightly.
When I go to my blog DESIGN - LAYOUT - HEADER to post the header, I always check the little 'size to fit' box before adding the final header, and it usually works without problems.
I'm not sure PicMonkey does still have a completely free version - you would have to check that. Other than using my iPhoto editor now and then on the iPhone photos I take, and sometimes for basics on the MacBook where I upload from my camera, I use PicMonkey for 99.9% of my editing.
Not sure if any of this will assist Kim but please don't hesitate to ask me anything - I'm no technie that's for sure - I just muddle along like most of us seem to do in 'blogland.'
Good luck- meanwhile that's an awesome lily pond photo.
Have a lovely weekend.
We're heading to Cornelius to see old friends who are not doing too well healthwise.
Mary x
Thank you, Mary, for all of the wonderful tips. Your headers always look fabulous! I had been making headers in PicMonkey with fairly good success, but haven't done it for over a year. In checking into it, they have done away with the "free" option. Now you can do a free trial and play to your heart's content trying everything out. When it's time to save your creation, I think you have the option of which plan you want to pay for. I can totally understand this. However, I'm not sure whether I would use it enough to make it worthwhile. Food for thought.
DeleteI did play around a bit in Paint 3D which Latane (below) suggested. It is a program that came with Windows 10 on my computer. I was able to shrink the pond photo down and make a simple header. For now, this will have to suffice.
Kim, I really think the PicMonkey price is fair if one is going to use it often, which I do. Hope you can find a program you find easy for you - it is fun to 'play' with our photos!!!!
DeleteI am having the same problem! I have not changed my blog header in YEARS because PicMonkey is no longer free. I'm not willing to pay a fee for a photo editing program that I would rarely use. I see someone else mentioned Photoscape. I'm going to look into that. I know there's other free programs too: just Google free photo editor. I haven't tried any of them yet though.
ReplyDeleteHi Melanie, Glad to know I'm not alone in this problem :). I feel the same about PicMonkey. As much as I enjoy seeing the wonderful things people do using it, I know I don't have the patience to spend lots of time doing so.
DeleteDo you have the program "Paint" on your Windows 10? If so, use it to size your pictures, headers, whatever. Easy and it's already there. I pay abt. $5 a month for Picmonkey but I use it to frame the pictures I use on Blogger, add text to pictures I do for Instagram etc. etc. Just a thought.
ReplyDeleteThanks Latane. As you know I did find Paint 3D on my computer. I need to play around there to get it all figured out, but I was able to get my current header to a somewhat smaller size. I appreciate your input.
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