STAMP TEMPLATE

Feel free to use this image! Have fun.

Alternate Version, with no black square around the stamp: zume.deviantart.com/art/STAMP-…

My Gallery: zume.deviantart.com/gallery/

THIS DOES NOT USE LAYERS.

Feel free to edit any of my stamps in any way you please, and have fun.

To use: Right click the image, save it to your desktop. Open your painting program and go to town! Save it as a PNG file, so you keep the bumpy pokey border transparency. Your image editor needs to understand PNG transparency. Windows Paint doesn't save transparency but you can still use it if you like.

I'm not sure what the best Animated Gif programs are.

This is a PNG file. PNG format has transparencies. Each format, such as PNG, GIF, PSD, has its own unique purpose and abilities. JPG and PNG are by far the most useful.

The format of the image is identified by the three letters at the end of its name. These three letters are called the File Extension. Music looks like "Band Name.MP3" while a photo is something like "BobsUglyFace.JPG". MP3 and JPG are the extensions.

Here are the basic formats... Although all you really need on deviantArt is JPG format.
1. PNG: Big file size, not as big as BMP, and very nice clean image. Lossless pixels. I use this for stamps because it can be translucent. No layers are allowed in PNG as far as I know. Modern PNG's can be animated, but it's still catching on.
2. GIF: Only 256 or lower colors can be used, but can easily be animated. This is popular for animated Internet banners. Nice low file size. In a GIF, only one color can be transparent, allowing the background to show through that one color you select. It's a very old format.
3. JPG: The most popular because of very small file size, but your image becomes slightly distorted, depending on the level of space-saving compression you use. Resaving the image distorts it more. I would say 98% of dA images are JPG format. This is the format digital cameras use.
4. BMP: Obscenely huge file size, but perfect image clarity. No compression. Not often used because the file size is obscene. Don't use it.
5. PSD: Photoshop format. The image editing format, which can contain many things such as layers, transparencies, and selections. Web browsers do NOT understand PSD, because of its complexities. In-progress art images are stored in PSD. I don't know much else about PSD. Some of the art on dA shows up as a JPG or PNG but when you click "Download" it downloads the art in PSD format. Only some graphics programs can open PSD, and even less can edit PSD.

My stamp is PNG format, not Photoshop PSD.
The reason to download a Photoshop PSD format stamp, is that they can contain layers, so you can place your stamp text underneath the glossy layer. Giving a far more polished effect over the text. Sadly my stamp has no layers.

Make sure when you submit the image that it is compatible for DeviantArt. PNG, JPG, and GIF work great. When submitting as PSD, you might be required to submit a separate preview image.

PNG and PSD both allow for transparencies on the image. This allows you to see the background through designated parts of the image. Such as the spiky stamp border.

Get the edges of the stamp TRANSPARENT if you want the edges to look right. When you upload the stamp, the "Add a File" preview area will show you that your stamp has transparent edges.

Most stamp previews are PNG format, while the download file is often a Photoshop PSD format. The reason for this is Deviantart doesn't understand PSD files, and needs a preview image which is the PNG. Many free graphics programs don't understand PSD. I don't use PSD files, I simply upload the file as a flat no-layer PNG so i wont have to use a preview file. This makes it easier on me and you. But, PNG doesn't allow layers as far as I know. This means my stamp templates don't allow you to place the text underneath the glossy layer.

learn Photoshop, if you want to do fancier things.










Image Formats

* File Formats aka Extensions: When you download a photo of a kitten, it has a name such as "MyCat.JPG". JPG is an extension, it's the last three letters in a file name. Your photo is the file, and JPG is the format/extension, the way in which it's saved. Each image format, be it JPG/GIF/BMP, safe files slightly differently, and Internet Browsers may not understand some formats at all!

* Transparencies: PNG and GIF allow transparencies, which are places the background shows through. A window to what is behind the image. In PNG, you can blend transparencies and use any color. In GIF, only one color of the image can be transparent, and it can not be blended/blurred.

* Layers: Imagine having a stack of translucent(clear) glass plates, each with a drawing on them. When you hold them up and see through them all, you see the full image. You can rearrange the plates. These are layers. Want to draw a chair behind someone? Simply move them out of the way. Layers are cool like that. Clothing layers are pretty much the same, but I hope to NOT see through them!

* Compression: Some formats allow you to make the file size smaller, by stomping/squishing it down, and this of course messes up the image, but makes it faster to download. 8% compression is nice for most photos, but 20% compression can make a photo blocky, grainy, and ugly. JPG files use varying levels of compression.

* File Size: The size of your file is important because some people have very slow internet. If your image has huge dimensions, and or no compression, it may take a long time to send the whole image through the internet.

* Photo editing software...
* Free: Gimp is cost free, and does what earlier versions of Photoshop do: Not too complex and runs great/fast.
* Not Free: Photoshop7 is nice because it's old, runs fast, and wont suck up your hard drive. It's also far cheaper than the latest gigantically huge Photoshop. I use Photoshop7 and love it, and also Paint Shop Pro 7. Cheap and easy! There are MANY photo editing programs, but I seriously hope most of you will use Photoshop7 and newer, but also try the latest Gimp.





.PNG: My favorite!!!! This is MADE for the Internet and graphics! No layers(?). No compression. Yes infinite transparencies plus blurring. No Animation (unless you're a professional). Infinite colors. One of the few formats that websites and deviantArt.com support. Save as many times as you like, it stays lovely. 

.JPG: No layers. Yes compression. No transparencies, sadly. No Animation. Infinite colors. Most popular format. Awesome for Internet photos and thumbnails. Lowest/best file size. One of the few formats that websites and deviantArt.com support. Remember, every time you save a JPG, it will be less detail, because the file size compresses so hard. 

.PSD: Yes layers. No compression(?). Yes transparencies. No Animation. Infinite colors. Useful for saving in-progress art projects. Internet Browsers do not recognize PSD. Photoshop uses PSD best, but I hear the Gimp software has PSD now too.

.GIF: No layers. No compression(?). Yes 1 color or transparency, but no blurring. Yes Animation. Limited to 256 colors. Often websites support GIF, but not all browsers support the animation, so you'll just see the first frame. When downloaded, often a GIF animation does not play unless you have a program to play it.

.BMP: Kill it with fire! No layers. No compression. No transparencies. No Animation. Infinite colors. Sadly, HUGE file size. NOT good for the Internet.

.SVF: This is a vector, rather than a photo. A vector is an image made of a math formula. Can be a small file size, depending on complexity of the math. Not very common, but increasing popularity. Converting a photo of your cat into a vector will basically simplify the image, making it look cartoony. Flash (SWF) is also a vector, but is controlled by a huge scary corporation. SVF is open for anyone to use for free.

.PDF: This is a low resolution file with text and graphics. Popular for businesses because it's easy to print. Not good for graphics. Not easy to interact with. 

.RAW: This is a professional camera format, with giant file size. Everyday people should not use this. You may need a fast computer to even open a RAW file. 

You need to have Premium Membership to use stamps in many places.
You just need to copy the "Thumb" code in the "Details" section on a stamp deviation. Free users may place stamps under their DeviantID photo. ^__^