# M.C. Escher Screensavers



## skanter

If you're not familiar with M.C. Escher, prepare to have your mind blown - and get some great screensavers!

http://www.mcescher.net/

In return, please tell me how to crop and format them for Kindle 1 (is it 800X600?) as I've never made my own screensavers before...


----------



## Guest

Yes, they must be 600 (wide) x 800 pixels and in greyscale.  If your image editing software allows you to variably reduce color saturation, I find that an 85% reduction usually works pretty well.


----------



## skanter

Bacardi Jim said:


> Yes, they must be 600 (wide) x 800 pixels and in greyscale. If your image editing software allows you to variably reduce color saturation, I find that an 85% reduction usually works pretty well.


Thanks - let me know if you get good results with Escher etching prints.


----------



## ricky

These are insane.  I have loved his stuff for decades.  Thanks for the link and the info re turning them into screensavers.....


----------



## skanter

Bacardi Jim said:


> Yes, they must be 600 (wide) x 800 pixels and in greyscale. If your image editing software allows you to variably reduce color saturation, I find that an 85% reduction usually works pretty well.


Some of the Escher pics are slightly smaller than 600X800 ( i.e. 570X772) and leave a small, blank margin on the left. How does one make pics correct size using Photoshop or Picasa?

Thanks...


----------



## Guest

skanter said:


> Some of the Escher pics are slightly smaller than 600X800 ( i.e. 570X772) and leave a small, blank margin on the left. How does one make pics correct size using Photoshop or Picasa?
> 
> Thanks...


I don't use either. But I suspect that you can go into "Edit" or "Format" or some similar tab and change the "Dimensions." On most programs, there is a box to check which keeps the dimension ratio the same (height:width). The default is for the box to be checked. You may need to uncheck the box to manually set the dimensions to 600x800.


----------



## skanter

Bacardi Jim said:


> I don't use either. But I suspect that you can go into "Edit" or "Format" or some similar tab and change the "Dimensions." On most programs, there is a box to check which keeps the dimension ratio the same (height:width). The default is for the box to be checked. You may need to uncheck the box to manually set the dimensions to 600x800.


Thanks - I'll experiment.


----------



## foogrrl

In Photoshop it should be under Image (if not, it's under Edit) and Image Size.

If you resize directly to 600x800 it may distort the picture somewhat if the ratio isn't the same.  You can see if it looks okay, or you can set the smaller size to 600, leaving the box checked, which will make the large side more than 800, and then use the crop tool set to a fixed size to cut out a 600x800 piece.  At least, I think you can get a fixed size on the crop tool.  Photoshop won't install on this computer for me, so I can't check.  *sighs*  If you can't with Crop, you can use the Selection tool and copy and paste it to a new graphic.

If that's clear as mud, I'll break out the laptop, which has it installed, and write up more directions, if necessary.


----------



## skanter

foogrrl said:


> In Photoshop it should be under Image (if not, it's under Edit) and Image Size.
> 
> If you resize directly to 600x800 it may distort the picture somewhat if the ratio isn't the same. You can see if it looks okay, or you can set the smaller size to 600, leaving the box checked, which will make the large side more than 800, and then use the crop tool set to a fixed size to cut out a 600x800 piece. At least, I think you can get a fixed size on the crop tool. Photoshop won't install on this computer for me, so I can't check. *sighs* If you can't with Crop, you can use the Selection tool and copy and paste it to a new graphic.
> 
> If that's clear as mud, I'll break out the laptop, which has it installed, and write up more directions, if necessary.


Thanks foogrrl, I think I can figure it out...


----------



## skanter

Bacardi Jim said:


>


Well done, Jim! How, exactly, did you get to proper 600X800 size?


----------



## Guest

skanter said:


> Well done, Jim! How, exactly, did you get to proper 600X800 size?


"Exactly?"

I cropped it here, then cropped it there. Then I used my Ulead Photoimpact software (think of it as a Photoshop knockoff) and simply told the program to make the image 600x800. This stretched it up-and-down a bit, but not enough to make it ugly/unworkable. Then I sharpened it a touch.


----------



## Guest

I can't tell you how to do it in Photoshop.  I don't own Photoshop.  I own Ulead Photoimpact, which is a streamlined "lite" version of Photoshop and only cost me $10 at CompUSA.  I know that the basic controls and effects are essentially the same as Photoshop, but I have no idea how the specific tabs are labeled or which options come up under which tab.  Sorry.


----------



## Guest

"Relativity" has always been my favorite Escher.


----------



## Raiden333

Wow, that's really good work. Looks like I'll be adding more savers soon.

Any chance of doing the space birds one? I imagine it'd be pretty hard since it's kind of small, I tried to find a bigger one somewhere... You seem pretty good at photo editing though, so I'd appreciate it if you could give it a shot.


----------



## Andra

Thanks Jim, I think that Relativity was the first Escher I saw - and it's still my favorite.


----------



## Raiden333

Wow, the space birds one looks GREAT! I was worried the lines on the columns would start to blur or something when stretched, but it looks just like the original. You're doing some great work here, you oughta collect them all into a zip whenever you finish, I'm sure a lot of people would love them. Escher was the man, I loved his work since I was like 8 or 9.


----------



## Guest

It just took a little careful cropping.


----------



## Kathy

Awesome BJ! Really love these. They are so different. Great job.


----------



## skanter

Thanks, BJ, for posting these - they are all going on my Kindle 1. I'd still better figure it out myself, as I want to use my own photos as screensavers. Good job!


----------



## intinst

I have most of them, but they are on the other computer my wife is using. I'll get them for you later if no one else has them.


----------



## Guest

intinst (or 1204 if you prefer) said:


> I have most of them, but they are on the other computer my wife is using. I'll get them for you later if no one else has them.


No. They're Jim's. He created them. He's no longer welcome here. They belong to him. It would be an even further wrong to distribute them.


----------



## KindleKay (aka #1652)

skanter said:


> If you're not familiar with M.C. Escher, prepare to have your mind blown - and get some great screensavers!
> 
> http://www.mcescher.net/


Here is the website...


----------



## Leslie

Folks,

Please note this statement at the M.C. Escher website:

M.C.Escher works are under copyright and remain the intellectual property of the copyright holder.

From: http://www.mcescher.com/

*All Rights Reserved. No part of this website and or works by M.C. Escher may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing by The M.C. Escher Company B.V*

Given this, please do not post any M.C. Escher images here. Thanks.

I am going to lock this thread.

Leslie
Global Moderator


----------

