I am going to try and clearify what I was saying above.
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One, when you change the resolution to 72 dpi, make sure you have the auto constrain on BUT, make the image boarders i.e. for here 400 pixels x 600 pixels at the same time - do not change your resolution - save, then change your image size, this will cause lots of distortion.
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Most imaging software comes with an edit "Image" and "Canvas" feature. The "Canvas will change the border of your art work and add more work space to your image. "Image" size edit, actually changes the resoulution, so your image canvas can be large, but the pixels it is recorded in may be smaller or larger. For example, if you were copying your work to print on an offset large commercial press you would fix your dpi to a resolution of 300, if you were to use an "instant print" type of place, you would usually keep your image about 100 dpi - these translate in make ready to a the old "screen" size that certain presses can support for printing.
For the use of any photograph, artwork any with continuious tones that must be rasterized vs. vector line artwork - jpeg is the best format (on a mac, anyway). You can keep your image looking good at a 72 dpi, and optimize it if you want it to load even faster, Cynthia told me she does not do this, thus the art looks great - but it may take longer to load. When using a gif, which is used for line or spot color work, you can optimize with an anti-alias to make it look better blending with the background it will appear on. Sorry, Mary if I am to techincial here. Now, changing the image.
If you open the "image" edit box, it will usually have a size in pixels, then below a size of inches (these types of measure can sometimes be changed). You also have an auto-restraint box (keep checked), which keeps them proportional h vs w. So if you have shot a digital photo using the "fine setting" highest mode - say 2048x1536 your image is going to appear as large as 22" in 72 dpi, if you reduce the image to the size you want it will be fine.
If you take the "raw" digital image and reduce it, then decided to size it up again, you can start to lose information. BUT, what I was trying to say above, is {with every image I always save two files - one for high resolution output -300- and one for web -72) if you open the new photo you took at the fine setting and save it to 300 dpi with out changing the inches or pixel size it will be huge, so the same time you type in 300 you type in one of the hight or width sizes with your constraint on, so it works together keeping all information in line. If you have changed your resolution to 72 dpi and left the h/w the same size it will look smaller on your screen, then save it as a jpeg, distortion can take place when you reopen it to save it to the size you need thus they can look "pixelated".
I am sorry I am so wordy - this is something I have done for so many years it is hard for me to tell you with out walking you through it, perhaps I can image some of the "how to screens" in photoshop. Maybe think of those wonderful posters they have done making images from a number of diffent photo's, once you start leaving the small photos out the overal image becomes distorted
The easiest thing to remember Mary is always save your source file and go back to it for new copies, don't open a file you have already made from it to make your changes.
Jeremiah, your right to say I was partially correct, but I think you must also tell people to check their zoom feature on their digital camera's because a lot of the less megapixel brands do not have optical zooms, thus only use the digital which affects the picture. My camera starts the digital at 3x - and some less at 2x - so as a rule of thumb, I think one should move the camera. Since we are talking about reference photos of people and/or copying your work. I don't zoom in for closeups, I move the camera or edit in my image editor.
Digital Zoom should be set to OFF on your camera, then you can change it as needed, and it takes the guess work out.
Here is a nice little DPI Library link:
http://www.scitexvision.com/spw/glossary.asp