Everything you ever wanted to know about uploading your photos on CustomMade!
While our cropping tool is scheduled to be modified in our next site revision, we think that the current version is simple to use and yet it’s sophisticated enough to tell you if you have attempted to upload a file that is either the wrong format, or is too large to upload. If that’s the case, you’ll get a warning asking you to upload a different file.
That being said, you can upload any standard JPEG format (the file name will look like “filename.jpg”) image file that is 2 megabytes or less and the system will upload it for cropping. Then once uploaded, you will see a to-scale version of it with a cropping window superimposed on it. Use the “handles” (the little boxes) at the corners and sides to adjust the crop to your liking. You then click the “Crop Image” button to approve the crop and add the image to the item listing. This will also create the other images needed, like the smaller thumbnail images used for navigation on the item listing detail page of the site, as well as the icon image used in the galleries and search results.
You’ll notice when cropping, that the relative proportions of the cropping tool are always the same. This to fit the standard image proportions of the site design. We do recommend that you keep the crop within the limits of the image area to avoid creating blank space within the image when it appears on the site. Also please note that if the image appears too small in the cropping tool, that your file may be too small to show your item properly. Uploading a slightly bigger file will solve that.
Each sample item listing gives you the ability to upload three 340 pixel x 317 pixel images. In general when uploading the three photos for each sample item, it’s best to use a main image that shows the whole item in context within its background for scale, then to use the other two images for detail or close-up shots showing 1 or 2 features of your unique item. This may be done by cropping sections from a single larger image, or by using multiple image files of the same item.
If you have a designer on staff, or have access to someone else who is already using an image editing application like Photoshop, they may want to create files that are already sized at the correct 340 x 317 pixel dimensions. In that case, the image upload works the same way. Once you upload the image, it will display your image with the cropping tool completely outlining it. You then approve the preview by clicking the “Crop Image” button and you are set.
