How to: Make an AIM Buddy Icon
Getting Started
Ok, so you've found an image you want to make into an AIM buddy icon,
now what?
Open the image file with an image editing program
(This tutorial will use Adobe Photoshop)
Resizing the Image
First, crop if desired. Try to keep the selected area as square as possible
to avoid warping when resizing.
Before resizing, change the image's mode to RGB Color. Do this by clicking
Image, then Mode, and finally RGB Color. This allows the image to change size
without losing as much quality as with other modes.
Now resize the image to 50x50 pixels. This can be done by clicking Image, and
Image Size. A new window will open which lets you choose, you guessed it, your
image's size among other things. Making sure you uncheck the Constrain
Proportions box near the bottom, change the width and height to 50 pixels.
Saving the image
To make the Photoshop file into a smaller, internet friendly file you'll
need to click on File, then Save for Web. In the upper right, choose either GIF
or JPEG to taste, AIM will accept either formats. However, check the bottom left
to make sure your file is less than 7K in size.
Setting up the picture in AIM
To use your new AIM buddy icon, start by opening up AIM. Click on My AIM,
then Edit Options, followed by Edit Preferences. Click on the Buddy Icons tab
and the Browse PC button to search for the image. To finish it off, just click
OK.
It's that simple!
That's all it takes to take any image and make a personalized buddy icon for
yourself. Feel free to experiment, by magnifying, cropping and using different
effect to further customize your buddy icon. You can also add text to send a
message to all who see your icon.
If you're interested in making animated icons, I'll be adding a
tutorial on that soon.
Useful Resources
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Tutorials
