[Clipart] About graphic styles and file sizes

[Alan Horkan]

On Mon, 30 Aug 2004, Tapio Kautto wrote:

> Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2004 12:06:00 +0300
> From: Tapio Kautto <eleknader at phnet.fi>
> To: clipart at freedesktop.org
> Subject: [Clipart] About graphic styles and file sizes
>
> Hello!
>
> I've uploaded few clipart images (grandpa_01.svg, a_happy_boy_01.svg,
> a_boy_plays_soccer_01.svg and a_man_singing_01.svg).
>
> These images are converted from photographs (jpg) to svg format with Delineate
> and AutoTrace (I'm not an artist, and can hardly draw). I've also added meta
> information with Inkscape.

I assume you own the copyright on the photographs.

> I'd like to have your comments about these images:
>
> - images of this style in general

the are certainly interesting and reasonably abstract,
I guess they would be useful clipart, some collections include more
detailed shapes.

I would encourage you to group (or possilbly merge) together some of the
paths to make it easier to modify and chop bits out (eg the football) or
change the colour of their clothing more easily.

> - these images (the size and the quality)

size seem reasonable,
looks useful at both thumbnail and fullpage sizes.

> - what else comes into your mind
>
> I personally think, that the size of clipart images should be approximately from
> 10k to 50k.

I would think so too but both Inkscape and Sodipodi output fairly verbose
SVG even if you choose Plain SVG which everyone should be doing for
OpenClipart.org (example:  if the stroke is none then you dont need to
specify other stroke information.  including numbers with many decimal
places when integers would be enough, including complex paths that could
be simplified, unused gradient or pattern definitions and more.  clipart
files shouldn't really include any inkscape or sodipodi specific markup
like guides, grid information, or anything else like that).  There are
definately ways that the markup could be homogenized and slimmed down.

If users are producing large files then the files probably need to be
cleaned up.  I wouldn't like to impose arbitrary restrictions on file size
though, even though the project is Open ClipArt we really should welcome
vector art of all kinds on the website although not necessrily include
them in the distribution.

Sincerely

Alan Horkan
http://advogato.org/person/AlanHorkan/