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Darren's Guide to Publishing on SmashPhone

This guide will help you get ready to publish to cell phones using SmashPhone. You can use whatever image editing software you use now, such as Photoshop or Paintshop Pro. The output format we need is a series of numbered png images.

You will export the numbered series of flat png files in three image sizes: 128x128 pixels, 176x176 pixels, and 240x240 pixels. If you output for 100 dpi instead of pixels then the sizes are 1.28", 1.76", and 2.4" square. There are dozens of sizes of phone screens (some as small as 96 pixels), but you only have to create for these three sizes. We handle the rest. Your png files should each be around 6kb, 9kb, and 12kb respectively in file size for the three image sizes.

The fewer colors in the image the more efficiently it will compress. We use lossless compression, which means what you see is what you'll get on the phone. If you use a lot of colors it will make your strip slower to download and may chew up viewer data plans. Don't use gradients or cross-hatching. Use about 64 total colors when exporting your png file. This is a good goal to keep file size down but still look fabulous. If your image only has a few colors you should still save it as a 64 color png. Some models of phone don't like images that have been in 16-color PNG format. And, of course, no transparency.

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Example of a completed comic strip ready for upload to our mobile comic strip server at 128x128 pixels. Also needs 176x176 and 240x240 sizes.

240x240 pixels	1. Create a 240x240 pixel image with at least a 14 point point font. My font is on a layer and my word balloon is a vector shape, a different layer. If you letter by hand, just compare your font size so it will be near or above 14 point. Save a copy.
176x176 pixels	2. On the new copy, resize image to 176x176 pixels. The font needs to retain the 14 point size. You might have to squeeze in the sides. The balloon may need to be moved and resized a bit. If you have 240x240 done just right you may be able to simply resize it without any additional effort. Save a copy.
128x128 pixels	3. On the new copy, resize to 128x128 pixels. The font here can go to 12 point, but 14 or larger works better. It's a challenge to get the font and balloon to work at this size. You can't be wordy.

For Advertisers

Here are various ad samples at 128x128. It needs to be a simple direct message. As with comic strip artists you need to produce your ad in three sizes, but you need to express yourself in just one panel. Ask us about click-through capabilities for additional content or direct sales.

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