How to Make Your Photos Smaller (So You Can Share Your Sketches!)

Taking a photo of your latest artwork is an exciting milestone in any sketching course, but high-resolution smartphone photos and camera uploads can easily exceed 10MB or 20MB. To ensure smooth uploads to our course platform, all artwork submission files must be under 4MB.

Shrinking your photo file size doesn’t mean sacrificing the crisp detail of your pencil strokes or color gradients. Here is a straightforward guide to making your image files smaller on Mac, PC, iPhone/iOS, and Android, plus a few bonus web tools.

1. How to Resize Photos on a Mac

Mac computers have built-in tools that make resizing single or multiple images fast without needing extra software.

Method A: Preview (Best for precise file sizes)

1. Double-click your artwork image to open it in Preview.
2. Go to the top menu bar and select Tools > Adjust Size…
3. Ensure Scale proportionally is checked.
4. Change the measurement unit from Pixels to Percent and reduce it (e.g., to 50%), or lower the long-edge pixel count to around 2000 px.
5. Look at the Resulting Size calculation at the bottom to ensure it’s well under 4MB.
6. Click OK, then press Command + S to save.

Method B: Quick Export Quality Slider

1. Open the photo in Preview.
2. Click File > Export…
3. Choose JPEG as the format.
4. Drag the Quality slider to the left slightly. Preview will display the estimated file size directly below the slider.
5. Once it shows less than 4MB, click Save.

2. How to Resize Photos on Windows PC

Windows includes easy tools natively built into the Photos app and classic Paint.

Method A: Windows Photos App

1. Double-click your image to open it in the Photos app.
2. Click the three dots (…) at the top menu bar.
3. Select Resize image.
4. Adjust the Quality slider or reduce the overall width/height dimensions.
5. Review the updated file size shown at the bottom of the window.
6. Click Save (or Save as to keep your original high-res copy).

Method B: MS Paint

1. Right-click your image file and choose Open with > Paint.
2. In the top toolbar, click Resize and skew (or press Ctrl + W).
3. Select Percentage and change 100 to 50 (or lower).
4. Click OK, then press Ctrl + S to save.

3. How to Resize Photos on iPhone & iPad (iOS)

iPhones capture photos in heavy formats like HEIC or high-res JPEGs. Here are the easiest ways to shrink them down.

Method A: The Email Trick (No app required)

1. Open the Photos app and tap the share icon on your artwork photo.
2. Select Mail and address an email to yourself.
3. Tap Send.
4. iOS will pop up a menu asking to resize the attachment: choose Medium or Large (both are usually under 2MB).
5. Open the email you received on your device and save the smaller image.

Method B: Use a Free App (“Image Size”)

1. Download Image Size (Free) from the App Store.
2. Open the app, tap the photo icon in the top-left, and select your artwork photo.
3. Choose Pixels or Percent at the top.
4. Lower the image dimensions (e.g., set the width to 1920 pixels).
5. Check the bottom of the screen to verify the file size is under 4MB.
6. Tap the Save button in the bottom-left corner to export to your Camera Roll.

4. How to Resize Photos on Android

Android devices offer simple built-in options depending on your manufacturer, as well as dedicated apps.

Method A: Samsung Gallery / Google Photos Native Edit

1. Open your sketch photo in your default Gallery or Photos app.
2. Tap the Pencil icon (Edit).
3. Tap the three dots / More options menu in the corner.
4. Look for Resize or Export Options.
5. Choose 20%, 40%, or 60% reduction.
6. Save the new, smaller copy.

Method B: Use a Free App (“Photo & Picture Resizer”)

1. Download Photo & Picture Resizer from the Google Play Store.
2. Open the app and tap Select Photos.
3. Pick your sketch and tap Resize.
4. Choose a custom pixel dimension (e.g., 2048 x 1536) or a percentage reduction.
5. The resized photo automatically saves to your gallery, optimized for quick web upload.

5. Fast Browser-Based Tools (Works on Any Device)

If you prefer not to change settings on your device, these free website tools compress photos in seconds from any browser:

• TinyJPG / TinyPNG: Drag and drop your JPEG or PNG file. It intelligently reduces file size by up to 70% with zero visible loss in sketch quality.
• iLoveIMG: Upload your image, click Compress Images, and download a lightweight version optimized for web submission.

Pro-Tips for Capturing Sketches for Web Upload

1. Crop before resizing: Crop out table backgrounds, carpet, or unnecessary borders first. That alone strips away unnecessary pixel data.
2. Save as JPEG: PNG files preserve transparency and uncompressed detail, but JPEGs are significantly smaller in file size—ideal for drawings and line art.
3. Keep the Original: Always keep your original high-resolution master photo in case you want to print your artwork later, saving a separate compressed copy just for course uploads.