When you download an image you are copying it to your computer's hard drive.

Our downloads, which happen to be images, will usually be supplied two ways:

1. GIF FILES
   These images are low resolution which means they will not print smooth but will have a jagged, lower quality appearance. However, they are easy to access and do not require a lot of memory or special handling.
   
   To print one of our gif images, just click on the button marked GIF. After the page loads, use your browsers toolbar to print (usually you would click on FILE then click on PRINT.) Generally, these images will print a little smaller than intended which will effect the final size of the project.
   
   Note: If the right side of the printed image is getting cut off you probably need to select LANDSCAPE from the print PRINT SETUP menu before printing.
   
   To download one of our gif images you would click on the button marked GIF. After the page loads, use the right button on your mouse to click on the image. Choose SAVE AS and select a folder and name for the file. (If you clicked on OK the file will probably be in one of the folders for your online service.)
   
   To use one of these files you would need a paint program or a page layout program that supports the GIF format.
   
   
2. BMP FILES
   These images are higher resolution. They should print smooth and have a quality appearance. You will need at least a 300 dpi printer to get that quality. Since these files are larger, you will need more memory and more disk space then you would with GIF images.
   
   Our BMP images are compressed and will have a .zip extension. You will need Winzip (shareware) to uncompress them.
   
   To download one of our bmp images you would click on the button marked BMP and select a folder and name for the file.
   
   To use one of these files you would need to unzip it with Winzip. You would also need a paint program or a page layout program that supports the BMP format. Most windows programs will support this format.

Troubleshooting

If you are using a page layout program, you will probably not be able to "open" the files. Instead you would "import" or "insert" an image onto the page. You may first need to make a box or a "frame" to hold the image. For more information on this, use your software's help files.

 

Images might not import into your software the size they are intended to be used. Most of our images are designed to print on a standard letter-size sheet of paper. You can usually scale images in your page layout. Sometimes you can scale them when you print. For more information on this, use your software's help files.

If you are only getting partial images when printing, you probably do not have enough memory in your printer. Using a paint program, you can try converting to other formats or a lower resolution. Color files will use more memory than black and white files. BMP files will use more memory than GIF files.