hi,
ok, I've searched the posts back to 2011 and don't see any answers that seem applicable, so am going to post a question about Facebook (FB). I apologize if this has already been addressed, and if so, pls point me to the threads. This is in regard to making FB covers (for those who don't know - it's the top of your FB page that you create, but it's different than the Avatar).

I made a cover for a group I'm in, very basic, it had a basic noise filter, a handful of gradients, some text on a rectangle, etc. I made the cover at just about actual size to be used (400 X 150 pixels), and I tried several sizes, with the same outcome. FB doesn't accept SVG so I exported to create the png. I also made a jpg version (in GIMP). The problem is that both versions came out blurry/rasterized, just a bit. I haven't been able to find any info on what works with FB, i.e., are (Inkscape) filters ok, are gradients ok, etc.? Is there a place at FB that addresses the issues? What success have you'all had in using Inkscape filters, gradients, etc?
The other issue is that no matter what size I upload to FB, it seems that some or all of the borders keep getting cut off, which isn't making sense to me. I even uploaded at exactly the size FB recommends and they got cut off.

note: attaching the file wouldn't really help here, as it's just basic info I need to know to create cover; I'm really just trying to do this behind the scenes without the members knowing who made it, and I have the same issues with my own personal FB cover.
dee

Once I made a fb banner I took a screenshot of the actual place, and adjusted the image to fit perfectly.
Based on that the image size had to be 851*315, and png was fine for the use. That way everything came up pixel-fitted.

So it sounds like I'm making my covers too small? Mine are about half of Lazur's size, and even then the borders get cut off.

oh, I also want to avoid having the cover go behind any ads the FB puts on the right-hand side, or at least allow for that so my stuff isn't covered up.

It was the header for this site, based on a previous design: https://www.facebook.com/AlexandraRedmondJewellery
There was no ads on that site, maybe it's because the owner pays for it.
I don't know about fb and ads, but I would do the same method: print screen the page and measure the pixel dimensions in gimp.
That way, if you work with the exact sizes, fb wont rescale your image -which may add jpg compression and may cut off borders.

Lazur - nice job! Actually there are ads on that site, on the right side, which cover up part of your work - it only shows Alexan - then it cuts off the rest. I don't know why FB does that! They could at least re-code the template so our work doesn't get over-ridden by ads, that drives me nuts. What I'm doing is adding blank/white space on the right side so it won't get covered up. It also doesn't appear that you are using any gradients or filters, so that could be an issue with me.
thanks Lazur.

That was intentional. The owner put the full sized design there which came out horribly, so then I designed this with the right part cut off.
Originally it was automatically scaled down from a whole design, to fit with the height of the space, then cutted off the right part -possible left auto-alignement.
I think it is affected by the image's with/height ratio. If it was less wide to the height than the original space, then the width would be scaled to fit and the top/bottom part cut off.

So I'm guessing the owner was fine with the cut-off result, but I couldn't look at that previously displayed image's quality, thus made the current version, where the actual space's dimensions were taken into consideration.

Lazur - ah, I see what you are saying, guess I was a bit surprised that someone actually wanted the right side cut off. (my own personal nature just won't let me hide part of a cool design behind an ad - on purpose! LOL)

ok, so i'm off to experiment with larger sizes and no filters, etc, and see if that helps. I could still use a lot of good advice from anyone who does Facebook covers! thx in advance.

Seriously, design it in 1:1 scale. Fb uses a jpg copy when scaling your image, with no option of compressing ration. You WANT to avoid that.
But you can add any filters, edit the result in gimp, the result shouldn't change if you use the right dimensions.

Um, well I can't look at the FB images, since I'm not a member. But I have seen where people use the Pixel Snap extension to help with blurring of images intended for the internet. However, it might not help with the filter. Although most filters employ blurring anyway, so maybe it won't matter. But you could try using PixelSnap on the objects before you apply the filter.

I've not ever used Pixel Snap extension, so will take a look at that too, thx.

Recently read a post on another thread that talks about exporting on the dot, so to speak - I.E., export at 400 X 150 vs. 400.44443 X 150.34343. Never realized that could mess us an export.

Lazur - ok, will export actual size too, thought that's what I did and it came out so badly.

From time to time, masks or clipped shapes could make a lot of trouble. Even though the exported image is shown as it should be, I think that some traces of the clipping shape (or mask) are causing a trouble with proper alignment. It`s like the shape attributes of the clip or mask are counted in for positioning of the exported image. Re-editing (cropping or converting from .png to .jpg) of the exp. image in some other software could solve the problem.

p.s.
had a short nightmare when I tried to fit "profile picture" as a cut-out of the cover image, until I re-edited it.

Thx for the heads up Maestral, think I'll avoid the mask/clipping, I tend to get issues with that anyway.
And for mentioning the cut out thing, I was also going to do a cut out of the cover for the profile pic, think I'll hold off on that for now, as I don't have enough patience dealing with the rasterization issue as is. I now wonder if FB forces you to have a profile pic vs letting it be blank, or if they use that silhouette, which is even worse, oh yes, I can see the nightmare now.

There are some possibilities with that:


http://allworldbest.blogspot.hu/2012/11/funny-and-creative-facebook-timeline.html

Lazur - you're a genius! (I love Solitaire too). I looked at the link - loved it, love the creativity. Must have been a nightmare, like you said, to get this all lined up. geez, I can't even get a clear shot much less put any fun in it. gives me a lot of inspiration, thanks much. So now I need to sit and think some more about designs. hmmm.
BTW - is that you in the profile pic above? (handsome guy whomever he is). geez, I could be just about everyone's mom on here! lol.
dee

It wouldn`t be such a nightmare if you bare in mind that tip about clipping/masking, but you should follow Lazur`s tip about 1:1 scale - and it all would be easy. Also, this might be helpful.

Hope we`ll see what you came up with. Bring some more handsomeness ,))

No, that's not my work. Used similar graphic idea though on another site years ago.
It was a gallery that had some coding issues you could benefit of.
There was a main page, where thumbnail images were displayed, and there was a page for each design.
The code trick was, that you could add anything to your image's name, including html codes, that, accidentally got rendered by the browser.
That was possibly a big mistake by the site's developer, but you could play with it.
So the play was, that each of the thumbnail page and the image's page had its own layout, with the original image displayed in different sizes,
but the image you could embed into the image's name, was displayed on each page the same size.
Once I made an image with a name section image, that was continous on each of thr pages.
Not a hard thing to achieve, but was a fun thing to design.

First, thx to everyone for the advice! you'all rock! I'm really getting a lot of good use out of the FB app link, never knew that existed. Still have another problem, which I'm almost embarrassed to ask because it's a newbie thing that I should know, but here goes - every time that I attempt to do a path/difference to cut into a group - nothing happens. I thought Inkscape could handle that? (example: interpolate (path) lines into the shape of say a circle (object #1), then convert a rectangle into a path (object #2) - when I try to use object 2 rectangle into the interpolated group, nothing happens. The remark at the bottom usually says 'one item isn't a path' - but it is, so, what am I doing wrong? (This is just an example, what I'm also doing is trying to fill a heart shape with interpolated lines, where I don't have to use a mask - for a FB cover). Where am I going wrong?

Lazur, you have such a creative mind, may I borrow it more often, as I seemed to have left mine back in the 1980's! : )

Turns out I did have a clip mask in my design, forgot all about it, so glad it was mentioned. I also made and used (well still making) my own font, and the words appears a little fuzzy, but I can get away with it. Obviously I have more to learn, thx for putting me on the right track.
dee