01-31-2013, 08:38 PM | #1 |
Junior Member
Posts: 3
Karma: 10
Join Date: Jan 2013
Device: IconiaTab A200
|
First Letter of paragraph is Image
I'm doing a couple of books where the first letter of the first word of the first paragraph of a chapter is an image. I've noticed, and it makes sense, that when resizing the font within the viewer the image does not change size.
However, I'm wondering how I might better place the image in relation to the paragraph/margins so that the image doesn't move around too much. I use Word 2010, save as filtered web page, and within Calibre I convert to ePub. Thanks |
02-01-2013, 01:06 AM | #2 |
Wizard
Posts: 3,413
Karma: 13369310
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Launceston, Tasmania
Device: Sony PRS T3, Kobo Glo, Kindle Touch, iPad, Samsung SB 2 tablet
|
Welcome to the Forum.
I've used images as drop caps in The Small House in Allington by Anthony Trollope in the MobileRead library. But I do my ebooks by hand, working directly on the HTML, so this may not be much use to you. I do think you will need to work directly on the HTML. |
02-01-2013, 07:01 AM | #3 | |
Well trained by Cats
Posts: 29,689
Karma: 54369090
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: The Central Coast of California
Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A
|
Quote:
|
|
02-01-2013, 10:41 AM | #4 |
Junior Member
Posts: 3
Karma: 10
Join Date: Jan 2013
Device: IconiaTab A200
|
Alex, thanks. I had a feeling that might be the answer. When I am able to delve back into html...it's been years...I will attempt that.
|
02-01-2013, 02:37 PM | #5 |
Wizard
Posts: 3,720
Karma: 1759970
Join Date: Sep 2010
Device: none
|
as a reader, I detest seeing chapter headers/ opening letters rendered as large images. ( or as elephant-sized drop-caps! ) on my e-reader
I suspect I am not in the minority. why not use character & fonts, & let the reader do its reflow/resize thing as per it's user preferences. think of all those future readers who will be using smart phones/small tablets/ other beam-me-up-scotty gizmos.... |
02-01-2013, 08:39 PM | #6 |
Guru
Posts: 644
Karma: 1242364
Join Date: May 2009
Location: The Right Coast
Device: PC (Calibre), Nexus 7 2013 (Moon+ Pro), HTC HD2/Leo (Freda)
|
Agreed, using images for a drop cap is not a good idea since screen sizes vary and the user's chosen font size may interfere with proper layout.
Embedding and subsetting (removing unused characters) of the font and you can keep the book reasonably sized. Besides hundreds of free fonts available online, you can always create your own through various software if it is necessary. Last edited by Sabardeyn; 02-01-2013 at 08:47 PM. |
02-01-2013, 09:43 PM | #7 | |
Well trained by Cats
Posts: 29,689
Karma: 54369090
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: The Central Coast of California
Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A
|
Quote:
Books should look like BOOKS (within reason). IMHO a 2em dropcap/big cap is within reason. 4 is overboard Just like space around a Chapter head should be limited (IMHO <20% total) |
|
02-01-2013, 10:36 PM | #8 |
Wizard
Posts: 3,720
Karma: 1759970
Join Date: Sep 2010
Device: none
|
I just want optimised text-flow-to-brain for maximum immersion, with minimal visual distractions. I have zero interest in seeing fancy layout tricks, even it that is how some "books" are still laid out
But I'm happy to tweak /zap that stuff myself in my copy before reading, as no-one else will be reading that copy. I still think 1st character images are a no-no though, because the can't scale & because the trend is that newer readers will read on smaller & smaller devices |
02-02-2013, 08:19 AM | #9 |
Guru
Posts: 644
Karma: 1242364
Join Date: May 2009
Location: The Right Coast
Device: PC (Calibre), Nexus 7 2013 (Moon+ Pro), HTC HD2/Leo (Freda)
|
theducks,
I agree that books should look like books, but they should do so in the most hardware / software neutral manner possible. In that respect embedding a font which can be re-sized and re-flowed versus an image which cannot, the font is the "best practice". The next image pet peeve being colored (including b&w), rather than invisible, backgrounds. |
02-11-2013, 11:59 AM | #10 |
Junior Member
Posts: 3
Karma: 10
Join Date: Jan 2013
Device: IconiaTab A200
|
Thanks everyone for your input. I think my originally message could have been a little bit clearer. My capital letter had artwork around it therefore my need. I realize this doesn't work for people who read from a "normal"-sized cell phone but that is not my intent.
For a hardcore person who is producing ebooks, or converting to ebook, Alex's suggestion is the best way to go, I think. In my case I found out what I needed to do is create 2 "soft" returns in Word, wrap the text "tight", and then use "0" as the absolute horizontal position to the right of the margin and "0" as the absolute veritcal position below the paragraph. |
Tags |
alignment, image, paragraph |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Can I capitalize a letter? | Jorge Junior | ePub | 13 | 11-14-2012 10:30 PM |
Adding a scaleable inline image within a paragraph | ryntau | ePub | 4 | 02-03-2012 11:20 AM |
Preference: Paragraph indent or a little paragraph spacing? | 1611mac | General Discussions | 48 | 11-11-2011 12:43 AM |
"Insert Image" renames .jpg's incorrectly... but shows the correct image! | megacoupe | Sigil | 4 | 03-06-2011 08:13 PM |