Best Resolution/Strategies for Custom Covers

Question

So I work on doing custom covers and I'm wondering what results/settings others are using. For a full cover, I've been taking a wide picture and resizing it to a square before uploading. My settings in GIMP:

Original pic 1280 X 850, x & y resolution=each 72

New Pic loaded as avatar

850 x 850 (distorting original), x & y resolution= each 300

What settings are others using?

Answer 1

My current avatar is 850x1100.  Others have been 1200x960, 850x850, 618x800 and 850x680.

I thikn the main thing is to leave 'white space' (not literallywhite, but nothing critical to the image) around the image.  Also remember bottom left and right corners are used to overlay gang avatars, and top right is for flag, so keep those areas clear.

Answer 2

i really havent paid attention to the size and resolution myself, all i can say if it gets distorted if u take too narrow a pic (tough u can rectify that on the cover if u want)

as for strategy, a good avatar really cant be too complex a pic, since pple see it quite small. i +what ehlanna said about leaving a little "white" room aound  

also a nice color contrast and good lighting really helps attract eyeballs. Basically if u use google or bing image, u pretty much should choose the pic who looks nice and stands out in the miniature list, coz that s pretty much how pple will see it.