Problem:

You need to send a hi-res image with a large file size to a gallery, curator or publisher. You need to do it in a hurry but it is too large to send by email.

Solution:

Use on an online file sharing service. There are many of them but Drop.io has the most features and is easiest to use. Also, in a pinch, you can use it as a temporary website to display and present images of artwork. Drop.io is free, versatile, private and you can store files "forever". Drop.io is a start-up located at 68 Jay Street, a building in Dumbo with many artist’s studio, so it is kind of in the community, already.

Requirements:

A contemporary web browser: Firefox 2+, Internet Explorer 7+, Safari 2+
Images and documents: File formats will depend on the recipient’s needs. Usually image files are hi-res jpegs or pdfs because they are readable across platforms and occasionally tiffs or eps are used byprinters. Check with the recipient.

Go to Drop.io

Go to:
http://drop.io

You will see a page that looks like this:

You can use the url they automatically create (5harkba, in this case) or you can create your own. [If you plan to use their url skip ahead to "Adding Files"]

Creating you own url.

Create a url that is easy for you and your guests to remember. The Drop.io interface tells you if the name you want is available. I wanted to use my name and receive feedback as I type.

I try my first name but it is too short.

But my full name works.

Don’t forget the url. Write it down. Put it in a safe place.

Adding Files

Don’t click "Create Drop" yet. First you need to add files, so click “Add Files”.

In the dialog box, navigate to the files you wish to upload. [All examples in this tutorial picture Mac OS 10.5.]

Select one or many files. Thankfully Drop.io allows batch uploads. Click "Select" at the lower right hand corner of the dialog box. Repeat the "Add Files" process with more files, if needed. (Don’t worry, once you complete this first upload you can still add more files, later.)

Create Drop

Check the status bar which tells you how many files you have prepared for upload and how much disk space they will use. Drop.io has a 100MB limit for their free accounts. Once you are ready, click “Create Drop”.

 

Settings: Password and Email

After clicking "Create Drop", you will see a screen which asks for a password and email address. While you can enter these later in "Settings" I strongly advise you to do it now. The password is used for administrative settings – privacy, expiration, etc. Please write down your password and store it in a safe place. Use a permanent email address. Click "Save Settings".

 

You are finished if you want.

Your page should look something like this:

You will notice that the page, while not formatted beautifully, displays an array of images like a website page and could be used to present your work, without the time, energy or expense of creating your own website.

You could be finished but read on for more options.

Adding More Files

Click the "Add" tab towards the top of the screen.

Navigate to the files you wish to upload and select them. (I am adding resumes and an artist statement in this example.)

Accessing Files and Using Drop.io

All your files are now uploaded. To download a file place your cursor over a file name or image. A list of options will appear. From this menu you can download, send, rename, view or delete the file. Users can view the files online or download them.

If click on one of the thumbnails a very nice overlay of medium size images appears. You can click the previous and next arrows (in the uppper right and left corners) to browse all the images
or use the options in the menu beneath the image. All very handy for presenting you artwork, with little set up time.

Settings: A Quick View

There are many settings available on Drop.io but I am going to cover only a few . To change your setting click "Settings" underneat the heading "Admin" at the top right corner of your screen. You need to be logged in as an Admin to access the settings.

As you can see (below) there are many options. I am will only cover a few.

Guest Password

If you don’t want your files to be available to the public create a guest password. (The files on Drop.io are not listed by Google or the other search engines so they are not readily available to begin with.) Click on "Guest Password". Add a password and click "Save
Settings". Write down the password and store in a safe place. Send it to the guest so they can access the files.

Guest Permissions

You may want to limit what a guest can do with your files. Click on "Guest Permissions"
and check or uncheck the appropriate checkboxes. You may want to forbid the to delete or add files, for instance. Then click "Save Settings".

Sharing

You can also share your uploaded files on Facebook , Twitter and other social media sites. . Click Share towards the top of the page and then click Facebook, Twitter etc. and follow instructions. Your friends will be notified that you have uploaded another image, each time you upload another file.

Creating a Zip File So Users Download Everything in One File

Zip files are a collection or archive of files compressed in the zip format. Both PCs and Macs can access files from a zipped archive. In this example I have created a zip file of 20 images and 3 Word documents. Now the user only has to download one compressed (smaller) file rather than 23.

On the Share menu click "Zip File".

Click "Create Drop Archive" as shown in the next screen.

The download button for the zipped file is hard to find. It is in the lower right corner of the side menu. Instruct your guests where to find it, when you notify them.

The End

View the example Drop.

Drop.io has many more options. You can add files via email, cell phone, receive faxes, collaborate on projects, customize the design, etc. I just wanted to cover the basics for non-technical users – artists who need to deliver images to a gallery, collector or curator.

Drop.io is free. But it is also a business. Please don’t take advantage of them. If you use Drop.io on a regular basis and are making an income from your artwork, upgrade to a payment plan.

Write a comment if you found this useful, or if you have questions or suggestions.