FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Here you find the answers to some common questions:

• Why is AndreaMosaic mostly free?
  I believe that everything should be free and everyone should be able to choose and enjoy their work as a volunteer. With the help of current technology, we can produce enough food and tools for everyone, allowing people to live a simple life while taking care of the environment. Today we do not live in a utopia, but we must start somewhere — and I would like to start with this small example.
  


• Why should I credit AndreaMosaic?
  It costs you nothing to help AndreaMosaic in this way, and it helps reach a wider audience. A larger user base means more support for continued development through purchase. I also love seeing the artwork created with AndreaMosaic to discover what you can do with the software. Your work is the best advertising anyone could hope for.


• Why do you have a Bonus and a Professional version?
  Distributing AndreaMosaic free to everyone costs nothing, but developing new features is an expensive and very time consuming task. The Bonus and Professional versions are a way to support continued development while getting access to additional features.
  • The Bonus version includes additional options and a higher tile count, ideal for more demanding projects.
  • The Professional version unlocks output beyond 200 megapixels, necessary only in a few cases — for example, very large format printing or commercial production. People using AndreaMosaic at this level are more likely to generate revenue with its help, and their support contributes to future development and maintenance.
  Both versions are a one-time purchase. It is also possible to contribute with a free amount and receive support proportionally to the amount paid.
  Note that a common digital camera has less than 30 megapixels, and with the free version of AndreaMosaic you can already create mosaics up to 200 megapixels — enough for a large high quality print.


• How do I get the Bonus / Professional version?
  Follow the instructions on the Buy page. After purchase you will immediately receive an email with a download link for the Bonus / Professional version.


• How many images do I need to make a good mosaic?
  Using very few images makes for less interesting mosaics but still works. I personally rely on a collection of 20,000 nature photos. Even if you don't have that many images, you can still achieve great quality by increasing the number of tiles and activating the Tile Variations option. You may also raise the Color Change value. I also recommend the AndreaMosaic Square version as it supports more variations.


• Where can I get more images?
  The easiest way is to take your own photos — even a smartphone camera is enough to build a large collection quickly. If you have video footage, AndreaMosaic can extract frames from it to use as tiles.
  
  There are also many websites offering free images for personal and commercial use:
  • unsplash.com — high quality free photos
  • pexels.com — large free photo library
  • pixabay.com — photos, illustrations and more
  • flickr.com — search for Creative Commons licensed images
  • wikimedia.org — large collection of free media
  Always check the license before using images commercially.

Enjoy!
Peace & Love.
Andrea