var/image/I = image('TheBigPic.dmi',usr)
usr << I
and the .dmi file says the appropriate size
[Edit] In case there's a better/easier way, what I'm trying to do is put a completely black image over each character that only they can see that will take up as much of the map as they can see with the intent to change it's opacity in order to have a "night/day" or amount of darkness effect