Region-based image compression

A method, apparatus, and a non-transitory computer readable medium for compressing an image including one or more regions are presented. An image is decomposed into one or more regions and a region is evaluated to determine whether the region meets a predetermined compressions acceptability criteria. In response to the region not meeting the predetermined compression acceptability criteria, the region is transformed and quantized. The region is then encoded in response to the transformed and quantized region meeting the predetermined compression acceptability criteria. In response to the transformed and quantized region not meeting the predetermined compression acceptability criteria, transformation and quantization settings are adjusted and the region is transformed and quantized using the adjusted settings. The region is then encoded in response to the predetermined compression acceptability criteria having been reached.