 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Images
The purpose of having images is not simply decorative. Images can be a design element that not only fulfills a utilitarian purpose, but that also speaks to the user through messages that are implicit as well as explicit.
The visual images should represent the personality of the organization. The following sites are examples of design that uniquely identify the organizations:
There are some general steps that you can follow to use images on your Web site. First, decide whether you would like to copy your image from another source onto your site or create your own image from scratch.
- Epicurious - The Taste of the Web (http://www.epicurious.com/)
- Internet Professional Publishers Association (http://www.ippa.org)
- The Art House (http://www.arthouse.com)
- Australian Chamber Orchestra (http://www.aco.com.au/)
If you choose to copy your image, save the image in the TIFF format. After you have scanned your image, you will need a graphic software package, such as Adobe Photoshop, to select, or crop, part of your image file. This is also where you can add your artistic effects. When you have finished making changes to your image, save a copy in the JPEG or GIF format.
If you design your own image, you will also need a graphic software package. Two well known software packages are Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop. It is a good idea to choose a package that will allow you to have various choices of effects, colors, and two-dimensional figures. Once you have chosen your software package, create your image and merge the layers, and then save a copy of the image in a JPEG or GIF format. The GIF format is good for line drawing images while JPEG is good for color photographs. The final step is to tag the image in HTML.
One thing to keep in mind when choosing your image is that the larger the image is, the longer it will take to download. Test your download time on a modem with an operating speed of 28.8 kbs. If the estimated time exceeds 15 seconds, you should consider using a smaller image, limiting the number of images, or compressing images into smaller-sized files.