Core_Computer Studies: Preparing Graphics for the Web

NOTE: If you are looking for information on how to save graphics for the web using Illustrator, Photoshop or Imageready you will find it here.

In order to get graphics to behave themselves on the Web, by this I mean will both display and down load quickly we have to compress them to take up as little room as possible.

Opinions vary, as to how large a graphic file should be but many web designers believe that above 50K is getting too big, particularly if you combine several images on a page. Another rule of thumb is that a page should not contain more than 100k of graphic files. This total includes all graphic elements such as images, navigation bars, roll over navigation features, animations and icons.

So the aim is to keep everything as small as possible yet looking good.

The two main Internet graphics file formats are GIF and JPEG, but there are major differences between the two, one is lossy form of compression the other is a lossless form of compression.

Generally graphics with many colour gradations such as photographs are best saved in the JPEG file format, while line drawings and simple icon type graphics with large areas of colour are best saved as a GIF file.

Side note:

Although GIF and JPEG are dominant there are other Web graphics formats, such as PNG.

These notes are written for students who undertake the Core Computer course at School of Art, Australian National University. Students of the course should feel free to contact any member of staff with comments questions and general suggestions..

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