How to Create Web Graphics

By eHow Internet Editor

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Instead of searching through thousands of stock images and Web clip art when you need an image, try creating your own Web graphics. With today's selection of graphic editing software and tutorials like this one, creating your own web graphics can be easy.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Graphics editor
Website

Step1

Find a graphics editor. There are lots out on the market–—some free, some not. You've probably heard of Paint Shop and Photo Shop. Also look into some lesser known programs, such as Gimp and Ultimate Paint.

Step2

Learn about file formats. In order to create nice-looking Web graphics, you'll have to know a little bit about the different formats. In general, JPEG files are best for photos with many colors, GIF is best for graphics and PNG is a newer file type that combines the advantages of GIF and JPG but may not be supported by older browsers.

Step3

Read some tutorials on your program. Most good graphics editors will come with some "getting started" documentation, but you should look into the communities around the programs as well. Check the resources for some tips on familiarizing yourself with the program.

Step4

Use text generators. Sites like Cool Text and Pimp My Profile let you create customized text and logos without having to learn how to use graphics editing programs.

Step5

Add graphics to your page. Once you've created a Web graphic, save it to your disk and then upload it to your website. Now, insert it into your page using the <img src> tag. For example, <img src="myfirstwebgraphic.gif">.

Tips & Warnings

You should save original files in an uncompressed format such as TIF and then optimize a separate file for use on the web. That way, you can go back and make changes without losing quality.
Start simple. It is easier to create simple graphics like text or logos. A creatively constructed simple logo will look better than a poorly realized elaborate concept.
Keep your graphics files small and avoid cluttering your website with too many graphics.