AG GraphicsMaking Better Web Graphics that grab your attention and load FAST.
Volume 1, Issue 1 October 1, 2004
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CONTENTS: Feature Article: Making Better Web Graphics that grab your attention and load FAST.
Is it possible to create quality web graphics that grab attention and load fast at same time? Take a look at illustration samples at our site and see what I talking about
Understanding basics of GIF and JPEG compression will not only help you choose best format for your Web graphics but will also enable you to create graphics that look better and load faster. Many graphics programs and compression utilities allow you to compare an image in different formats with various palette and compression settings before you actually save file. While this takes much of guess work out of choosing best format for an image, it's still a good idea to have a basic understanding of how each type of compression works. With that knowledge, you can make changes to graphic before compression takes place, creating an image that compresses to a smaller file size and looks better, too.
Optimize for Best Images
Q. I was asked a question by one of my customer's earlier this year. How do I put together a quality website with great pictures that don't take a long time to load on older equipment or just in general?
As a general rule, following guideline will give you best quality images with smallest file sizes: GIF: images with large areas of solid color, such as vector clip art. JPEG: images with many shaded or gradient colors, such as photos. GIF Compression & Optimization GIF compression is lossless. This means that there is no loss of information when file is compressed. When decompressed image will be same as before compression. Use this file format to save line drawings, text, or even small photos. The compression scheme for GIF format works by identifying repetitions or runs of color within image and identifying these repetitions with an algorithm. The more repetition and longer color runs are, smaller image will be after compression. To better understand how this works:
JPEG Compression & Optimization The JPEG format is most often used for photographs. When decompressed, image will not be same as before compression. It will have lost some of information contained in original file. Each time you save a JPEG image it will lose more information. For this reason, it is best to save an original of your image in a lossless format (such as TIF, PSD, etc.), and work from that file when making changes. JPEG compression does not work with runs of color, like GIF compression. Instead it breaks image into zones and throws away subtle color differences. When saving an image in JPEG format, you can select how much compression to use and, therefore, how much information will be lost. The more image is compressed, more quality is reduced but smaller file size becomes. This format has overhead, so it is not necessarily a good format for small photos. Generally images that are smaller than 100 x 100 pixels should be saved in GIF format. Sometimes experimenting is only way to determine which format will give you smallest file size with best quality.
