Web Design
GUIDE

Web Graphics: Types Of Graphics

Description: If you think a graphic is just a graphic, think again. Discovering what graphics are and how many different variations there are will help you to design a better website.

Where there are graphics, there are generally lots of different kinds to get used to. The basic formats are pretty simple - the majority of graphics are stored either as GIFs (graphic interchange format, ideal for cartoons and so forth) and JPEGs (Joint Photographics Expert Group, which is normally used for photos).

But however you store your graphics, there are also plenty of different types that you can store. These range from the very simple to the more complex. Each graphic has its own purpose, and as such you may have several different kinds of graphic on your website.

As far as advertising is concerned, you can have static banners which provide an image that never changes, as well as Flash banners, which are animated and provide a little more interest. The visitor reaction to these may vary depending on the nature of your website, which is why you should always test the reaction to them and be prepared to change your graphics to something else in order to get a better response.

Your website logo will also be designed as a graphic, and the size of this can vary enormously. This is arguably the most important graphic on the whole website as it should appear on every page and has the power to brand your whole identity and business.

There are also graphics which make the user's experience more interactive. Some navigation bars will change as the user rolls their mouse over them, providing an alternative picture to the one that is there to begin with. This helps them make their choice of where to go next on the site, and as the graphic changes it can indicate what is in that next section.

While text will always be the king of websites, graphics certainly do have a role to play, and as such it's always worth staying abreast of how other people are making good use of graphics on their site. Don't forget also that graphics can play a part in the overall theme of a site, linking together colors, ideas and forms which help to unify the entire site.