Visual Elements and Graphics - Web Development and Design Foundations with XHTML - page 147

However, one thing that you should definitely not do is right-click and download
graphics that others have created without first obtaining their permission. Materials on
a Web site are copyrighted (even if a copyright symbol or notice does not appear) and
are not free to use unless the owner of the site permits it.

Focus on Ethics

There are many Web sites that offer free graphics, although some graphics are free for
nonprofit use only. Choose a search engine and search for “free graphics”—you'll get
more results than you have time to view. The following are a few sites that you may
find helpful when looking for images:

● Microsoft Clip Art: http://office.microsoft.com/clipart/default.aspx
● FamFamFam: http://www.famfamfam.com
● Free Stock Photo Search Engine: http://www.everystockphoto.com
● Free Images: http://www.freeimages.co.uk
● The Stock Solution: http://www.tssphoto.com
● SuperStock: http://www.superstock.com
● iStockphoto: http://www.istockphoto.com

It is also possible to create a banner or button image online. There are a number of sites
that offer this feature—some include advertising with your free image, some offer paid
memberships, others are simply free. Search for “create free online banner” to find sites
offering this service.

● Animation Online: http://www.animationonline.com
● Web 2.0 LogoCreator: http://creatr.cc/creatr
● Cooltext.com: http://www.cooltext.com
● Ad Designer.com: http://www.addesigner.com

Guidelines for Using Images
Images can help your Web page by creating an engaging, interesting user experience.
Images can hurt your Web pages by slowing down their performance to a crawl and
discouraging visitors.

Consider Image Load Time. Be careful when using images on Web pages—it takes
time for them to load. A suggested maximum file size for both the Web page and all the
media files used by it is 60KB. If your banner graphic is 25KB, that does not leave
much room for other images or even for your Web page XHTML. Use images when they
are necessary to convey a message or complement a Web site's look and feel. Table 4.4
lists the download time for file sizes of 30KB, 60KB, and 90KB at various connection
speeds.

Table 4.4 Download times

Approximate Connection Speed

File Size

28.8KB 33.6KB 56KB ISDN (128KB ) T-1 (1.544MB)

30KB 8 seconds 7 seconds 4 seconds 1 second Less than 1 second

60KB 17 seconds 14 seconds 8 seconds 3 seconds Less than 1 second

90KB 25 seconds 21 seconds 13 seconds 5 seconds Less than 1 second