I really hate it when I click on a link and then must sit there twiddling my thumbs while the file is transmitted. Tantalizingly enough, the message says "Done" but that applied only to the initial text file. Meanwhile, the big images keep coming ... and I hope this time they will be worth all that digital exercise. Most of the time, I visit sites of this kind once -- and never again.
What is needed is a contradiction in terms: "the perfect compromise" between image quality, image size, and file size.Cameras take pictures in pixels = dots.
The key measure is resolution, expressed in dots per inch, or dpi.
The higher the dpi, the greater the quality, the larger the computer file size.
Tip 1: Total file size, including that of the associated images, should be under 20 K. If one needs more than one or two images, one should create several files to link them to.
Tip 2: If at all possible, create the image at a very low resolution, in few colors, in the size needed for the screen. Later resizing will not affect the file size but will affect the quality.
Example for creating a color image by use of a scanner: BEFORE YOU SCAN or PRESCAN, set the resolution to 72 or 75 dpi, set the colors to 256 (VGA) and set the size to fairly small, such as 2 or 3" wide with the height proportional, or 50% max. of a small photo. AFTER YOU SCAN, crop the image to get rid of any unwanted areas or frames. Save. FINALLY, save in .gif or .jpeg format. Check the file size: if the image file is a bit big (e.g., much more than 20 K), you can adjust the file without corrupting it too much. But if the image file is much too large, rescan it with lower settings, or reduce the number of colors. See scanning examples.
Tip 3: Use .gif for an image with few colors concentrated in large areas, or for B/W. Use .jpg for color photographs.
Tip 4: Photographs in magazines work better than color transparencies, as their resolution is much lower.
Tip 5: You may want to investigate transparency and interleaving. See some of the links below.
Tip 6: Background is easy. Wallpaper files should be small and thus load quite fast. See examples for both.
Tip 7: Before posting your file, try it out with a variety of browsers and machines. Check not only speed, but also looks. Colors and dimensions vary widely.
Tip 9: How to use layers with images or text.
Tip 11: For information about animated GIFs, signs, banners, check out the following link: Gif animationMake sure to visit the Web Weaver's Page.
or download a copyright-free animated GIF file and insert it in your page -- search Web Graphics & Image Resources or create an image or a series of images with a paint package, such as Windows Paint, PaintShop Pro, Photoshop -- save as or export as GIF 89a image file(s) -- download the GIF Construction Set (shareware) from Alchemy Mindworks Inc. for easy animation. GIF Construction Set -- download, check out demo and tutorial, here or at the XOOM Help Center. See my simple samples.