Web Graphics

Designing web graphics is a much different process than designing graphics for print production. Nearly everything is different, from the resolution requirements to the size of the files produced. The system of measurement is even different, pixels versus inches, for instance. Graphic design from the web starts and ends with different goals and processes and any graphic designer in the field must understand this to a great depth if they are to produce acceptable materials.

The standard display resolution for the web is the equivalent of 72 dots per inch. This is far less detailed than the 300dpi demanded for basic print production. A great deal of this has to do with the differences between how screen and print colors are produced. It also is the result of one of the principal requirements of any web graphic: fast download times.

Web graphics are highly compressed. Even a "full resolution" photo on the web will generally be far less detailed than what is required for the same effect in a printed photo. If one owns a digital camera, it's readily apparent that these devices can shoot very large pictures that won't even fit on a high-resolution screen. This is to provide the capability to make photo enlargements. On the web, these images must be drastically reduced in size.

Most web images are presented in a format known as jpeg, pronounced "jay-peg". This format allows excellent clarity while drastically reducing the size of an image. On websites with many graphic elements, using larger formats would result in unacceptable load times, particularly for those on slower connections. Because these images only need be at such a low resolution, a graphic designer can save time by working with compressed versions of the original image, allowing changes to be processed quickly. These files are small enough to be conveniently emailed, as well, which can speed up the approval process.

Web graphics are oftentimes dynamic, changing from one image to another or morphing from one design to another when the page is loaded. Creating such images requires a great deal of skill using graphic design software and sometimes some basic programming knowledge. Generally, the more complex the web design requirements the more likely the designer behind them specializes in that field rather than in print design. This field is constantly growing and with web graphics being produced in greater numbers than print graphics, it's likely to continue growing.