Graphics represent so much for a web site. Not only do they appeal to the eye and to the imagination, but they are also a window into the mind of the creator. We see first hand how an artist's mind works, without the long and tedious trips to the Louvre or the Carnegie. And incidentally, these websites can be viewed as many as 100,000 times a day, more than the amount of individuals that see priceless works of art in a week.
So how should graphics be used in a website? Is it a matter of "Dazzle" or "Intrigue", "Showoffmanship" or "Curiosity"? Good graphics, like all other priceless art forms, need to make a statement. They must capture the eyes, the attention and the imagination. They are not meant to overwhelm nor bore the viewer.
Our class discussed the ideas and rules for good graphics, not only for our own site, but for all websites in general. We seemed to agree on several ideas, that aided us in using graphics on our site. First and foremost, speed was a huge issue. At 14,400 bytes per second, the average modem would take approximately 20 seconds to download a 100K graphic, even with the newest JPG formats that supposedly load faster. That's a long time to sit and stare at a blank screen! Unless the page was really necessary, viewers would simply click "STOP" or "BACK". We felt that our graphics would be just large enough to load into the browser quickly, with numerous "thumbnail" graphics scattered over the page. Speed is also a consideration when loading animations. Again, it's not necessary to dazzle. The average animation should be 15-20 frames at the most.
Color was another topic discussed. As so many browsers and monitors can give off completely different colors and backgrounds, it is a good idea to arrange the graphics and colors in such a way that most everyone can enjoy. We don't want to needlessly blind smeone with flourescent colors over a white background, nor do we want to place colors in such a way that the viewer has to quint, or look very close at the screen, such as blue text on a black background. Colors can be spectacular and eye-pleasing, but use common sense. What would YOU want to see? Consider what others will appreciate.
Lastly, follow the age-old rule: KISS (Keep it Simple, Stupid!) An ideal web site has enough small graphics, frames and animations to attract and hold the viewer's interest. No need for huge screen sized pictures, or total animations and scrolling. Think about web page design as a priceless art creation, and you'll go far with it!
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