Web graphics include static and animated images used for web buttons, backgrounds, presentations, and pages. Common formats are JPEG, PNG, TIFF, BMP, and GIF, each with advantages and disadvantages. JPEG and PNG support compression, while GIF is good for animation. TIFF and BMP have high quality but large file sizes.
Web graphics include both static images and animated web graphics. These graphics can be web buttons used in menus, background images on websites, web presentations, and individual images displayed on a page. Some common formats for web graphics include Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) files, Portable Network Graphic (PNG) files, Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) files, Bitmap (BMP) files, and Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) files. The type of graphic format used is determined by the intended use of the specific graphic.
One of the most popular static formats for web graphics is JPEG. This format supports compression which helps speed up the loading of graphics on a slower internet connection. However, the JPEG format has a disadvantage, because the images lose some of their quality during the compression process. JPEG files, however, can also use a lesser amount of compression if you want higher image quality.
Another format that supports compression is PNG. This file format allows images to have transparent backgrounds, but some browsers may not support the PNG file type. PNG has advantages in that these images are sharper and have greater color depth than other image formats. On the other hand, some web designers are still reluctant to use PNGs much due to possible compatibility issues with older browsers.
If you want animated web graphics, the GIF format is a good choice. Animated GIFs use different variations of a static image to create a moving effect. GIF images, however, do not need to be animated and can be used for compact static web graphics due to their small file size. Common uses of static GIF images include web buttons and website backgrounds, although JPEG and PNG formats are also commonly used. One disadvantage of GIFs is that they are limited to 256 possible colors, which can be a problem if an image is to have excellent color depth.
TIFF images are a higher quality image format that is usually used for printed graphics. They are not used often on the web due to their large file sizes and limited compression capabilities. Common uses of TIFF images include images captured from an image or document scanner and used to print a newsletter, poster, or magazine layout.
BMP images are more common than TIFF images but also have issues with file size. They are uncompressed images that suffer no loss of quality. Consequently, BMPs are useful when a web designer wants to place high-quality images on a site but doesn’t want the long download times associated with TIFF files.
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