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Now that you have a better working knowledge of GIFs and JPEGs, you need to figure out how to use that knowledge on your Web pages. There are two basic ways to obtain graphics: using images that are already made, or making your own.

If you decide to use pre-made images, you first need to make sure that it is legal to do so. If you want to scan an image from a book or magazine, then that image is covered by the publication's copyright and you must follow the appropriate laws for using those images. If you want to use clip art from a CD-ROM or other form of computer media, then it is necessary to check the licensing information that accompanies that media. If the image is already on the Internet, then you should contact the site's owner via e-mail to see if you can use the image on your site.

In the event that you do use an image from the Internet, it is important that you actually copy the image to your site instead of just linking the image onto your page. In other words, you should download the site and place it on your web server space. This will help your page to load much faster, will reduce the load on the image's original server, and may actually reduce expenses for that original server.

The second way to obtain images to use on the Web is to create them yourself using a graphics program. Some of the most fully-featured and powerful graphics packages can be very expensive, but there are inexpensive alternatives, like Paint Shop Pro, LView, and WinGif that cost little or no money. These graphics applications and more are available on my links page. Each one has its own features and drawbacks and is used a little differently, so it is adviseable to consult the documentation that accompanies the software package to determine how to use the application most efficiently.

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Last modified September 22, 1997 by Neil Wilson
nwilson@mail.millikin.edu