Graphics are a critical component in designing Web pages. Graphics are images that are used in designing Web pages. Like text, images communicate ideas. That is why it is important to consider what images one is selecting for use in design. If a picture is "worth a thousand words," then carefully chosen graphics can add immeasurable meaning to your site. Likewise, poorly selected graphics can undermine the best efforts to communicate your message.

Some commonly used graphics on any Web site would include backgrounds, icons, banners, buttons, and arrows. Some examples of these can be found on the following Web sites.

• A-1 Clipart Archive / Free Clipart, Graphics, & Fonts
• Media Link
• Graphic Sites on the Web
• GlyphWeb
• GraphixKingdom.com
• IconLibrary

In choosing or selecting graphics for your advising Web site, there is one key question: Do you want your advising Web site to look as if it is incorporated into your institutional design, or do you want to have your site reflect a separate identity?

• Ability to create a look of continuity throughout your institution’s Web site.
• Ability to use some ready-made graphics from your institution’s Web site.

• Ability to tailor your message to an audience through use of selected graphics.
• Ability to create unique brand recognition within your institution.

For some example of both approaches, look at NACADA Technology in Advising Commission’s Academic Advising Office web pages.

If you decide to use an incorporation design approach, your first step should be to contact your institution’s Web master. Your Web master can provide you with the best advice for acquiring graphics. For instance, some institutions keep examples of all their graphics on one site. Sometimes typing "graphics" or "icons" after the URL home page address can link you to this. If this does not lead to those graphics, ask your Web Master their location.

Some general issues you need to address with your institution’s Web Master will be:

• Should you link to graphics found elsewhere at the institution or should you keep graphic files on your own server? (Some graphics contain additional code that will permit one to easily access other areas of your institution’s site. In other cases, this is not considered a proper approach and maintaining a separate listing of the files on your server is consider the preferred way.)
• Who can help modify institutional graphics for your office or unit when it might be necessary to do so? (For instance, there might be a common institutional graphic you want to use, but you would like to have your unit’s name written on it.)

To develop a separate identity, you should first gather ideas as to who is your audience and what image you want to convey from your Web site. This is a good brainstorming activity for a wide variety of people in your office to participate in. Once you have some general ideas, you might want to visit other advising sites on the Web before or after this activity to see things you like and dislike regarding the use of graphics. To acquire free graphics, the Web sites identified above are good resources to use.

There are several other ways to acquire graphics. The easiest way is to search the Web for additional sites that have ready-made graphics. To acquire these graphics, do a Web search using key words such as "icons," "graphics," and "Web" in your search.

Other sources of graphics are:

• Clip Art – Many software programs have examples of Clip Art that you might be able to use. Check copyright agreements first, though.
• Create you own - If you have access to an optical scanner, you can convert almost any image into a file format compatible for Web use. This process is made even easier if you have a digital camera. One can also use other software programs. There are many different ways to produce graphics that can be incorporated on a Web site using this approach. Some of these programs may be familiar to advisors who use these for other purposes: presentation graphics, software , paint programs and desktop publishing. The Web site Webopedia provides those definitions used here.

The Web site Webopedia has an excellent section on graphics that provides an overview of the technical definitions and issues related to their use. Several key ideas derived from this site are as follows:

• Different file formats exist for graphics. Some of these file formats are represented by the use of extensions such as: PIC, BMP,Gif, Tif, JPG and JPE. These extension names follow the file name and a dot (filename.JPG).
• The quality of most graphics devices is determined by their resolution -- how many points per square inch they can represent -- and their color capabilities.

Yes. While often attractive, images should be kept to a minimum in your design. Images or graphics can be a double-edged sword. More images will increase the loading time of your Web pages. This is a very important consideration if your audience is accessing the Internet through slower modems.

Likewise, the actual size of your graphic on your Web site will effect its loading time and may be produced as an image differently from what you had intended on different browsers. It is import to always check your Web design through different modem speeds and browsers before selecting your final design.

A special thanks to Anita Carter, Wayne State University, for her editorial comments and suggestions for this submission.