Optimization of Website Graphics for Faster Page Download

Most of the time the images used on a website slows down its loading speed. But the use of images in a website design enhances the aesthetic appeal of a site and its use can not be ignored while designing a web page. As a web designer you need to strike a balance between using graphics and not slowing down the loading time of a page by over using images.

Using optimized web graphic design is a good option to reduce the loading time of the web pages. Here are some basic tips to optimize your site graphics:

• Image Type: It is very important to choose the right file type for the images you are using on your website pages. It is advisable to use GIF or PNG formats for illustrations, cartoons, buttons, icons and vector images. For full color photos you can use JPEG file formats.
• Image Resolution: While using images for your web pages, try to use resolution of 72 dpi for them. As most of the computers are set to display this resolution, the site visitors will be able to get the graphics as it is used by a designer.
• Changing Pixels: Sometimes editing a picture to give it a smoother finish increases its file memory. Graphic designers often alter the image pixels along the edges of color to adjust the contrast of the adjacent colors. This should be avoided as much as possible as images with increased file memory will slow the page loading time.
• Background Images: Blurring background images is a good way to optimize JPEG images used on a site. The file size of an image can be reduced further by blurring the non critical portions of a site image.
• Cropping Image: The dimension of an image can be minimized by cropping it. Detect the main objects of the photo and you can crop the unnecessary elements from the picture.
• Use of Thumbnails: Instead of using the full sized image on the main page, you can use its thumbnail view. Online viewers who are willing to see the image will be able to see it on a different page. Using thumbnail view for the full images will decrease the loading time of the main page.