Graphic Images

Graphic images, or pictures, in web pages mainly consist of two types: JPEG and GIF image files. Both of these file types are compressed image formats in which the file is made to be smaller than normal image files (such as Windows Bitmap BMP files), and are "decompressed" by the web browser that loads them. Typically JPEG (or JPG) files can hold much more color information than GIF files, but for this reason can tend to take more room up and thus larger files and longer download time. GIF files can hold a limited number of colors and hence are not always picture quality. However for simple clipart graphics, GIF files are great. Another version of GIF file format is the animated GIF format. This is a very popular way to create animation on the web, and you usually see banner ads with some sort of movement in them, and this is an animated GIF file. There are programs (listed later in this document) that allow you to create your own animated GIF files. JPEG files do not allow animation.

Inserting an Image

To insert an image, be it JPEG or GIF or animated GIF, you simply click on the Insert Picture From File toolbar icon as shown in the cut-away above. you will be prompted for the image location. It can be on your hard disk or out on the web.

You can select the yellow File Folder icon at the bottom right corner of this window to pick a file from your hard disk, or you can click on the world icon to the left of it to surf the web for an image. There are even buttons for clip art, which brings up a FrontPage clipart gallery, and a button for scanning in an image if you have a scanner device connected to your computer.

Aligning Images

You can align an image with text in two ways. One way is very limited and that is through the properties menu, accessed by right mouse clicking on the image, then selecting the Picture Properties menu item.

Up comes the Picture Properties window as shown above. On this window you may change various things (99% of the time you don't have to change any of these settings), but the Appearance tab is where you can change the alignment value of text in relation to the image.

Background Images

You may use image files as backgrounds on a page or in a table or within individual cells within tables. I caution you to be careful choosing a background image because if text is to go over such an image, it must be easy for the viewer to read the text without the background getting in the way. To select an image or a color for the background on a page, right mouse anywhere on the page and select from the popup menu "Page Properties". Now click on the Background tab and from there you can see where to select the background image or color.

Resizing large images
You can take an original image file and resize it and decrease the byte count at the same time if you think the picture is too big or taking up too much room or too much time to download. For resizing images like this, you may want to download an image utility program like XNView, at http://perso.wanadoo.fr/pierre.g/xnview/enhome.html This is totally free. There are others you can also find at www.download.com or www.tucows.com.

Graphic Programs

FrontPage has its own great image editor built into it for free called Microsoft Image Composer.

Adobe Photoshop www.adobe.com

Adobe Photo Elements www.adobe.com

http://www.adobe.com/downloads
Click on Adobe Photoshop® Elements 4.0 "TRY" link and then "Win" link for Windows, and then Register (Free).

Paint Shop Pro
PixShow 7
Easy Web Graphics (http://www.netstudio.com/easy_web_graphics)

Graphics Program Alternatives to PhotoShop
http://www.corel.com (PaintShop Pro)
http://gimp-win.sourceforge.net (The Gimp, Free, but not as easy to use)

Cheap prices for software:
http://www.softwaresurplus.com

Text Tools:

http://www.createafreewebsite.net/graphics_online_demo.html

GIF Animation
FrontPage 2000 comes with a GIF Animator program, and there are many others on the web searchable on www.download.com or www.tucows.com. One such program is called Ulead GIF Animator 3.0a and is quite popular, as well as Animagic GIF Animator (32-bit) 1.06a which is shareware (free). Search on key word "Gif Animation". Also, Paintshop Pro graphics editor has a GIF animator in it.

Ulead GIF Animator http://www.ulead.com

http://www.gif-animator.com