UNIT 4 > MODULE 1

Lesson 1: Introduction to Web Graphics

Overview

Before you start learning how to create graphics for your web pages, it is important to think about how graphics can be used effectively to enhance pages without creating accessibility and usability problems. In this lesson, you will learn about the purpose of graphics in web design and discuss guidelines for effective use of web graphics.

Learner Outcomes

At the completion of this exercise, you will be able to:

Activities

  1. Open up the handout: Purpose and Guidelines for Effective Use of Web Graphics. Look over the three bullet points that discuss the purpose of graphics in web design. Why do you think it is important that generally speaking it is good practice to let the content of the page lead the graphics on the page and not the other way around? Can you think of any situations where this may not be the case?
  2. In the same handout, read the section titled Guidelines for effective use of web graphics. For each guideline, think about why you think that guideline is important to web design. Remember what you learned about good design principles and accessibility in Unit 1. Can you think of any additional guidelines for effective use of web graphics that have not been listed?
  3. Create a new HTML document to show completion of this lesson and all of the lessons in Unit Four: Graphics. Save the file in the "lesson" sub folder with the file name "unit4.html". Using <h1> heading tags head this section of the document, "Evaluation of web graphics: Module 1 Lesson 1". Beside the heading place an anchor like this <a name="evaluation"> On your portfolio, make the text referencing this lesson a hyper link to the file unit4lessons.html. Be sure to name the anchor within the link.

    <a href ="unit4lesson.html#evaluation">

    Go on to the Internet and find a web page of your choice. Identify where graphic images have been used on the page. Record the URL to the site you chose, then record your responses to the following two questions:
    1. Referring to the section in the handout titled Purpose of graphics in web design, do you feel the graphics on the page you selected serve a purpose? If so, what is it? If not, why not?
    2. Referring to the ection in the handout titled Guidelines for effective use of web graphics, do you feel that the graphics on the page meet each guideline? If not, which guidlines do they not meet?

Resources/Online Documents