Mastering Website Graphics: Problems And Solutions

I’m a professional webmaster and in this job I have to cope with many different types of tasks involving website design and maintenance. Quite frankly, a webmaster has to be a “Jack of all trades”, and naturally, some of the jobs I find more difficult than others.

Lack Of Expertise

Of all the jobs associated with developing and running websites, the one which I find most challenging is the creation of graphics for my websites. Like many people, I am not particularly artistic. Also, some of the top-end graphics programs, such as PhotoShop, have a very steep learning curve, as well as being relatively expensive.

The general lack of graphics skills is very evident when you look at the many websites built by amateurs. They really haven’t grasped the importance of having a well-presented website. If they are selling something, they are unlikely to gain the confidence of potential customers. Would you buy from a person who cannot present a professional appearance on their website? Probably not!

The Need For Website Graphics

A major reason is to make the web pages more readable. A big block of text is harder to read than one where the text is broken up by good-quality, relevant images. This applies to blogs and content-rich sites as well as those aiming to sell something. People will not stay on a website if it is difficult to read.

Good quality images are also important to give a clear picture of something that it being sold on a website. Even if it is a digital product, delivered electronically, an image of a book cover or a software box can greatly increase the chance of making a sale.

Hiring A Graphic Designer

I do this when I can spare the money, when I need an exceptionally high quality graphic - and when I can wait the days and weeks for a graphic to be prepared.

Then there’s the question of how to find a good graphic designer. They will need to have the skills to produce graphics for the web, which are different in some respects from the skills needed for off-line graphics. Also, since each designer has a different approach to design, you’ll need to ensure that you like their particular style. Have a look at the work which they have done - and make sure that they can do the work for you to meet your own deadlines. You don’t want to be waiting for the designer to complete the work before you launch your site.

Using Pre-Made Graphics

All over the web you will find sources of pre-made graphics, such a banner headers, bullets, buttons and royalty-free photographs

The trouble is that the same graphics get used time and again on different websites, and people will soon realise that you are a “cheapskate”! Not a good impression to make! Of course, you can use your graphics software to modify pre-made graphics. If you want to make certain that your website stands out, you need to have access to valuable content that is relatively unique. But again, changing graphics takes time and skill. Like many people, I am short of both of these!

Also, it can be quite hard to track down the good sources of ready-made graphics. A lot of the stuff on the web is pure rubbish!

My Solution To Creating Graphics For Websites

I’ve been a professional webmaster since 1996, and so I’ve spent a lot of time tracking down good web-based sources of graphics. And in recent months, I’ve found web-based services which go a long way beyond just providing clip art and royalty-free photographs

Some of these online services are quite remarkable. There are services which let you create your own badges, buttons and banners without needing artistic skills. There are services which let you do amazing transformations of existing photographs. There are sites which let you design your own website and blog templates. The list goes on - and new online graphics services are appearing almost daily.

And they are all completely free!

I started off by just having a list of these services. Then, I found it easier to bundle them into a bit of software that I built so that I could quickly select and use these website graphics services. I made sure that I could update this software easily as I located new services.

Before long, my friends found out what I’d done and asked me if they could have a copy of this software. They said that it was amazing and why didn’t I try to sell it. The rest, as they say, is history, and it’s become one of the most popular pieces of software that I’ve produced in my “Webmasters CheatKit” range.