Graphics can enhance a website or, if you're not careful, send users running away.  A few general tips to start with:

  • Think small:  Don't just upload the pictures right out of your digital camera onto a webpage.  Instead, create thumbnails (small versions of the pictures) that link to the larger versions and let your users know how big the large ones are.
  • Don't include too many animations.  All that dancing and blinking can make it tough to focus on the content of your page.
  • One carefully chosen graphic can be much more effective than a page filled with graphics.  If you're creating a list of newspapers, avoid the urge to include a picture along with each link. Put a graphic of a newspaper at the top of the page and be done with it.

The Buddy Project web design tutorial has an excellent section on graphics that includes basic information and an extensive list of clip art sites:  http://www.buddyproject.org/tool/design/3graphics.asp

The Library of Congress has many Civil War photographs, most of which are in the public domain: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/cwphtml/cwphome.html

Pictures of the Constitution, Declaration of Independence as well as loads of historical photos, most of which are in the public domain, can be found at the National Archives and Records Administration: http://www.archives.gov

The Smithsonian Institution website suggests you may use photos from their website provided they are unaltered on a personal website that has not advertising: http://www.si.edu/

Yellowstone National Park offers a variety of public-domain images for use without permission: http://www.nps.gov/yell/press/images/index.htm

A group of public domain images: http://www.pdimages.com/web6.htm


Creating Your Own:  While most amateur web designers are happy to use someone else's images, you may want to try your hand at creating your own.  There are a variety of software packages to help you and many offer trial versions. 

CWSApps offers a reviewed list of the major graphic editing packages including links to downloads: http://cws.internet.com/32webimage.html

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