Creating a "web ready" design?

[andyapc]

I need to create a small graphic for display on a website - it will basically be all text that will serve as a link to another website. There is no need to print it out or do anything with it other than have it on a particular website so that someone can click on it and be brought to another website.

I am so used to creating at 200-300 resolution for printing. I've never created anything to be used solely on a website.

I feel so dumb asking this, but how do I start? Do I create at 72 resolution? How do I figure out my dimensions - in inches or pixels?

Wait, I just realized that I created my DIP & PSCS blinkies - but now I can't remember how I did it!! I need this graphic to be slightly larger than my DIP blinkie, I think. Do I create at 200-300 resolution and shrink it down to 72??

OMG - can you suffer from short term memory loss at 37?! :eek:

[Margie]

yes, yes you can. :) because i do and i'm not 37! :) just create it at 72 and the size that you want it. i LOVE doing stuff like that because they're so small of course file size-wise, but also because you know exactly what it will look like full size, cause it is full size! :)

[andyapc]

OK - so - if I want it to be 2 inches by 2 inches, then I should create it at 2x2 (inches) at 72?

But when I type my text in, it's all pixelated?? What can I do so that I can see it clearly while I'm working on it? I've tried viewing at "print size" and "actual pixels" and also at "fit on screen" while zooming in on it, but it's all pixelated, no matter how I do it.

[Kristen]

View at 100%. I'd design it at actual pixels. If you can't read the text while you're working on it, you won't be able to read it when you're finished. When I make web graphics, I always work at 72dpi from the start.

[ChariTheRed]

What program are you using?

If you need your graphic to be the size of your blinkie (or about that size) what you can do is open up your blinkie in your program and look at it's information (or properties) and then create your new image based on the pixels given.

Or in this case, I just right-clicked your blinkie and I see it's dimensions are 150 x 70 pixels.

72 dpi is standard for web graphics.

I agree, you should work on your graphic at 100% to get a clear picture of what the final result will be.

[rebecca burkett]

looks like I am on my own here...but I always make my web graphics by starting with a higher resolution. I would increase the size so you don't have that pixelated look. Set your styles or whatever and then flatten..don't forget this part as it sets your styles so they don't change when you resize. Let your software save for web, or if it doesn't do that, set it the the actual size 150px x 70px, 72dpi yourself.

[andyapc]

Well, Rebecca, I'm with you - I've tried to follow the above suggestions, but I'm obviously doing something wrong. I'm working in PSCS.

When I create at 72 resolution and at the actual dimensions, it's so small, I can't see what I'm doing, even at 100%. And I can't seem to do anything to get rid of the pixelation when I'm working on it.

Because of this, I think I'm going to have to create at 300 resolution at a bigger size than what I actually need, and then just resize for the web. So, I guess it's like creating a layout that I will post on the web. :o

[Emma]

I work in 72dpi unless I'm adding a lot of detail. Then I'll use 150 so I can zoom in a little, but always resize to 72 and check it out to make sure it's not mush. Totally up to you. Sometimes styles are distorted when flattened or merged, view at 100% to see if it actually happened or is a zoom-cache issue. If they are bad, flatten the styles first by merging down to a blank layer, then resize the whole flattened image.