Site Graphics

[Andy]

What do you do about adding graphics to a new site you are building?

I tend to create a simple gradient fill for the area to the left and right of the content or use a subtle repeating pattern.

For the header I tend to use a text-like logo and again some gradient fill of color.

When I search for public domain photos to use, they are generally not useful since they are too much like amateur snaps. The stock photos tend to look much better and you can get something more relevant to your needs.

Some of the small sales pages have great graphics on them though. I think are maybe worth paying to get custom work like this done. I might ask my son for a quote 

[Teflon]

I just keep playing around until im happy best thing i ever did was buy photoshop CS3 rather than outsourcing everything.

[Andy]

Yesterday I went out and took photos of some objects. Then I cut these out, scaled them and made the surrounding area transparent. Then I assembled them in layers over a background image to make a nice header graphic. It took a long time but I didn't need to use anyone else's artwork.

[Menard]

I'm both lazy and don't have hundreds to spend on designers or Photoshop.

I just have my old copy of PhotoImpact 6 that cost me $16 and some PLR/MRR packages of headers and graphics that I have manipulated into something hopefully useful.


Examples:


This is pretty much the original header with me just adding text



This is actually quite different from the original PSD file as I had to manipulate, and even remove, several elements



This is just a gif I found online and text created with PhotoImpact



I actually used a free version of Xara Webstyle and a font I downloaded to create this




Yep, nothing too complicated there that a 6 year old couldn't create.

I like PhotoImpact for all of the included extras that allow me to do silly things like add lightning to an image or lighting effects, or any number of other effects with just a click (told ya I was lazy).


If $16 is too much, I could have probably done the above, or close to it, with Photo Clinic and MPrinter, both of which are free.


For backgrounds, I'll go to GRSites and go through their collection and either use them as is or manipulate them.

[Andy]

The snag with PLR etc. is that you need to be able to trace the original permission to use the work, especially when you are showing people's faces.

I feel much more comfortable obtaining photos from public domain resources or taking my own photos. I have used photos of models that happily posed for photos at exhibitions, I am not sure about the laws about using these kind of images.

Also, you can use creative commons images from places such as flickr but tend to have to credit them alongside the image and maybe not alter it.

In conclusion: better to take your own photos and use them. Then you get the chance to sue other people that copy your stuff