Chapter 3. Adding Graphics

In This Chapter

  • Creating and optimizing images for the Web

  • Inserting and aligning images

  • Editing images

  • Including a background image

  • Using image maps

No matter how great the writing may be on your Web site, the graphics always get people's attention first. The key to making a good first impression is to use images that look great, download quickly, and are a good fit with the design of your Web site.

If you're familiar with using a graphics-editing program, such as Adobe Photoshop or Fireworks, to create graphics for the Web, you're a step ahead. If not, you find pointers throughout this chapter on how to convert images for the Web, what image formats to use, and how to optimize images for faster download times.

If your images are already in GIF, JPEG, or PNG format and ready for the Web, you can jump ahead to the "Inserting Images in Dreamweaver" section, where you find out how to place and align images, create image maps, and use an image as a background. You also discover some of Dreamweaver's built-in image-editing features, which enable you to crop images and even adjust contrast and brightness without ever launching an external image-editing program.

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