There are two important formats you will need to know when working with the World Wide Web.

1. .gif (prounced either "jif" or "gif"). Also known as Graphics Interchange Format. This format was developed by Compuserve and is by far the most popular image format on the World Wide Web.

The Advantages of GIF Files:

The most widely supported graphics format on the Web.
All graphic Web viewers support the GIF format for inlined images.
GIFs of diagrammatic images look better than JPEGs.
GIF supports transparency and interlacing.

2. .jpeg or .jpg(pronounced "j-peg") Also known as Joint Photographic Equipment Group. This is a compressed format which is ideal for photographs and other "natural" color images.

Advantages of JPEG Images

Huge compression ratios are possible, for faster download speeds.
Gives excellent results in most photographs and medical images.
Supports full-color images (24-bit "true color" images).

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Saving a graphic from the web is actually quite simple:

First find a graphic but remember to keep in mind when looking for that perfect picture get permission to use the graphic. A couple of places to read more about copyrights and citing sources would be Purlioning and Pilfering. Another place to go would be Citation. We will be discussing copyright issues more in depth later in the week.
There are many sites on the web wanting you to use their images. A very good place to look would be Free Graphics on the Web.Once you have found the graphic you like continue with the following steps:

  1. Place your mouse on the graphic.
  2. Click using the right mouse button.
  3. Find Save image as.. and click
  4. Now.... Save your image. (drive A.)

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How to insert an image on a page:

To place an image on a page you will need to know the following tag:

<IMG SRC="image.location">

The IMG stands for the image and SRC stands for the source.

Here is another example for inserting an image.

Look at the following tag for inserting the fish below.
<IMG SRC="fish.gif">

Let's say you want to change the size of your image.
This is what your tag should look like.

<IMG SRC="fish.gif"WIDTH=60 HEIGHT=60>

 

Try to keep your picture proportional unless you're looking for a special effect.

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Back to Using Graphics

These pages were developed through TeacherTECH, a teacher-training program sponsored by Boston University's Computer Science Department and Center for Computational Science, in collaboration with TechBoston of Boston Public Schools.
Copyright ©  Judy Woods, TeacherTECH, July 2001