233 TIPS ON GRAPHICS AND VISUAL DESIGN Use color.adobe.com to help determine the color rule to apply. You can see samples of the Analogous, Monochromatic, Triad, Complementary, Compound, and Shades color groupings. If possible, save images as an 8 bit PNG graphic (256 colors). If it doesn’t look perfect, then you can step it up 24 bits (16.7 million colors). Typically, save your PNG images with the Interlace feature turned on. This will allow images to be transported over a network significantly faster. The only time you should use JPG is if it’s a photo graph with no graphics added. The JPG format uses a lossy On the left, a TIFF image; on the right, a JPEG of the same image, reflecting the compression, which means it lossiness the file type is subject to. removes data from the image to make it smaller. This algorithm tends to give graphics jagged edges and creates blocks of color. JPGs are a great format for photos if you don’t need a transparent background. If you do need a transparent background, then save the image as a 24 bit PNG. Phil Cowcill, Canada Department of National Defence 9 www.eLearningGuild.com