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by Roger Cater

If you are like many webmasters today, particularly those who run some form of business online, you have probably thought at some point about the addition of web graphics to your site. Depending on your needs it is often easier to pay a professional designer to do this for you. However this article will focus on the best options available for those wishing to create their own web graphics.

Web graphics is a complex field, and the creation of good web graphics especially for a site that carries the responsibility of need to make money for its owner are usually only attempted by those reasonably proficient in web design.

In fact it is impossible to make a blanket statement as to which web graphics program is the best because how good a program is depends on the desired use of its owner and its ability to suit their needs. Having said that here are a few ideas of what I mean.

If you ask any good web designer you will usually find that they use Macromedia’s Fireworks to create their web graphics. Fireworks is the design equivalent to the popular dreamweaver and allows a user to create graphics from a blank slate with the use of drawing, adding filters, changing visual effects, using hundreds of graphical fonts and much more. Fireworks is basically the top of the range for web graphics creators and as such it is expensive and can be time consuming to use. Because of its extremely in depth nature it is generally though to have a slower learning curve than other programs and it can take time for a user to become proficient in its use. Having said that, anyone who is serious about developing high quality web graphics on a continual basis should be strongly considering the investment in Fireworks.

Another popular choice is Adobe’s Photoshop which enables the user to do many design elements from a blank slate and with photographs that use layers to build up excellent pieces of work. The built in compact system enabling web graphics a breeze and with excellent results. The program is at the higher end of the price market, but is still worth the price tag.

Taking a step down the ladder in web graphics programs we find ourselves at options like Graphical Studio by Xara. Graphical Studio has 4 main modes that between them comprise most of the possible intended tasks of webmasters doing web graphics work. The four areas are drawing and photo work, nav bars and menus, 3D text and graphics. For approximately one 7th of the price Xara’s program will have the beginner designer up and running in a shorter space of time creating most forms of graphics that could be desired in a simpler manner. Navigationally many users still prefer Fireworks to Graphical Studio but for ease of use and money saving, the latter will definitely do the trick at least until the need for higher levels of editing skills arise.

You will find that most of the web graphics programs available fall into one of the above categories: Full of features, excellent software but pricey and harder to learn, or less complex, easier to learn but with fewer features and a cheaper price.

It should be noted as well that ultimately the creation of great web graphics comes down to the experience of the individual and no program can replace the talent that comes from continual practice in the skills of web and web graphic design. Hopefully this information will allow you to enter the world of web graphics software with just a little more confidence.

Roger Cater is the author of this article and allows the article to be reproduced on the condition that the article is published in full including this message and bio below.

Roger Cater has been developing websites and graphics online for many years with excellent results and encourages the use of web graphics on websites and product sales. If you would like excellent custom designed services from Roger visit his website at: http://www.cheapcoverz.com.

About the Author:
Roger Cater has been designing and writing ebooks, ebook covers and digital information since 2003. http://www.cheapcoverz.com
http://www.unique-business-solutions.com