Course description
Overview: Students will learn concepts and techniques for optimizing images for display on the Internet.
Prerequisites: Completion of the Adobe Photoshop 6.0 Basic Skills 1 and 2 courses, or equivalent knowledge.
Performance-based objectives
Lesson objectives help students become comfortable with the course, and also provide a means to evaluate learning. Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
* Use both Photoshop and ImageReady to create small, efficient Web graphics for fast downloads.
* Understand GIF, JPEG, and PNG file formats to choose the right one for each image.
* Calibrate your monitor, and preview images for both platforms so you can adjust images to optimize their appearance on both Windows and Macintosh computers.
* Control dithering in images, using it when necessary to improve images, and avoiding it at times when it detracts from the quality.
* Use the Web palette appropriately to optimize images for viewing on computers displaying only 256 colors.
* Use Photoshop and ImageReady to create layouts of Web pages, aligning items precisely to one another with guides and a grid.
* Slice complex images into sections, and use ImageReady to generate HTML code that joins the slices together in a table on a Web page, including Java rollovers and URL links.
* Create animated GIF images that combine slow transitions and fast motion effects, while still maintaining small file sizes.
Course content
Lesson 1: Web Image Preparation
HTML and Image Files
Web Image Resolution Units
Controlling File Size
Lesson 2: Optimizing Images
Format Specifications
Optimizing Images
Lesson 3: Preparing for Cross-Platform Viewing
Color Management for the Web
Compensating for Display Differences Across Platforms
Managing Dithering
Lesson 4: Web Page Layout and Slicing
Web Design Uses for Photoshop and ImageReady
Creating a Rough Web Page Layout
Creating Tiled Web Page Backgrounds
Slicing Images
Lesson 5: Animation
Planning Animations
Creating an Animated GIF