Banners! Whether you like them or not, they have become an important cog in the internet machine.

'I want a banner, what do I do?'

There are no right or wrong ways to make banners. While several 'standard' sizes have evolved, and there are general recommendations re file size and palette, it still remains largely up to you and the method you intend using to put your banner in the public eye.

Getting Started - Less is More!

1. Have a clear and simple message
2. Have clear and simple graphics
3. Keep the file size to a minimum (< 10k)
4. If it's animated, keep it short (< 10secs)
5. If it's animated pay attention to speed and timing
6. Check all requirements before designing!

What you'll need:

An Image Editor
If you don't have one already, there are many Image Editors available. Illustration tools such as FreeHand or Illustrator are also excellent tools for creating banners.

A GIF Animator
There are many GIF Animation tools available on the web, both free and shareware. Be warned, most come with way too many gadgets that only make them harder to learn, and bloat your banners with too many special effects.

One of CCC's favorites is Ulead's GIF Animator. It's well priced and very easy to use.

There are also a range of hybrid tools such as Macromedia's FireWorks and Adobe's Image Ready that let you design and animate (amongst other things) in one application. The choice is yours!

[ to step 2 - adding animation ]

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