Transparent Images for the Web and Print

For transparent images that you have extracted fromarea of the image, which you have chosen to be
your photos, the next step is to choose where you'retransparent are filled with the same background color
going to post them. There are several options: youor texture as the web page. Many designers use this
could either post the images on the Web for yourespecially when image is placed on a colored
website, on a page layout application, or on abackground where alignment is feasible.
presentation program.Your image to a page layout application.
Your image to the Web.Applications like InDesign, QuarkXpress, or Pagemaker
If your image is going to be posted on the web, itare often used for page layouts. You have three
should be in GIF, PNG or "Fake Transparency" withapplications to choose from:
JPEG.- Use the Adobe native PSD format when you need
GIF is the original format with transparency support forto retain transparency among Adobe applications.
the web. A disadvantage when using GIF is that the- Use Embedded Paths (EPS) as most desktop
image can have color shifts, posterization andpublishing applications accept the EPS format. In
distortion, particularly on those with high color densities.addition, EPS images support the use of embedded
In addition, GIF only supports 1-bit transparency. Thisclipping paths. However, when used for transparency,
would be a problem for images with partialthe isolated object can only have hard edges, and
transparency because each pixel is either completelyagain, it doesn't support partial transparency.
transparent or not. Enhancements like smooth drop- Use Alpha Channels (TIFF) when you want to define
shadows that fade away gradually may not betransparency in shades of gray. For page layout
feasible.applications, the TIFF format is used for images with
PNG, on the other hand, is developed as an answer toalpha channel transparency.
the limitations of GIF. It allows high color and partialYour image to a presentation program.
transparency with the use of alpha channels. However,When the image is going to be used in a presentation
the downside to this application is that there are stillprogram such as PowerPoint for on-screen display,
many browsers being used today that do not supportPNG is usually the ideal choice. However, this only
PNG.works if your presentation program supports PNG.
"Fake Transparency" with JPEG works where the