| Web page backgrounds are to web sites | | | | free clip art sites when they first |
| what wallpaper is to your computer's | | | | decide to use a background on their web |
| desktop: a great way to add a background | | | | page. That's exactly what I did for my |
| image, texture or pattern to your | | | | first web site and the results were, |
| virtual presence on the Web. Regardless | | | | well, somewhat uneven. What they |
| of whether you use a PC or a Mac, adding | | | | frequently lack is a truly first class |
| or changing your desktop's wallpaper is | | | | image that doesn't show any seams as the |
| a simple point-and-click exercise. But | | | | image tiles across the browser window. |
| adding a background to a web site | | | | You may also discover that the web page |
| requires a little more than basic | | | | backgrounds on clip art sites are often |
| point-and-click skills. Luckily, | | | | just too garish or even worse, too |
| changing a web page's basic white | | | | tacky. |
| background into something more appealing | | | | While researching this article, I found |
| doesn't have to qualify as rocket | | | | it fascinating that a fairly large |
| science. | | | | percentage of people trolling the search |
| The most demanding of these is to create | | | | engines for "web page backgrounds" are |
| your own backgrounds. To do this, you'll | | | | actually looking for a professionally |
| need to have a basic knowledge of some | | | | designed web page template. |
| kind of graphic design software, so you | | | | The third way to ensure that your web |
| can create the good-looking GIF or JPEG | | | | page will have a great-looking |
| images your backgrounds will need. | | | | background is to start with one of these |
| Although you don't need an expensive | | | | professional-grade templates. These |
| program like Photoshop, if you're a | | | | ready-to-use web templates are not only |
| quick study you can download a free | | | | easy to use and customize, they also |
| 30-day trial copy of Photoshop from | | | | look fabulous and include beautiful |
| Adobe and dive right into the process of | | | | pictures and backgrounds that will |
| creating your own web page backgrounds. | | | | absolutely put your site head and |
| Remember, too, that you'll also need a | | | | shoulders above the competition. If you |
| basic understanding of HTML to add the | | | | start with a template, all that's left |
| HTML tags to your website that will make | | | | is to add relevant content that gives |
| your background images appear. | | | | your site its own unique voice. |
| If you don't feel you should have to | | | | That's why, in the long run, choosing a |
| learn the basics of graphic design to | | | | template is the fastest and easiest way |
| give your web page a background, another | | | | to get your web site up and running |
| approach is to find web page backgrounds | | | | while also giving it the professional |
| on the web. | | | | look you want. |
| Most beginning web masters will head for | | | | |