Web design- what size for design?

PremierPDS · #1 (**permalink**) 13-05-2008, 16:01

Hi all, yes it's me again, the pain in the posteria lol!

Little ole me is stuck again so if you're looking for a damsel to rescue, you just found her!

Here goes...I'm not used to designing images for the web (only for print) but want to start work on this. However, it seems when I design something and preview it in a browser, it's either too big or too small. So now I'm thinking if I can set up the canvas for the background to the website as one big image it'll enable me to scale things to the appropriate size- get me? What size do I make the canvas? According to my site stats most people are viewing in a resolution of 1024 x 768 x 32 (30.43%) and 1024 x 768 x 16 (21.28%). Although I don't want to exclude the other viewers it makes sense to design it in the resolution most people are viewing it in? Obviously I'll need to take into account the browser window and things so what size do I start designing the background in?

Also, what does the '32' thing mean on the end? I assume this means bits but I know nothing about 'bits'. Can anyone tell me more about this? Does this/will this make any difference in terms of design?

Thanks guys- you're the bestest!

Inzvestor · #2 (**permalink**) 13-05-2008, 16:40

The 32 and 16 is the Resolution settings - it is short for 32bit and 16bit

The colour effect will be dramatic - try viewing pictures with each of the settings enabled - the colours will be more vibrant in 32bit

PremierPDS · #3 (**permalink**) 13-05-2008, 16:43

Thanks Inz, I'll do just that! Any ideas about the size I should be designing in?

Alvin · #4 (**permalink**) 13-05-2008, 16:45

1024 x 768

Alvin

PremierPDS · #5 (**permalink**) 13-05-2008, 16:49

Doesn't work Al coz there's no accounting for the browsers tool bar etc!

If I design in this it makes the images look too big and the site really scrolly which I'm told people don't like!

Alvin · #6 (**permalink**) 13-05-2008, 17:01

Don't understand these are real time figures for browser use.

59% 1280x1024
34.71% 1024x768
13.10% Unknown
22% 1152x864
1.38% 800x600

Alvin

Inzvestor · #7 (**permalink**) 13-05-2008, 17:03

I'd hazard a guess that this is 1440 x 900 (13.10% Unknown)

17" widescreen setting...

freelancer · #8 (**permalink**) 13-05-2008, 20:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alvin

1024 x 768

Alvin

I'd second that

PremierPDS · #9 (**permalink**) 13-05-2008, 20:19

I've tried this though Ben and it doesn't work as you need to take into account the pixels used by the browser

. We were told this in college too when we did the Dreamweaver course but I can't remember what size they told us to design in???

freelancer · #10 (**permalink**) 13-05-2008, 20:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by PremierPDS

I've tried this though Ben and it doesn't work as you need to take into account the pixels used by the browser

. We were told this in college too when we did the Dreamweaver course but I can't remember what size they told us to design in???

I like to go for something like 870 - 900 pixels wide, then use CSS to auto center it. That counts for tollbars in 1024 and wont look too bad on smaller screens