Here are some tips you can use to create the smallest possible graphics files:
* Minimize dimension and maximize crop.
* Minimize the initial number of colors.
* Choose your colors from the non-dithering palette.
* Use aliased sans-serif fonts like Geneva, Chicago. Anti-aliasing increases the number of colors.
* Use flat, horizontal areas of color: avoid gradations of color, especially large, gradual ones which are radial or horizontal, and have a large shift in hue and/or tint.
* Use histogram influencing to optimize and minimize palettes.
* Reduce the resolution to 72 dpi as your last step.
* Group multiple graphics into one CLUT.
* Use multiple small graphics and/or backgrounds instead of one large graphic.
Techniques:
Experiment; different graphic artists use different techniques:
* Try first reducing to 256 colors in Debabelizer and then reduce again to between 8 and 32 colors with Debabelizer's own Reduce Colors algorithm.
* Try working with a monochromatic palette, differing shades of the same color.
* Avoid dithering altogether by selecting a specific palette of 16 to 32 colors.
* In another approach, which could be called "painterly," you choose 4 to 5 colors, create your image with anti-aliased tools and save as, reducing colors to 16 or 32 colors.
* To flatten and reduce colors you can deliberately posterize your image before reducing it. This is also a good way to preview different numbers of colors.
* For anti-aliased images that will have a transparent background make the background similar to the background you will use on your page. This will keep a halo from showing around the edges.
* Use HEIGHT and WIDTH on images to speed display.
