Creating a Clip Art Collection Site

Tips for creating a clip art Web collection site and tips that would be using on any size or type of Web site.

There is a bit more involved in creating a good clip art collection site than just putting images or backgrounds on several pages and uploading them. Ideally, clip art collections will be well organized, have an excellent navigation system for ease in browsing, have pages that are fairly quick to load, and have a highly visible Terms of Usage statement.

There is a bit more involved in creating a good clip art collection site than just putting images or backgrounds on several pages and uploading them. Ideally, clip art collections will be well organized, have an excellent navigation system for ease in browsing, have pages that are fairly quick to load, and have a highly visible Terms of Usage statement.

Original or Web Collected?

Are the images and backgrounds your own original creations? Include this information on your clip art index and in your Terms of Usage statement.

If the images and backgrounds have been collected from the Web, then verify that the images may be placed in collections and freely offered from your site to your visitors. Find out more about Copyright Information and Issues to ensure that you are not in violation of a copyright infringement when using

Organization of Content

Keep your viewers in mind when organizing your clip art collections. A clip art collection site that is well organized and easy to browse will keep your visitors returning. Some sites use a drop down menu system to help visitors get from one clip art topic to another.

Navigational System

A good navigation system is essential and will give your visitors the option move quickly and easily to each section of your collection and site. If you are using an image map, control, or interface for your site navigation system, add a text menu at the bottom of each page for the convenience of lower version browser users. An added bonus to a site expecting, or wanting, many visitors would be to have an email address or a contact page link on each Web page of the site. This might be a good idea of any sized Web site or any type of Web site as the ability to contact the Webmaster without having to go back to the home page or search the site for an email contact link will be appreciated by your visitors.

Placement of the Terms of Usage Statement

Place your terms of usage statement, if possible, near the top of each page of your clip art collection instead of at the bottom of the pages. If your pages are long and take a bit of time to load your visitors may never reach the bottom of your page to read the terms of usage statement.

A few basics that should be very visible on clip art collection pages:

The Terms of Usage: Stated clearly, boldly, and briefly or a bold link to the detailed Terms of Usage page.

The site name on each and every page. For clip art collections pages a text name would be kinder, and quicker loading, than a large graphic image of the site name.

An email address or link to a contact page on each page of the clip art collection site.

Wish List for Clip Art Sites

A good Navigation System

A quick, simple, and visible navigation system on each page.

No frames! Not for your clip art collection pages-- ever! If you must use fames, Keep them simple, and small and do NOT use more than two. When using frames for a clip art collection site, give your visitors a choice of viewing the collection on framed or on unframed pages.

Place your clip art collection on very light or dark backgrounds. Do not use ornate textures or patterns. Keep your page design, titles, and menu system simple, easy to read, and quick to load.

No Midi or other audio. Clip art collection pages are slow loading. Midi or audio files will slow them down further. If you must have Midi files on clip art collection pages, please code the audio OFF. The visitor then has the choice to play the audio by turning the audio ON. There is nothing more irritating than to hear the beginning of an audio file over, and over, and over again when surfing from one page to another on your site while browsing for a specific clip art image.

More On This Site

Finding Clip Art
Original Events Clip Art
Original Holidays Clip Art
Original Special Occasions Clip Art
Photo Clips and Photographs
Clip Art Glossary
Tutorials and Help Center
Blog Archives

Please email me to recommend a site, or with questions, comments and suggestions.
webclipart.guide@about.com

© Bobbie Peachey. All rights reserved.

Free Web Clip Art Newsletter!Sign Up