Adobe Fireworks is a software that lets you edit and create bitmap and vector graphics and images. It is used by Web designers and is part of the Adobe Creative Suite. One of the features it offers is optimizing graphics for the Web. This is a way to alter an image so it will load quickly when placed on the Web.
How Optimization Works
- Optimization is a way of compressing the data in an image file to make the computer file smaller while the image stays the same size. Images in the GIF and JPEG formats are compatible with "lossy" compression, which means that the compressed image will have a slightly lower quality, but the much smaller file size makes the slight loss of detail worth it. Generally, because GIF files have a maximum of only 256 colors, JPEG is the format you want to use for photographs. GIF is a good choice for Web graphics that only use a few colors, such as icons and buttons, and backgrounds that don't contain gradients.
Step One
- With the file open in Fireworks, start the optimization process by clicking on "Export Wizard" in the "File" menu. In the first box that comes up, make sure "Select an export format" is selected and click on the "Continue" button. Then select "The Web" from the list of possibilities in the next box and click on the "Continue" button. In the next box, all you have to do is click on the "Exit" button.
Step Two
- A large window will now appear that lets you set the compression settings. Near the top left, click on the drop-down menu next to "Format" and select "JPEG." Then set the image "Quality" by adjusting the number in the box. 85 is usually a good value to choose, but you can check by looking at the preview of the image over to the right, and above that, you can see what the size of the file will be using that compression value. Adjust the number up for less compression, better quality or down for more compression, lower quality, depending on how it looks.
Step Three
- Click on the "Export" button in the bottom right when you have chosen the best value for compression. Navigate to the folder where you want to save the image and, if desired, type in a new name. If you don't change it, the file will have the same name as the original image, but possibly a different extension if the original file was something other than a JPEG. Make sure to re-name the file if you started out with a JPEG, because you don't want to original file to be overwritten. Click on "Okay" to save the file.
