Have you seen the latest craze in commercials? You know, where the guy looks like a cartoon and is transformed into a real person at the end? Or, how about those banner ads on the web, that grab your attention? All are examples of what motion and vector graphics are all about.

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Motion graphics can add pizzazz to your web site, just don't overdo it! Too much Flash can really be annoying to the average web site visitor. Not enough, and you could loose the visual interest that could keep that customer coming back.

What you need to consider before using Motion Graphics:

• Time: Motion Graphics can translate into huge files, which take time to load. There really are folks out there that use computers with dial-up modems.
• Cost: Motion Graphics also take time to create, and may triple your site cost.Many designers charge by the unit (FPS), which translates in dollars-per-second. If you consider the average commercial is 30 seconds, that could equal big money!
• Purpose: What message are you sending with the movement?

If you really want the movement, ask your designer about the alternatives to FLASH that may be a better fit for you and your potential customers. If you want both, consider that developing an optional link where customers can choose between HTML and FLASH means that you are developing two sites.

Rule of thumb:
Graphics should add to, not over-take, the visual impact of your site

Motion Graphics

Motion Graphics are those images on web sites that have movement, sound, or both. These are developed through many different software programs. Flash is one of the more popular software programs for web sites, but there are several programs that can create motion. Basically, it is a combination of HTML and other computer languages, such as javascript, that combine to cause a connection between points of graphic placement.

Similar to those old-time flip-books, motion is created by drawing several pictures with the slightest change or position. When stacked and flipped through, it gives the illusion of movement. That is basically what these programs do, create a digital flip-book. The difference is that they compile your flip-book in seconds versus hours of drawing, stacking and testing.

Vector Graphics

Vector Graphics are really a sub-factor of Motion Graphics. However, for the sake of simplicity, we separate them to offer a better understanding of the application for the non-graphic savvy customer.

Vector graphics are all of the components that make up an image. How we use these in digital design, is to take the individual components of an image, a photo for example, and convert it into layers or parts.

This enables a designer to manipulate and transform an image into something that can be put into motion; or, altering/adding parts without having to manipulate the original image.