This document provides basic information about finding and using clip art in your print publications. Clip art is
any canned illustration that can be used in your desktop publishing
projects to add graphic elements to the page. Clip art is
copyright-free, that is, you don't have to ask permission of the artist
to use it.
Another great way to make your desktop publishing project look even
more professional is to use the official Corporation logos as part of
your design. See below for more information on this.
Don't Reinvent the Wheel
One of the most powerful assets you have is your desktop publishing
software. Most desktop publishing programs have many features, such as
wizards, templates, and clip art that can help you organize and produce
effective materials.
Note of Caution About Copyright
Copyright infringement is serious business. Just because something
is available on the Internet or on a CD-ROM does not mean you can use
it freely. This applies to content, graphics, and HTML code. Always
check copyright guidelines, get permission, and cite your sources when
necessary.
Where to Get Clip Art
There are many sources of clip art:
- Your desktop publishing or word processing software may come with a library of clip art
- You can purchase CD-ROMS that contain clip art libraries
- Some images for print can be downloaded from the Internet
- You can find it in printed books (like the Dover series) and then use a scanner to create an electronic version
File Formats
Graphic images (and, therefore, clip art) come in a number of
different file formats, often indicated by the filename extension. Here
are some common types of graphic file formats:
- TIFF (Tagged Image File Format), one of the most widely supported formats
- EPS (Encapsulated PostScript), used by the PostScript language
- WMF (Windows Metafile Format), used for exchanging graphics between Microsoft Windows applications
- GIF (Graphics Interchange Format), used by the World Wide Web
- JPEG (Joint Photographers Expert Group), used by the World Wide Web
Corporation-Related Logos
The Corporation has available on their website, all of the
official logos for Senior Corps, AmeriCorps and Learn & Serve
America programs. A graphic standards manual is also available for
download. Visit the Corporation website.
Clip Art Resources
Tudogs -
A large directory of free software, including clip art. One caveat,
though, is that a lot of the free clip art on the Web is appropriate
for Web use only.
ClipArt.com
Graphics Galore
Open Clip Art Library
Clip Art from the Association for Volunteer Administration
FreeImages.com - Free for personal for commercial use, from Britain
FreeFoto.com - Free for personal use, a fee for commercial use, from Britain
Morgue File - Vague terms of use, appears to be free for personal or commercial use
Senior Corps Photo Gallery -
From the The National Service website's "10 Years Serving America"
section. |
