how to create a web optimized jpg with a well preserved smooth gradient

the question is, does anyone know how to accomplish creating a web optimized graphic with a smooth gradient using PS7.

it seems that you will not be able to generate such a graphic using the default settings in photoshop.

I am right now using the maximum number of colors allowable in the 'save for web' optimization tool (which is 256 for both jpg and gif apparently) I know JPGs are the file type for the job generally speaking, but without optimization the JPG is too large to use for a web page header.

I appreciate anyones responses, and I thank you all for the time you may spend in both trying to understand my problem and helping me to resolve it.

Alex

Save for web is as far as I go for gradients. If its too large as an image as a JPG, try a GIF and change the color depth to 128 colors or lower.

Right under the GIF selection, be sure to make the color palette "Selective".

Under Selective, change the dither pattern to "diffusion" or none" and see how it looks.

You can also adjust the quality for JPG files. I usually use 65% quality for graphics.

For GIFs, you can adjust the "lossy" nature of them. Try a 3 or 4% lossy quality and see how it looks. That can also shave off a few KBs.

Thats about as good as you can get with web optimization, unless you change your graphic/gradient into a Macromedia Flash .SWF file. If you have Adobe Illustrator, you can export VERY small-sized gradient .SWF files. Or use Adobe Livemotion or Macromedia Flash itself to make them. Vector gradients save you lots of file size, but then you'd have to include the flash image and hope it looks good and is compatible with the web browsing crowd you are catering too. Luckily, Flash .SWFs are very compatible these days.

Mr Bogus.... I have a newb question for you.
How did you make your signature the way it is... Im talking about the wave thing.

I cant figure that out on PS7,
Thanks ahead...

What I created for my sig was actually done in Adobe Illustrator. The same with my avatar. While I love Photoshop, I currently love Illustrator a tad more.

The sig is just a length of squares, then I used Kai's Vector Tools plug-in for Illustrator and 3D transformed them. I then used Illustrator's native warp tool to twist the resulting vectors.

The text underneath was done with the path type tool in Illustrator.

Then I "saved for web" in Illustrator, and saved it as a transparent GIF with a gray matte to blend better with this message board.

So yeah. No wonder you couldn't find out how to do something similar to my sig in PS7.

heh... I used a blue and white gradient for my button and saved it at 80% Gif and it turned out like square blocks. (Pixels, chunky ones) LOL, then I just got mad so just let it at 100%, takes like 5 secs each button but o well...

It look like your gradient is the backgornd of your header (with texte (or an image) over it...

Try to place your gradient in a cell (as the backgornd of this cell so you could add text and imges over it) since background images can be reapeted as nedded your background only need to a a pixel tall (if you gradient goes from on side to the other) in this case the file will be smaller to load...even at maximum quality!

Another great trick is tu use Dhtm to generate your gradient... take a look at this script...
http://www.dynamicdrive.com/dynamicindex11/gradient.htm

hope this help you....