WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

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Re: Web accessibility and usability

for

From: Web Aim
Date: Oct 31, 2004 11:30AM








An Artists Point of View.

As an artist I really need to use longer
descriptions than is possible using a simple ALT atribute. Considering
longdesc is not totally supported I use a link to a full description at the
bottom of each page.

On my art web design site I have section called
"Pictures we can all see" which has an example of alternative description of a
paint box for sale in a web shop.
<A
href="http://www.profwebsite.com/imagine/shop.html">http://www.profwebsite.com/imagine/shop.html
and of craft items at
<A
href="http://www.profwebsite.com/imagine/smallitems.html">http://www.profwebsite.com/imagine/smallitems.html

This level of description is essential for
selling art and craft items to non graphics viewers but also very useful to all
users.

For any complex graphic, especially photographs
that can vary so much in quality on the Web media, using extented descriptions
can be useful for pointing out important features that may be overlooked at
first glance.

The whole article which is aimed at accessibility
for art websites can be seen at
<A
href="http://www.profwebsite.com/imagine/bloodbottler.html">http://www.profwebsite.com/imagine/bloodbottler.html


On my Friends of Beamish Museum site Home Page I show a photograph and use
both a short ALT and also use a TITLE:
alt="Friends erecting a sign." title="One of the many jobs the Friends do is
to repair, paint and erect signs in the Museum.
With text as follows...
"Photograph: Three good Friends of Beamish erecting a sign they have restored
for the Museum." and (link)<A
title="Alternative text for the picture of Friends erecting a sign"
href="http://www.friendsofbeamish.co.uk/homealt.html#alt1">With an alternative
picture description for non graphics or blind users.
See <A
href="http://www.friendsofbeamish.co.uk/index.html">http://www.friendsofbeamish.co.uk/index.html
The extended (real alternative) description is
on a seperate page but I will be moving it to the bottom of the
page.

APPROPRIATE is the word I would use when
deciding on the many possible uses of the ALT attribute.
There is lots written on the Web on the subject but
this is from my own point of view as an artist presenting
mostly graphical work to the widest possible audience. Blind people DO buy
art!

Joe Bosher.