Finding the ideal graphic for you.

If you're looking around for a new tube or desktop background, it's always worth thinking about what sort of image would work best for you. Something subtle, something vivid, perhaps even something that moves! While we offer a whole host of graphics of our own for you whether you're an illustrator, someone looking for a graphic for their new phone from o2.co.uk or someone who's researching this area of art.

But the ideal graphic can be a tough choice, if you know it's what you'll see every single time you use that computer or smartphone. You need to choose wisely! So what criteria should you think about when looking for a new image?

1) Resolution.

It sounds like it won't be a big deal, but you'd be surprised! Having a low-resolution image on your computer desktop looks really horrible, as the image is either too small or simply stretched and pixelated. Look for one that's at least the resolution of your screen, and for larger ones or ones that aren't in proportion, consider doing a little snipping using an image editor.

2) Style.

Is it really colourful and bright, or something subtle to give you a background you don't have to have blasted at you every single time you turn your monitor on. But it can be nice just to have something that fits the room around it, almost like a painting - when you think about it, if your monitor faces the room and is large enough, that's the role it fills easily enough, if it's on.

3) Collection.

Some computers can change backgrounds on a regular interval, so you might enjoy making a collection of them to see something different every five minutes or so. Now all you need to do is go and find a load of great backgrounds, fill up a folder, and you're ready to go! Enjoy yourself!