Graphics

One of the things that I miss about the old web is all the wonderful graphics that were used in personal webpages. I think they all had an awesome look, from the pages that looked like a graphics directory threw up on them to the ones that had a very tied together look because they were created using a coordinating webset. This also makes me nostalgic because my mother was an artist at heart. One of the things she got really into was creating graphics using Paint Shop Pro and other programs.

I've found a bunch of sites that have "linkware" graphics. Many of them have not been updated for a decade or more. I'm not entirely sure if all of these websets will be functional with today's internet. Many of them were made for a different resolution and many involve tables. But have fun and look at these treasures I've found!

• Gerlinda.com - this is one of the few old school graphic websites I've come across that seems to be current. Her sets come as a zip file with all the elements included. She has both holiday and regular websets.


• Green Goddess Graphics - linkware websets created using artwork from various artists. Not all of her links appear to be working - several of them go to the same page on her site (looks like a template page maybe). Also, the download files are hosted at a site I'm not familiar with - ripway.com - and my connection keeps getting reset when I try to get to it. This may be one site where, if the style interests you, just view the page source and see how it's done.


• Graphic Gifts - Another one gone! As of 3/18/23, the landing page this goes to says the domain name is either expired or pending renewal. For now, I've subbed a Wayback Machine link. Snowglobes, calling cards, background sets. Graphics can be saved from the page. There are zip file links, too, that appear to work.


• Robin's Web - theme sets, animations, psychedelic tiled backgrounds. The graphics are in a password protected directory to stop people from linking directly. The theme sets are pretty neat but appear to be created using tables. As much as I like theme sets, her psychedelic tiled backgrounds are pretty cool and she has sample text in various colors so you can see what will show up well on that background.


• Webbnutt Designs - another site with websets using tables, tiled backgrounds, button sets, a gif collection. There are 4 divider bar links but those go to a 404 page. This website was last updated in 2007.


• Stargazer's Galaxy - Page sets - you are instructed to email her for the zip file and right click has been disabled. The latest date I saw on the graphics pages was 2004, so I have my doubts an email will be successful. There are ways to get around right click disabled. There are also graphics sections on buttons and bars, calling cards, and adoption graphics.


• Iron and Ivy Designs - Lots of page sets - many made with nested tables. Also some cool interface sets. She does have download links to a zip file for the sets which appear to be in working order and she details which fonts she has used. The latest date I see on these is 2002.


• Graphics by Mindy - Button sets, border backgrounds, tile backgrounds and web sets. The latest updated date I've found on this site is 2002.


• TC Designs - websets with download links for a zip file that appears to be working. There are also desktop wallpapers for download.


• Aspirations to Sweetness - very cool websets, a lot of them jeweled. My mom would have gone bananas for these. The sets seem to come in either side bordered or framed varieties and come with a notice that they were created in 1999 for an 800x600 resolution. You can right click and download the page elements.


• Domynoes - websets, suites (they have a splash page), journal pages, one Halloween themed interface set. Sets have a link to a zip file which appears to be in working order.


• Regina's Design Sets - 21 pages of websets in all themes! Zip file links appear to be in working order. There are also "gifts" - pretty little badges you can download and give to someone.


• 4YEO.com - This was such a cool little site that had all kinds of graphics. I recently went here looking for something and found it replaced with a 404 page. Such sadness! But, you can still look at what they had by looking it up on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine.


• Until Then Graphics - Linkware and purchaseware although I suspect this may be a forgotten site - the copyright is from 2001. However, the download link I tried did work and while some of the sets suggest you email for the zip file, they also encourage you to "Save As".


• Jade Cat Graphics - Free linkware, both websets, buttons and bars. Copyright claims 2022 but last time the page was updated was 2010.


• Blackat's Free Web Graphics - Another abandoned site, last updated in January of 2000. Graphics can be downloaded via zip file (I tried one and it worked) or you can copy images. Lots of different themed websets, tiled backgrounds and some buttons, bullets, bars and clip art offerings.


• Sets by Andy - Themed websets and various backgrounds - tiled, butterfly, floral and textured.


• Freshette's Holiday Pages - Loads of themed graphics for holidays and also graphics of butterflies, hats and all sorts of other things. Despite the copyright stating 2022 it looks like the last time it was updated was 2007, which seems about right for the style of graphics.


• Links Central - I was looking specifically for Halloween graphics when I stumbled on this site but it has graphics for every season and occasion. The previews will look like colored squares with nothing in them but once you click on them and it opens to the page, it's all there. No idea when this is from, how old it is or when it was last tended to.


• Crystal Cloud Graphics - Lovely site full of old school websets. The site "specializes in religious, spiritual and esoteric web theme graphics." Her sections include world religions (Hinduism, Judaism, Taoism, Islamic, Christianity, Buddhism), Other Religious and/or Cultural Traditions (Egyptian Pantheon, Celtic Tradition, Greek Pantheon, Native American, Goddess, Wiccan) and Miscellaneous Themes (Angels, Astrology, World Peach, Ecology, Religious Holidays).


• Halley Creative - 8 web sets and a variety of backgrounds. If you hover on the background, the whole page changes to that particular one. It's nice to be able to see how it will look on a whole page! Pretty sure this is a forgotten site - last date I could find on it was 2003.


• Silvercloud's Designs - Many web sets available in themes including dragons, kittens, jeweled, unicorns, floral, mermaids, angels, fairies. Some sets are bordered and some are multilayer backgrounds. Last updated in 2001.


• Marvelicious Free Designs - Tons of both sets and bordered backgrounds in a lot of different themes: angels, holidays jewels, kitchen, music, children, pets, floral. Last updated in 2009.


• Sonja's Designs - So many websets! Like so many older graphics, these look *great* in a 1024 resolution. Tile sets, table sets, double borders - there is just a ton to check out.


• Fantasy Graphics - I feel like I've found the motherlode of sci fi/fantasy graphics. We have Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fantasy/SF RPG (Herridon, Magefire, Northmarch, Alpha Bangaris, The Broken Lands), Planet Sign, Zodiac, Sailor Moon and Dragonball Z. These sets are left-bordered and come with blank buttons. This is definitely an abandoned site. They were going to move to their own domain but that is a dead link. This is an angelfire site so if you see anything here that interests you, you might want to grab it because there's no telling how long it will be up.


• CatStuff Graphics - I used this site back in the day when I had my first personal site. There are SO MANY CAT GRAPHICS - buttons, bars, animations, websets, backgrounds, icons, blinkies. It's amazing! 2012 is the lastest date I see on the website so it looks to have been abandoned/forgotten.


• Ritual Myth - many linkware websets, several with roll over mouse interfaces. There are sets inspired by fantasy worlds, science fiction, steampunk. The last date on this site is 2008.


• Per-medjed Designs - nice assortment of linkware websets in varying themes: historical, ancient cultures, cultural, floral and nature. The webset pages ask that you email for the .zip file but you can right click the page elements. Last updated in 2003.


• Castleberry Arts - Abandoned site (last updated in 2004) with linkware websets in many themes: angel, animals, artist, Christian, country, cute, floral, hearts, nature, Victorian. You can download the sets directly from the site and the one that I tried worked so hopefully the rest of them do, too!


• Kittekat Design - Lots of linkware webset offerings. I think this is the first time I've seen "Elephants" as its own category.

• Diabella Loves Cats - unlike many of these sites, Diabella's site was active at least up to last year. Vintage cat graphics, cat calling cards, and a whole lot more.


• Websets by Lynn - I was surprised to find something current in the webset offering department, but maybe I shouldn't have been. These are reminiscent of the old school 90's and early 2000s websets. You can also find backgrounds, buttons and other graphics.


• GifCities: The GeoCities Animated Gif Search Engine - This is a project from the Internet Archive. They attempted to archive as much of GeoCities as they could. There are bazillions of graphics here!


• Glitter Graphics - All the glitter, all the time. Great selection of glittery graphics.


• Marie B's Designs - Lots of old school style graphics and websets. She does have some free graphics and some linkware sets but it looks like most of the web sets are for purchase. I'm on the fence as to how up-to-date this site is because her contact email address is a hotmail account but her copyright is 2023. Maybe check into things first if you're thinking of purchasing any graphics.


• DymunArt Creations - This link takes you directly to the webset selection, which is linkware. But check out the rest of her site. She has some tutorials, other clip art and graphics which aren't complete sets, and I'm not sure what a scrap kit is in reference to web graphics but she has those, too. Her latest blog entry was from June 2022 so I think even though this looks pretty old school it's kept up-to-date.


• Graphic Garden - This site has a few free websets and a whole lot of graphics for sale. These are really cute teddy bear sets. There are also a lot of free printables - recipe cards, note paper, sstationery and more.