We’ve recently stumbled upon ClipArtLord, a website that acts as a clip art repository. Well, not exactly. Rather, the site manager handpicks graphics from other sources, adds some useful descriptions, and thoughtfully mentions wherever each graphic was originally posted.
That said, ClipArtLord is still a great way to discover pre-made images that you can freely use to decorate your own websites and other online presences.
The Pros: Nice collection!
While ClipArtLord doesn’t boast the number of collections found in more popular sites, such as Flickr and Pixabay, new additions are uploaded on a daily basis. Full descriptions accompany every image, providing suggestions as to what application that each of them is perfect for and what restrictions, if any, limit their use. Downloading is as easy as right-clicking the desired picture and then clicking Save Image As. Every description ends with a reference to every clip art’s original source, giving users more online places to search for clip arts.
Given that every addition appears to be manually selected, we can say that the person(s) responsible truly has a great taste. Save a very few exceptions, the graphics that have been chosen for display in ClipArtLord are visually appealing, although their degree in quality is really a matter of personal taste. They don’t have the outdated 1990’s style but instead come with a refreshing, modern look. Many of them are also uploaded in large sizes so they don’t appear pixelated if you want to use them in their default dimensions.
Visitors can also appreciate that ClipArtLord does not require registration to avail the images. In fact, there’s no option for member sign-ups at all. You can readily view and just download any picture as you visit the site. Most clip arts available belong to the public domain, which means anyone can use them at no cost either personally or commercially. However, common courtesy dictates that you must at least attribute the artist or web source.
The Cons
Indeed, we’ve mentioned a lot of positive things, but ClipArtLord is not without flaws. To start with, the dark and rather goth-looking theme used for the website frankly looks out of place. It doesn’t blend well with the clip arts, the categories—such as birthdays, nature, and babies—of which have a positive vibe in them.
The layout, while simple and doesn’t confuse users, only has basic functionalities. Every page only lists a maximum of 10 images; there’s no option to see the pictures in a grid view sans text descriptions. And yes, there’s a search engine that you can use to easily find clip arts, but if you don’t use the right keywords, you will only get very few results. There aren’t any advanced search filters, such as to show only in the results pictures with a specific primary color, file type, size, etc. This is just a wild guess, but the limitations of the simple layout are actually a way for the site owners to force you to stay in ClipArtLord longer than you should. After all, the increased page views are how the owners earn more income from ad impressions.
If you’re after animated clip arts, then you’ll be sorely disappointed. As of this review, only twenty-three (23) small, animated, GIFs are available.
Another thing we noticed is that it doesn’t have an about page or contact page which is one of the most important pages of a website. Also, the very small logo in the center is too small which is not that good for branding as visitors will barely remember it.
Wrap Up
But even with its drawbacks, ClipArtLord is still a valuable resource for quality clip arts. It probably doesn’t have all the graphics that you need, but at least it isn’t tight-lipped in promoting other clip art repositories. Visit them at ClipArtLord.com.
Link takes me to wallpapers.com
good clip arts but I don’t like the design of the website.