5. Image

Web design is a dynamic field where text and visual elements must coexist harmoniously. Among these, images arguably stand as the second most critical element, used frequently to enhance the aesthetic appeal and communicative effectiveness of web pages. An image can be manipulated in various ways to complement your page's overall design.

A webpage's image gallery is created with multiple instances of the image element. Clicking on an image reveals an options toolbar. For complex structures, columns or gallery elements can be utilized. To add an image, navigate to 'Add elements', then 'Media', and choose 'Image'. Drag and drop the image onto the page, which displays a placeholder image, ready for your preferred picture upload.

Let's dive into image resizing. Image handles allow you to easily resize images by clicking, holding, and dragging. Top, bottom, and side handles crop the image, while corner handles resize the entire image. For more control over dimensions, 'Settings' offers width and height adjustment. Setting both to 100% ensures the image stretches to fill its container, maintaining the aspect ratio. However, switching to pixel dimensions provides more precision, though the image will not automatically upsize when you expand the column.

Images can be displayed as custom or original. The 'Zoom' function permits image magnification, and the 'Focal Selector' ensures a particular part of the image remains the focal point across all devices. Other image controls include lightbox integration, application of filters or hover filters, and a 'Mask' feature, great for adding graphic design elements.

The color controls offer the option of an overlay, providing an artistic flair. Gradients can be added, with control over linear or radial displays and gradient radius. Additionally, you can specify different hover effects. A border can be added for a frame-like effect, with customizable sizes for each side.

The image can serve as a clickable element, linking to URLs, blocks, pop-ups, or file downloads. Alignment options allow you to position the image as desired, and typical styling effects, duplication, and deletion are available.

Importantly, ensure to optimize your image for tablet and mobile displays. Each device locks in the display settings, offering a truly responsive design. Thus, mastering the image element in web design opens up a plethora of opportunities to create engaging, dynamic, and visually stunning web pages.