making your own design

[laagmatt]

who here is good at making their own layouts or designs?

I'm talking about typing out the code, not having a program do it for you.

What methods do you use?

[688206002]

well, anyone can be good at coding but the design/layout actually pertains more to the visual appearance of the site... which involves extensive graphics nowadays... magicdka seems to be pro at that

i hand code all of my pages (in HTML-Kit... as it has some nice plug-ins that save me from doing redundant work) and I make my layouts in PS and IR.

There are many other threads related to this in the forum, I suggest you take a look at some of them; you'll have your questions answered a lot faster that way :)

[mahangee]

I basically do a layout either in DreamWeaver, NotePad or PhotoShop. Then I just babble all my code into it.

[meow]

i'm not good at designing stuff, self-learner. at least not as good as everyone else here -- eg Magicdka, Iecep... :rolleyes:
i use notepad(not really, should be text edit, a mac kind of notepad) to code. for the graphics, i use photoshop, fireworks and illustrator, i'm quite happy with them.

[undacuvabruva]

Well i used to use NotePad
until i got Dream weaver
its soo much easier.
anyways, im learning how do design and code templates now. SO that will change to photoshop soon. very soon.
if only MagicDKA would write that tutorial.

[iecep]

OMG, pls dont consider me as to be in Magicdka's level...Im just noob...altho' i love tinkering w/ photoshop...thanks anyway...

as for the topic, design usually needs a graphic software for you to really appreciate it, coding- I use Frontpage...and to troubleshoot or further customize the code I use Frontpage's code view or the ever trustworthy NOTEPAD! :)

[crimsonmoon]

What are steps one takes to design a template with photoshop.

[undacuvabruva]

Originally posted by crimsonmoon@Oct 25 2004, 09:42 AM
What are steps one takes to design a template with photoshop.
3275

Ok, i didn't understand what you just said.
Did you mean
what is step one to designing a template in photoshop?
Oh... now i see
What are the steps that a person would take to design a template in PS

Well first you have to have a layout
Basically just draw a picture with all the little buttons drawn on, they don't have to be all separate layers, but it helps with editing if you would want to do that
Draw in all your boxes and stuff like that
It would look like that.
Work on that a while, then have someone else tell you how to slice it cuz you don't want my advice there

Here is a cool template that was designed by MagicDKA
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/MagicReaK/Template.gif

[Lord Magicdka]

this is off topic but why does everyone call me MagicDKA..are you like yelling DKA or what? My name is pronounced Magic and then D , then K, then A, I hope your not constipated or anything when you say it, it sounds horrible. For now on, just call me Magic, or by my first name, Dane. (My name sucks!)

[fma]

your name sucks? I think its cool... My First name is... Malachi lol Try saying that one. (Mal-ah-khi) Its also in the bible... where my mom got it

[shrimp134]

Hey Magic, you know the Template right above your last post that undacuvabruva said you made in Photoshop, Did you just Free hand that...or was that a basic layout or what...how did you do it?

[onefatman]

i am the awesomest designer ever and i dont need no fancy design programs! I just - draw - my layout on a BIIIIIG piece of paper then scan in each little bit with my Canon scanner and then put it all together using sticky tape!!!!! here's an example - http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/11721757/

[azzracing]

Originally posted by undacuvabruva@Oct 25 2004, 12:19 PM
Well i used to use NotePad
until i got Dream weaver
its soo much easier.
anyways, im learning how do design and code templates now. SO that will change to photoshop soon. very soon.
if only MagicDKA would write that tutorial.
3269

Im the same i use dreamweaver and adjust the code as i go so that i dont have to task where i have no need to.

[bigface0]

I handcode everything in Notepad. I started out using an old HTML editor but found that I learned better by hand coding.

As far as design and coding go I would reccomend learning CSS to layout all of your pages and using XHTML. It can cut out as much as 30% of the bulk of HTML.

For a prelayout guide you can use Photoshop, PSP, paper or any other graphical medium that you are comfortable with. I usually just make everything up as I go along since I usually visualize everthing in my head before hand. (this is probably not the best way to go)

[KrystianR9]

I have a pretty cool layout on my site but the layout in not posted yet. Im changing the layout soon.

[akshay]

over dreamweaver.. i would recommend frontpage 2003.. its easy to learn and we know microsoft! User friendliness drops frm their every software.. i created my website using frontpage.. and photoshop .. for editing layout and stuff..

and u dont need to be an expert or something.. even i'm not one of em.. just watch and learn baby!!

check my site out

My Webpage (http://akshay.hostmatrix.org)

[andrew151989]

Originally posted by laagmatt@Oct 24 2004, 08:39 PM
who here is good at making their own layouts or designs?

I'm talking about typing out the code, not having a program do it for you.

What methods do you use?
3226


Basically what I do is draw my Idea on my paper, then I divide the picture up into different segments... I write down my dimensions on the paper (ex: width=500, height =500, etc.) for each segment. Then on the computer I make a tables in code (with notepad, wordpad, html editor, etc...) with all those dimensions in it. Then I use a paint program to make my images, and thats how I get my design... Of course your going to have to know basic HTML.

[oblivious]

It's best to have a design on paper with a basic sketch and dimensions. In order to create something like magicdka have made, you can't freehand anything, you will need to know exact sizes of boxes by using the fixed box marquee tool, you know the box that lets you select a rectangle to copy, cut, move, or edit what it contains... well you can change the prefrences to have it be fixed. Once you start doing this, you sites will look better and you will only have to guess center points of boxes using your ruler :D

[Dan]

Originally posted by onefatman@Oct 25 2004, 06:40 PM
i am the awesomest designer ever and i dont need no fancy design programs! I just - draw - my layout on a BIIIIIG piece of paper then scan in each little bit with my Canon scanner and then put it all together using sticky tape!!!!! here's an example - http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/11721757/
3444


Wow man, That's amazing.

I used to code my webs with html but I found Photoshop and it's amazing. It makes stunning graphics and it's really easy to make websites with it.

[isaac]

I used to use Dreamweaver to do the layout using tables. But till recently after I've learned CSS, I found it a lot easier to do layout using CSS without any tables. And all can be done in Notepad (some other simple editors like Crimson Editor better though, so that you can undo several times, Notepad only allows once). As for design, I would have a sketch in my head and always change as I go to get it fit better to overall feelings.
cheers! :D