MidnightVamps post remined me of an advert which says "I see your idea and raise it, thats how real design works." And i guess thats true. I wont copy other sites but i will "borrow" elements like button styles, some colour ideas etcetera and hopefully use them to make a nice logo or banner or something.

And Midori, i will definitely go do some tutorials, ill focus on the GIMP though as its all i have for now, i have made some nice looking gel buttons by following a tutorial and i think they're pretty cool!

i do have a basic design i made while messing around, i uploaded it here: http://www.shadows.trap17.com/ww/planV2.jpg

the main thing i like there is the banner, it seems a bit plain though but i like the glow effect and will be using that a lt more in the future! the buttons are going to change methinks and im not sure about the headings and the text containers, they dont seem totally right.

oh man i feel your pain i started desighning horably the worst part was i'm not verry color cordanated take truefusions advice because when i was redesighnig my site i looked at a buch of site and my desighn is like a combination of all of them while i'm not that great (still bad with colors) but it was better than before. and for the color problem use an image editor to help you with how the diferent colors will look together and effect each other. try this free one called photofiltre you can also try GIMP or paint.net and also for software try visual studio because you can switch between desighn and code instantly.

you could check out these sites because they have a bunch of design codes for little simple extras:
W3schools.com, htmldogs.com, alistappart.com, there's more here in this topic here
good luck

Well, you really need to know A LOT CSS. Then create images (layouts) to make your website look cool. Tables, backgrounds, etc...

For images I suggest using paint shop pro, photoshop, etc...

But it you don't have any of those you can use paint.NET and go to the forums to learn how to make cool stuff to design your website.

And blending colors. Use an eye dropper tool to decide on colors that would look good together...

I hope that helped....

This post has been edited by Thorn: Aug 16 2007, 01:41 AM

Yes, but a little bit more expensive tan GIMP...

Mi advice? try to download free cool templates and try to find how was it done and start to make some by yourself.


This post has been edited by acantocephala: Aug 16 2007, 08:48 AM

I was only recommending I didn't say he had to and GIMP and I don't like GIMP its not that smooth plus I figured the more you use photoshop the harder to get used to GIMP and the longer your with GIMP the harder with photoshop, but i gotta say to might as well go with photoshop because its better than GIMP's interface. and its hard to find out how that make the templates by looking at it unless there was a page where they show you what they did like a tut or they could give a PSD and by looking at the layer one by one they can figure it out but thats only for photoshop

thankfully i know enough to get me by, i cant imagine making a website without using CSS, so tedious.. anyway..

Following tuts does sound like a good idea and i think ill do that when i get a free moment, i have a rather busy weekend ahead of me!

Also downloading and analysing templates sounds good too, working out what makes them look good and such. Plenty of good suggestions, thanks everyone!

If it helps, take a look at other web designer portfolios.

Visit the HTML Hell page. (Google... don't remember the link.)

Visit the CSS Zen Garden page. (Again, I forgot the link.)

I actually have the same problem with "being horrible" at design, because it seems hard (to me) to be imaginative and original nowadays. It kind of stinks how the world follows itself in suit (when sites went from frames to navigational sidebars on one page; when everyone decided to go towards the "gloss" look; when everyone starts copying each other, really).

here are a few sites that may help in your endeavor of creating better websites.


Web Design Tips
http://www.profitjump.com/articles/1107-website-design.html (20 killer tips)
http://www.profitjump.com/articles/#design (mini-directory)
http://www.profitjump.com/articles/0714-website-design.html

Basic Design Tips/Flash Sites
http://ohmyflash.com/?gclid=CISp1_uC04oCFQi9VAodMjfUgQ
http://www.webstyleguide.com/index.html
http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com/ (displays the DONT'S of web design while enforcing the DO'S)

Yes this is a common problem and I have it too to some point. The problem is when you have the idea, know how to technically make it a reality but when it comes to putting it down with all the graphics and all that, there comes the problem. Well it is simple and as other guys have said it before, PRACTICE! Then there are great sites li