The new layout I did for Cindyisms the other day utilized some new techniques in layout I hadn’t gotten to work previously. This has given me the itch to re-design SEB, but I’m pretty happy with the layout it currently has so that leaves me in a bit of a quandary.
Then I realized I should just break down and do like some other sites are doing and set up my blog to allow it to be skinned by visitors to the site. There are a number of excellent tutorials on how to do this out there and it doesn’t look like I need to become a master of PHP to write the small bit of code that would be required so I think I’ll take the plunge and see how badly I can mess things up.
Of course you have to have alternate layouts before you can have the option to skin so I’m left wondering just what I want to do in the way of new layout. I’ve been prowling around Day Dream Graphics lately which is a site offering free website layouts using images from various anime series and some of the designs are just stunning. Half of the effect, I know, comes from effective graphic design which, I also know, I suck at. So that leaves me with the realization that I need to practice more and finally break down and learn how to use Photoshop instead of Photo Impact, which is what I currently use.
The graphics part of web design is always what has frustrated me most. I can dream up awesome layouts, but my ability to actually translate my thoughts into usable graphics is often cause for high blood pressure and indigestion. I understand the principles behind what I want to do, I just don’t seem to be able to put them into action. So that leaves me with even more stuff to practice I suppose.
Still, the itch needs to be scratched at least to the point that I realize I’ve hit my limitations so we’ll see what kind of mess I can get myself into.
Hiya! Nice layout you made! Very rich looking. As for skinning, I am still in the learning stage. But, there is a one on on emptypages.com (http://www.emptypages.org/more/php/quick_site_skin.html) that is fairly easy.
Oh, and speaking of… you can always add a new blog like I did last night.
http://www.onegirlslife.com/books
It is just a baby still and needs tweaking, but it fulfills the urge to create.
Thanks. Though my mom has already phoned in to tell me it’s a little hard to read for older folks. I need to lighten the text color a bit it seems.
Thanks for the link to the skin tutorial. I was also checking out the one by Amy at domesticat.net which seems to be pretty straightforward as well.
I’ve got a category for books myself, but most of my reading anymore is magazines so I don’t often have much to talk about book-wise. I’ll check out your new project soon.