Howdy there.
A long though ago (about 5 years ago) POST learned HTML along with made some pretty generic websites with regards to nothing interesting. Lately, after seeing a variety of beautiful WordPress models (like this, this specific, this, or this). I currently have zero knowledge of the actual web standards but I would like to learn how I could create designs like these. I figured it might be easiest to commence to learning design as a result of just skinning existing web apps previous to learning to code my own. (Yeah, I know I am just probably WAY before myself there).
I’m not sure where to start. Can someone point me in the right direction
To begin with Welcome to WDF… Find out CSS, would often be my advise. It allows the content and also the layout (look & feel) that they are kept separate. Using a solo CSS file for all you pages of one site will grant consistency between webpages. Some great sites are:
CSS Layout
CSS Basics
One particular True Layout
CSS Cribsheet
CSS System Gala
There are also a few places Allow me to suggest that list beautiful websites that are generally web standard complient. These kinds of CSS " design galleries" give and also the websites that separate style and content. A lot can be learned from that examples listed at them.
CSS Mania
CSS Beauty
CSS Vault Gallery
Good Styled
An inventory Apart
You can customize WordPress, nonetheless as audiofreak stated, you’ll need for you to know
CSS pretty well to create it look for instance your examples. Squidoo uses a " template"
approach, but you’ll actually be customizing (or creating) your own template.
This can be no easy undertaking. It requires your somewhat intensive knowledge of CSS and PHP.
To begin with, you might wish to think up your design, lay it out with illustrator or
some editor in addition to hire someone to provide you your beginning template… a area to begin
actually tweaking it towards final design.
In the portion of this particular forum where you possibly can hire people regarding coding, you’ll very easily find
someone who will let you get started.
While money is definitely good, giving it out isn’t always quite so excellent, and if you’re aiming to learn, asking someone to code for you might not help. So, though mlseim’s path should be one you can take, my advice — assuming you’re more interested in mastering than in getting the template, that is usually, which may possibly be wrong — should be to, like mlseim reported, think up your design and put it out along with Photoshop. Then start writing the XHTML. To the, you need to know the tags p’ (paragraph), span’ (a component to text), div’ (a division of one’s content), and the actual h1′, h2′, for example, tags. With all those, you’re pretty considerably set, with the actual possible exception regarding ul’ (unordered list), which contains li’ (list items). Most are generally used with regard to menus and this kind of.
Once you possess your XHTML, start playing with design it with CSS. Moreover, once you’ve bought a design idea to play with, if you’ve got questions as to the right way to achieve an outcome, you’ll likely find plenty of help here.
Wow, thank you all for any replies! Lots of information that may help! Yes, I am more interested in mastering how to design myself as opposed to getting someone to be able to code it personally. Just a concern, is it MOST OF CSS which makes most websites beautiful now With no CSS, does the full site just appear to be stripped code without the need of formatting
In the event it’s done good, yes. That’s what you’re wanting to achieve: your HTML must ONLY describe the structure in the code — paragraphs, sections, etc — and also the CSS should give everthing of its flair. Most browsers apply some basic models themselves (i. e., making headings much larger, giving paragraphs margins), but that’s not in your program code, it’s in that browser, which is running its CSS stylesheet (at lowest, in the situation of Gecko browsers).
Because shadowfiend mentioned, ideally your web page without CSS applied will only a long horizontal directory your content. I believe if you’re using a Mozilla-based browser for example Firefox, you can head over to any of the actual sites you mentioned and go out CSS to notice what they mimic.
If you’re into standards in addition to standards-based design together with CSS, you should definitely consider either of Serta Cederholm’s books in addition to designing with online standards by Jeffrey Zeldman. Both of these books kind of resparked my passion for web development. If you’re more in to the design aspect, consider http: //www. csszengarden. com to check out people pushing the actual limits of what CSS are capable of doing. That should really get you excited to start trying your own stuff.
Obviously this (WebDesignForums) is often a fantastic resource and everyone here is great about supporting out, offering information, critiques, etc.
Welcome!
-Mike
well alot has changed in the last years like a bigger push regarding compliancy and standereds.
You can find css, Xhtml and js to learn beyond the static pages most are all user area. Beyond this you can find php, cgi, asp and database programming to the server side in the specturm.
things like java are a variety of the two flash is a great add in to educate yourself and another highlight is conventions like Ajax and also Dhtml that put together differnet things within set styles ect…