I started off designing the official site for my fansite, and I'm having quite a hard time making this thing very professional, classy, but eye-catching. I had a whole brain full of ideas, but I couldn't make any of them work the way that I wanted to. :/ What I have now is super basic, and I want to add more to this, I just don't know what. Any help on what I can do to get a great outcome would be appreciated.

I don't know, to be honest. Try finishing the design with more modules. Could you incorporate articles/blogs like a magazine site would? Have like a mp3 player, and a video player. look at other fansites for potential things you would include. Just skip the fansites that are: "____(name)____ drool!!" Have resources to stuff your members can make, like fan art, avatars for board sites, like this one. For what you have right now, I think it'd look better with no border around the content area, but allow the edges of your modules to make the border. The graphic at the top should have the top left edge squared-off, you already can't see any pixels in that area, except for a bluish white color. I think it would look better at a point.

Okay, I see what you mean. I agree with you about the border. I'm still contemplating the background idea I had, but I don't know if it will work. I did have an idea for the navigation though that may make it look a lot better. I don't know if you remember, Thomas, but the layout I had for my design site where the bars wrapped around; I want to do that, but have the paint drips come from the navigation bar. Do you understand what I'm trying to say because I'm trying not to be complicated or anything.

Edit: Excuse me for not asking the original questions. The left side will be full of latest news about the site and the band itself. There's definitely not going to be any of that drool crap, I hate that. That top bar is going to be the Dashboard for the site, so when they log in, it will have a link to launch a standalone player while they browse the site. I don't want an MP3 player to load every page link they click, you know? The content will get filled most definitely. I'm thinking for the left side, have a very soft color for the background color that way there's sort of a distinction as to what side is what.

Here's a little update. It's finished for now, until I can throw more ideas on there. Any help?

I think it looks awesome.

Bump. I really need help with this. I need it up in about two weeks and I still have to worry about working with all the other pages. Please help me with some ideas and any sort of adding I can do to the picture. I would really appreciate it.

I like the modules, I'm not sure what to do I just know that 1)the top image looks a little plain, I know you're going for professional, but maybe try adding something a little more. Also try adding a drop shadow here. I like the idea you're going for, but it just looks a little odd without the shadow on the part that is supposed to be in the front.

I'm sorry I can't be of much more help, it looks good so far though.

Oh, TJ, how about adding this as a pattern?



Except, don't make it show behind the content, leave the content like white and all that but then have the rest of the background repeat with a pattern like above? Although, I think the pattern above should be lighter...

I would try to add some widgets. I use to be in promotions and adding widgets that other people can add to their websites and My Space pages really help you grow.

Matter of fact the band I use to promote is involved in some Education Awareness.

Check it out.

I loveee the layout! Maybe an interesting background image would add some umph to it, but that's about all I can see that would make it more aesthetically appealing. : )