Here are some Layouts., Newest Lays for you to C&C. Options

[theerinkal]

5 Layouts for you to C&C:

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Preview ** Version 2 for my Resource Website

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Preview

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Preview ** Layout I made for one of my hostees

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Preview

[theerinkal]

^^ How? & These took me a while to make.

[manny-the-dino]

I pretty much agree with TJ :/ The background is so plain on the majority of them.

[Mikeplyts]

They still look too basic and childish. Although, I think the fourth one is actually pretty nice because of the banner but the banner is also extremely low quality. Honestly, I think when you say "a while", you mean like 15 minutes. They don't look like you put much effort at all and some of them are just plain. They lack creativity and that makes them unappealing. They could all use some work, but I do like the concept of the fourth one, in my opinion.

[technicolour]

Okay. Time to be Designer Simon Cowell.


Stop posting so many things at a time and getting uuber defensive when someone critiques you. Here are my tips for you. One, LEARN YOUR PROGRAM. Learn it backwards and forwards. Learn the many ways to do ONE THING. Surf online, surf the software websites for tutorials, but LEARN YOUR PROGRAM. Two, learn design. Learn about color, text, the elements and principles. You have to learn the rules before you can break them. Three, sit down, shut up, and actually do these things. I realize that this is incredibly brutal but you're one of the beginners who thinks too highly of themselves at a beginner state.

I'm SO SORRY for being incredibly blunt but I can't really think of a different way to sugar coat these things for you.

[theerinkal]

Well, I don't know what you guys/gals are looking for in the backgrounds. I mean for the second layout are you looking for a blue flowery background to go with the banner? & Same with the first layout, are you looking for a pink and white starry background to go with it?

I can make that happen, if so.

[Maccabee]

if technicolour can do it, then I can do it.
My turn to be simon cowel.

You...

ughh... im gonna get warned if I say it.

[emberfly]

I think the biggest "flaw" in these is that they look too amateurish/childish.

(maybe that's what you were going for?)


I strongly dislike dotted/dashed borders. They can be nice in some places, but for the most part, stick with solid borders.

edit:

Well, I don't know what you guys/gals are looking for in the backgrounds. I mean for the second layout are you looking for a blue flowery background to go with the banner? & Same with the first layout, are you looking for a pink and white starry background to go with it?

I can make that happen, if so.

I think your layouts need some sort of central theme or color palette. These ones that you made are just colors + brushes........ That's very..... confusing.

The one where you used that image of the anime girl actually has some potential. You need to create a color palette from that image and use it throughout your layout.

Again, stay away from dotted/dashed borders!

edit:

well, nevermind. I just looked again. The image is VERY low quality. You should use a different image :P

[manny-the-dino]

I think the biggest "flaw" in these is that they look too amateurish/childish.

Agreed.


Number 2 is misaligned for me. And 4, the banner's really low in image quality.

[none345678]

For the last layout just a note for the future. Try not to mix realistic brushes with "hand drawn" brushes. A lot of the time they won't work together. And shorten the right column about 100px so you get rid of the horizontal scroll bar.

[theerinkal]

I saw that, it's because I was changing the size of it so many times. I'll go back and get the original image and start from scratch and get it to look the same way EXCEPT with BETTER image quality.

EDIT:

I don't have a horizontal srollbar but okay.

[schizo]

I say practically the same thing every time I reply to your topics, but here I go anyway...

Wherever you're getting your resources and color palettes from, stop going there. Colour Lovers will help you with your colors. Monochrome layouts can be okay sometimes, but colors are your friend. If the colors suck, the design is going to suck too. As for brushes and stuff, go to Outspoken-Kate or Swimchick. They're pretty overrated, but their brushes are good to start. They're high quality and a bit more...upscale?

[theerinkal]

^^ I go here for my color pallettes because I figure it's easier because the colors come from the actual image. & I do go to ColourLovers. I didn't for these layouts because I've gotten better at choosing colors from here.

I don't go to either of those I go to these place for brushes and I don't use textures. I might start using them but I haven't yet. Anyway, I go to Ego-Box, Reminiscent Designs, & Obsidian Dawn.

I'm still looking for more places & that's not every place but that's the ones I have in my "Credits" section in my bookmarks.

By upscale do you mean not kindergarden-ish?

[Mikeplyts]

^Yeah, that's what she means. You should start focusing on some other styles and try to get out of your comfort zone. Lately, there have been some amateur designs you made but if you take the time, you CAN get better. I also recommended going to DeviantART since that site has A TON of resources and inspiration.

[Firiath]

^^ I go here for my color pallettes because I figure it's easier because the colors come from the actual image

Those kind of sites sometimes don't end up being really good. Plus you should try going into a layout with a color palette that you want to use in mind. If you suddenly decide to colorize the layout or image, you'd have to change your whole color palette if you didn't already decide on one before you did your layout.

Ego-Box

Sorry. It kinda fitted

[synatribe]

I would say the one thing you have going for you is that you actually know how to code a website. Other than that, your design skills are going to need a major improvement. I would say since you are more experienced in coding, learn CSS from top to bottom. You might not know it but attention to detail in CSS can make a website feel professional or amatuer. Then once you get the hang of creating beautiful CSS, start deririving inspiration from your CSS into photoshop or GIMP or whatever you use. The last thing you want to do it slap on a bunch of non matching elements because you find each element to be cute. Take a look at the broader picture. Also next time, instead of making 5 different layouts, try making different version of the same layout. Edit it over and over, therefore we can give you tips on your progression. Keep working on one layout until you think it's perfect

[theerinkal]

^^ The problem is...I thought the fourth layout was perfect. I mean besides the quality of the image.

I've had a lot of layouts that I've thought are perfect but you guys/gals just tear them up and it also doesn't help that I've only done Graphic Design for not even a full year. (i've coded for at least 3 & thanks, I think I'm really good at coding, too. Besides when it comes to XHTML then I fail completly and it give me a headache.)

[sixfive]

CRISPY CRUNCHY TENDER FLAKY CRUST



HOT POCKETS

[superstitious]

You really need to start taking the advice that more experienced designers are giving you in this thread. I think that for the most part, people have been very patient but you can't expect better critiques if what you are posting is basically a re-theme of what you always seem to post. Please do yourself a favor and take to heart what people are telling you. No one (well, not everyone) is posting in your threads to be mean. They're posting to help. I think it's great that you have some coding knowledge, just work on your design/graphic approach and you'll probably kick ass one day.

if technicolour can do it, then I can do it.
My turn to be simon cowel.

You...

ughh... im gonna get warned if I say it.

Dude, she offered a Simon Cowel-esque critique. You are totally able, and will not be warned for doing something similar. It's only when you exclusively spam. Speaking of which...

CRISPY CRUNCHY TENDER FLAKY CRUST
HOT POCKETS

Man, I gave Joseph a shit ton of grief for posting this way not too long ago in the Resource Forums. I'm going to be cool and not warn you, like I didn't warn him but please just don't do stuff like this in the Resource areas. You pretty much get away with a lot, and I don't want to be a grouchy enforcer. Asking nicely this time.

Also, now I want a Hot Pocket, dangit. :(

[theerinkal]

You really need to start taking the advice that more experienced designers are giving you in this thread. I think that for the most part, people have been very patient but you can't expect better critiques if what you are posting is basically a re-theme of what you always seem to post. Please do yourself a favor and take to heart what people are telling you. No one (well, not everyone) is posting in your threads to be mean. They're posting to help. I think it's great that you have some coding knowledge, just work on your design/graphic approach and you'll probably kick ass one day.

I know. & I hope I'll kick ass one day. I wanna own a business making website layouts of all kinds when I get older.

Dude, she offered a Simon Cowel-esque critique. You are totally able, and will not be warned for doing something similar. It's only when you exclusively spam. Speaking of which...

Mhmm.

[karmakiller]

Okay. Time to be Designer Simon Cowell.
Stop posting so many things at a time and getting uuber defensive when someone critiques you. Here are my tips for you. One, LEARN YOUR PROGRAM. Learn it backwards and forwards. Learn the many ways to do ONE THING. Surf online, surf the software websites for tutorials, but LEARN YOUR PROGRAM. Two, learn design. Learn about color, text, the elements and principles. You have to learn the rules before you can break them. Three, sit down, shut up, and actually do these things. I realize that this is incredibly brutal but you're one of the beginners who thinks too highly of themselves at a beginner state.

I'm SO SORRY for being incredibly blunt but I can't really think of a different way to sugar coat these things for you.

This. Definitely.

I know I ranted in one of your other topics about how you react to people's help. It still seems like you want everyone to tell you step-by-step exactly what to change. That isn't how the Showcase Booth works. People will give you feedback, but it's up to you to make those changes. You should be glad that people are still giving you feedback after all the topics you have made and after you repeatedly ignored their advice.

Although you can actually code a layout, it looks like you're using the same codes for everything and just changing the positioning of the content areas and the colors. When you make layouts you need to focus on two things: the images and the codes. Even if you have a great image, and you just recycle a code and try to make the image you already made fit it, it isn't going to look as good as it could. Your layouts are really simple, and that's fine, but if you're going to do something really simple then you need to find a way to make it interesting. This is where the coding can help you.

[theerinkal]

This. Definitely.

I actually didn't see that post that you quoted until you quoted it. & I know my program backwards and forwards. I know everything it can do.

I know I ranted in one of your other topics about how you react to people's help. It still seems like you want everyone to tell you step-by-step exactly what to change. That isn't how the Showcase Booth works. People will give you feedback, but it's up to you to make those changes. You should be glad that people are still giving you feedback after all the topics you have made and after you repeatedly ignored their advice.

I haven't ignored their advice. I've been going back to the topics I posted back in November 2008 and looking at their advice but I just don't get how their advice on a blend can work on a layout without a blend. See, when you (you = everyone on here) explain stuff on here, I need the step-by-step thing otherwise, it will take me FOREVER to figure things out.

Although you can actually code a layout, it looks like you're using the same codes for everything and just changing the positioning of the content areas and the colors. When you make layouts you need to focus on two things: the images and the codes. Even if you have a great image, and you just recycle a code and try to make the image you already made fit it, it isn't going to look as good as it could. Your layouts are really simple, and that's fine, but if you're going to do something really simple then you need to find a way to make it interesting. This is where the coding can help you.

For most of these layouts, you are correct, I was recycling codes. I don't understand why I wouldn't recycle codes though. I mean, why would you keep typing up the same codes over and over and over again if you have already typed it up once and can change it around and delete stuff inside the code? I don't see the point in re-typing up everything. & If you are talking about just moving everything and changing the colors, everyone has their style of layouts, I mean Georgina @ Heardrops uses the basic same codes on her layouts and basic same images and her layouts turn out great. Which leads me to this question, why shouldn't I recycle codes if she can?

[Mikeplyts]

I haven't ignored their advice. I've been going back to the topics I posted back in November 2008 and looking at their advice but I just don't get how their advice on a blend can work on a layout without a blend. See, when you (you = everyone on here) explain stuff on here, I need the step-by-step thing otherwise, it will take me FOREVER to figure things out.

No, that part is up to you. We're not going to do everything for you, you have to research on your own. You're a designer, so be a designer (and a real one). Oh, and remember, Google is your friend. :)

[heyo-captain-jac...]

Suggestion #1: Give up graphic design and work in a group with someone who can design, but not code.
My reasoning: It looks like you actually can code (assuming you're writing these yourself, and not getting them with a generator), but, like me, you don't have much skill with art from scratch.

Suggestion #2: Give up starting from scratch. Work exclusively with blends and photo manipulation.
My reasoning: I did the same thing. The difference is that I saw that I was horrible at art, but I can fly through touchups, airbrushing, and recoloring.

[jiyong]

I actually didn't see that post that you quoted until you quoted it. & I know my program backwards and forwards. I know everything it can do.

If you do, why haven't you been able to utilize the other tools available? I've been working on Gimp for months and have utilized more than you have in posted creations.

I haven't ignored their advice. I've been going back to the topics I posted back in November 2008 and looking at their advice but I just don't get how their advice on a blend can work on a layout without a blend. See, when you (you = everyone on here) explain stuff on here, I need the step-by-step thing otherwise, it will take me FOREVER to figure things out.

See, that's the thing. You're expecting people to give you a step-by-step. This is a SHOWCASE booth. It's not a LEARNING booth. You get criticism, and you go out and look for solutions.

I'm not going to comment anymore. You don't seem to be understanding what most people who have posted are getting at. People here are not going to hold your hand and guide you through every single step of the layout process just because you posted. You have to do that on your own, or find a person who's willing to do it for you.