In need of inspiration, pretty please :)

[rhythmjunkie]

Oh woe is me, man, I need inspiration. You know when you suddenly turn round and realise just how naff your current layout is? *Groan* that happened to me this mornin. I've been through tons of themes in the past, but now I'm stuck. I'm never gonna use lime green again, it really is evil. Dunno what came over me. http://lucky-stars.com/frustration. k, so sure, thats not exactly the nicest thing i've ever made, but check out the about page and see what it used to look like in previous versions..?

So, ehh, it all boils down to this - anyone help me with *how* I can get ideas?

Tankoo, any help will be greatly... appreciated.... did i spell that right?
La

[qslack]

Personally, I have about 27 (for real) designs in \graphics\templates\*.png. I make them with Fireworks from www.macromedia.com (excellent program).

I show them to my 'board' and they decide which ones are the best, and what to use in the end-all, be-all template.

Don't expect inspiration to come and find you--you have to find it!

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Think you're running the server "is 5" and an Asp is only a snake? Get with the times!
Active Server Pages dominate.
Soon to come: Aspology.com

[rhythmjunkie]

yeah, i know, you have to *find* inspiration, the only deal being that if you've searched far and wide - where *then* do you get it?

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jase, you never could get it, unless you were fed it

[Hierophant]

www.coolhomepages.com/.


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Wayne Luke
WR Moderator
Internet Media Provider

[Michael Martin]

When I get a mental block on layout, I usually just keep coding & get all of the content in line. Once the content is there it's all down hill.

Michael Martin

[Vestige]

Here's an idea that I use that has helped out a lot. Open up your image editing program (Photoshop, Fireworks. . .) and just screw around. Do stupid stuff. Use IE to save Microsoft's Homepage, open it up, then jack it up (or someone elses [maybe even your own]{DO NOT PUBLISH IT!!!}) You know, just play around, eventually something should come to you. That's how I always come up with new ideas for my sites. As I like to say. . . Sometimes it just pays to PLAY. Hope this helps.

[TWTCommish]

I always just surf the web...baseball sites, news sites...sometimes I'll see a nice layout on one site...and another after that, and then I sort of meld the two together...don't bother come up with an idea for some all-new website with a totally original layout, because it probably won't happen...



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Chris - TWT Commish
http://www.warningtrack.net
"Baseball - Baked Fresh Daily"

[temis]

sometimes i'd be listening to music and I would just see how i want to layout my pages. (well, not for a content site, of course... and no, dont tell me I'm weird)

[joseph jaminet]

Ok, I gotta ask it....what the h*ll is "naff"? Is that like "bogus" or "heinous"? Must be gettin old.....far out.

[This message has been edited by joseph jaminet (edited April 17, 2000).]

[DLG]

I'm a starting webmaster, and as far as I can say, I'm not a designer, although my latest prototype is something i'm proud of www.dlgsolutions.f2s.com/shivanigems/df

For inspiration you have to ask yourself what type of site you want to design. I personally, Like to watch MTV because they have some awesome designs and Ideas that i can incorporate in my site.

I also keep an eye out when looking through magazines...rip the pages out and pin them on my bedroom wall.

Look through different magazines ranging from martha stewart up to CIO. they all have colors and designs that can work.

i also design the site in fireworks (AWESOME!) using the graphics that i want and I can freely design anything. Then i slice the picture and export it into HTML format which essentially takes the slices and puts them into a table, making it look the same. then i edit it in dreamweaver (awesome!) and then publish it.

I looked through your site...and yeah lime green is very mean...don't use it EVER AGAIN!

you have some great site designs from what i saw in your "previous" section.

I know designers make a place in their home/office their design area. they make the area very quiet...and decorate it in a very exagerated fashion to get ideas. Each time they try to come up with new ideas they go to their "idea-area" and it helps them be creative.

try any of these suggestions...hope they help!


- Sam

[temis]

DLG, would you mind sharing a 'professional secret'? What font did you use for D in Diamonds? If you can, please tell me.

[Morpheos]

hello,

i agree with temis. listening to music and relaxing out can help a lot.
a mental block-out from all creative inspiration is not strange. this happens to me all the time. i just let myself dream of the page i make. i close my eyes and i let it be build by my imagination.

hope this helps,


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Morpheos - Web Developer
Digital Works Web Design/Development
morpheos@carib.com
ICQ 65778801

[Fletch]

hi,

I find that ideas come to me in the most strange situations especially when I am not thinking about it. I have got alot of ideas in bed, the shower or on the toilet. Everyone probably things I'm a bit wierd now.

Fletch

[DLG]

temis - I really don't remember, I found it in Fireworks using word 2000...so it's probably in there...i'll investigate later.

the new address is: www.dlgsolutions.f2s.com/shivanigems/df/index1.html - (i had to hide it from a potential competitor)

anyhow, I had another suggestion that I completely forgot about...it's called incubation.

Incubation is a proven human ability to incubate a problem in one's subconciouse and later having a moment of epiphany giving one the solution.


have you ever had a problem that you just gave up on, and later when you weren't even thinking about it...it suddenly came to you in a moment of "enlightenment"?

if you can't find anything you like...step away from it....take a walk...exercise...do something that will take your mind away from your problem. This could take two/three days or so...but this is the period that your mind will incubate the problem and try different solutions in the back of your mind...then POW IT WILL HIT YOU!
I remember once I had spent 27hours trying to figure out a problem with my COBOL code...then I gave up. (i never give up) and on sunday night around 2am it all came to me...i started my computer and the code was flowing from my hands like CRAZY! (needless to say, I didn't sleep that night, but I was excited).


different things work for different people, try them all and stick with what works.

hope this helps,


Sam

[temis]

thx DLG, if you find it just e-mail me. I got plenty ideas and inspiration, but can't find the right font, and too lazy to make one myself

[Hierophant]

For fonts take a look at some of the following URLS: http://people.wiesbaden.netsurf.de/~kikita/index2.htm
http://www.fontpool.com
http://webreference.com/graphics/links/



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Wayne Luke
WR Moderator
Internet Media Provider