…that I’m starting to build my site. Actually, since our little project doesn’t seem to take shape, I’m getting started on my own. But I’ll need all the help I can get, especially for the design of the interface. If anyone of you would like to help me with that I’d be very grateful.
Good luck with that. I’d really like to help you out, but I’m barely finding enough time to breathe (gasp!). Do I smell a future SOTW coming from your domain name? =)
And since Lost and Upu have already built a site (waiting to see yours, Eilsoe), I was wondering if you could share how you planned it. Do you start with the design, or with the ‘architecture’ of the site?
I actually draw out the look/basic layout of my site on a piece of paper.
Also…sketching ideas I want and how I want to go about doing them.
After I get a layout Idea, I get a color scheme idea (sometimes my color scheme comes first then I get a layout).
I have yet to do a Flash site… although I am working on one, but I keep scrapping it because I don’t like them after a while. But you might be able to use this method in Flash (unless you are going for an HTML site).
I draw my layout with an HTML table using only background colors to define areas. Then I start to make the graphics that will fill those areas and create a layout for my text.
I don’t know how i used to do my sites… when i started at html building about 4 months ago, I made one design after another (in photoshop that is…), but recently my brain seems to have switched off in the design area… I just can’t think of anything… U all know it, it’s called “Designers Block” Worst disease to hit a designer…
Anyway, I usually think of a design first, then the contents of the site… then I just build away…!
WHEN my site comes up, I was planning on having some personal flash experiments… (almost a must), and some tuts on photoshop, mostly effects in PS7…
when I do a fully flashed site… I usually draw it up using Flash, photoshop and illustrator… I put it all into flash and then start cutting up the sections, and seperate into diffferent swf’s… I do it this way because the “layout” graphic created in flash acts a template for me to easily modify and see the “whole picture” so to speak. I dunno, it works for me!
A site located within a sphere… holes in the walls, light shining through… menu places are monitor devices hanging in the walls and transitions are camera movement from monitor to monitor… the main menu is one big monitor in the center…
Ok, I am taking a guess here and I could be totally wrong, but here it goes. There are 2 sides to flash, design and code. Usually a person is stronger in one than the other. I have a strong feeling that Ilyas is stronger in the code department and is having trouble coming up with a site idea because he doesn’t know quite how to create it.
Like I said, I could be totally wrong, I know I am having trouble making my flash site because I cannot draw for fiddlesticks in Flash so creating a decent unique layout is almost impossible for me. I am trying though.
This is the problem - to come up with something that hasn’t been done to death already.
I’m having similar problems with my site. Whenever I think of something cool, I turn round and find some other smart alec has already thought of it. Grrr.
Well, here comes my turn!! he, he…
You all know i’m really bad at coding, but i work as graphic designer fot tv, so this is my “good side”.
I guess this is my chance to give back all i’m learning from you!!
So, if you want i can help. It’ll be a reeeeaaalll pleasure!!!
The first thing you need to ask yourself is what you feel more confortable with. I mean, you like movies??? you like techno futuristic look?? you like drawing look?? magical?? gothic?? … well, just make a choice and we’ll see what comes up. Is just choosing your graphic line. This is the starting point.
For instance. My nick is fadingblack… my site should be in black and white full of fading in-out stuff. You know what i mean??
God, i hope i made myself understood. Sometimes knowing a lot of english in not enough! :-\
Oh, and one last thing.
THERE IS NOTHING THAT HASN’T BEEN USED BEFORE!! You just have to make it look yours, and change things, make it personal. That’s what makes the difference, because each one of us is the only original thing. I have learned this after a lot of years working at graphic design. To be different be yourself, put in your design what you like.
Well this thread is for Ilyas so you will have to wait for him to ask:) As for me, I am slowly coming up with something I like…so if I can just keep it going without messing up I will be as good as done.