Resources: Getting started in web design

INDY GS · 07-17-2008, 12:02 PM

No offense, but you took classes in web design and you still have these basic questions.

Go to the library or book store and get a Basic DW book and start over. If you don't have this knowledge, should you be selling these services?

To directly answer your questions, I don't know why your 800x600 appears larger than the screen.

As far as the background goes, use a combo of CSS and html if you go this route you could overlay the site on top of the background you have created.

Your other option would be to slice up the image in Photoshop or Illi and optimize for web, then use tables (not recommended) but would work.

Good luck.

MikeTheVike · 07-17-2008, 12:59 PM

What is your screen resolution set to? If its 1024x768 or greater, a site designed for 800x600 should work without a horizontal scroll...

Brie · 07-17-2008, 02:41 PM

Originally posted by INDY GS

No offense, but you took classes in web design and you still have these basic questions.

Go to the library or book store and get a Basic DW book and start over. If you don't have this knowledge, should you be selling these services?

I'm not selling these services (I know full well my limitations), the sites are for myself (I'm also a fine artist) and for my GD portfolio. Also, I'd like to get back up to speed with web design. And yes, I know its lame to have taken the classes and still have these basice questions, but in my defense, it was quite a few years ago and I am a print designer. I think you have something in the start over idea, though. I guess I should go get the new DW books and do just that, thanks.

Mike, I think I have my resolution set lower than that, but I'm at work, so I'll have to check it later at home.

Thanks for your responses, guys.

**Typically** · 07-17-2008, 02:57 PM

brie i'm in the same boat. i took a few web classes in school 5 years ago and things have changed so much since then. i can still do a basic table website for myself but that's about it. i was refered to this site for some help and there is a ton of info on there. http://www.w3.org/ check it out you might find some help there

Brie · 07-17-2008, 03:14 PM

Thanks, Typ, I'd seen the W3 schools before, just not checked them out. I guess I got some studying to do!

**Drazan** · 07-17-2008, 06:03 PM

hey Brie!

If you did 800x 600 in the 300dpi in your print setup - the conversion to 72dpi in browsers makes the resolution go up and makes you scroll like crazy wondering what you did.

I've just started training someone else in at work on layout webpages. What I told him, is to pretend that he's making the most fabulous page ever - at the size of a business card. - it worked and he now can relate that scale to what he's doing.

There's no real big secret when it comes to simple website design. 90% of what I do involves the same simple html that I used 10 years ago.

If you look back in my posts - I've given several examples of simple page designs.

Also - look up css zen garden. it does have downloadable html and css templates. All the looks on that site are controled with the css.

If I get a moment, I'll get you some real links Brie.

Jade

Brie · 07-17-2008, 06:29 PM

Thanks, Jade, no I designed it at 72dpi, that's what's wierding me out about it. I think too, that I am making things harder than they have to be (I'm good at that). I understand CSS and some simple html, it seems that some of the basic concepts are just driving me nuts. (like how to get text to be where I want when the background is a static image). I have done quite a bit with tables in DW, but not much else. Thanks again, I'll look up css zen garden.

Two-Toe Tom · 07-17-2008, 06:33 PM

Originally posted by WannaBrie

(like how to get text to be where I want when the background is a static image).

have you tried using padding? or you could change the margin or padding on the p tag. anyhoo, you should get firebug if you don't have it already, makes things a lot easier.

Brie · 07-17-2008, 06:36 PM

Originally posted by Two-Toe Tom

have you tried using padding? or you could change the margin or padding on the p tag. anyhoo, you should get firebug if you don't have it already, makes things a lot easier.

*warning*the following comments will highlight the OP's ignorance!

How do I use padding? (I cannot code my way out of a wet paper bag) What's firebug?

Two-Toe Tom · 07-17-2008, 06:39 PM

firebug is a plugin for firefox, it lets you play around with the css of different element and preview it in your browser (you can also use it on existing sites and see what properties they have on their elements). it's very useful. you can download it for free here: http://getfirebug.com/

here's a page all about padding and how to apply it: http://www.w3schools.com/css/pr_padding.asp

if you've got further questions, lemme know!

Brie · 07-17-2008, 06:41 PM

Will do, thanks, Tom!

tZ · 07-17-2008, 09:49 PM

http://www.sitepoint.com/article/beginners-html-1
http://www.sitepoint.com/article/css-1-getting-lay-land
http://www.sitepoint.com/article/get...fic-css-styles
www.smashingmagazine.com
www.alistapart.com

Brie · 07-17-2008, 11:23 PM

Great links, TZ, thanks! I love alistapart, informative, easy to navigate and beautifully designed and smashingmagazine rocks!

hewligan · 07-18-2008, 12:43 AM

If you're really having trouble, I suggest going through a bunch of the articles on the W3Schools site that Tom linked to. While you may already know some of it, if it's really been a while it's good to go over the basics again.

The tutorials are in the left navigation column, and while there's a lot of them, you only really need to look at the first 3 - HTML, XHTML and CSS (probably in that order). The rest are really more advanced stuff that you're probably not going to care about. If you're feeling adventurous, the Javascript ones may be worthwhile.

In the right column are a bunch of references for HTML/CSS and other stuff. I use those a lot.

A List Apart is very useful for learning about things like best practices and techniques to achieve particular effects, but it's really not worth even looking at until you've got a solid grasp of the basics.

Also, keep Position is Everything handy. It's the site I go to for all those "This is working in everything but Internet bloody Explorer" moments.

Resources: Getting started in web design

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