Quick Web Design Question

[ElPietro]

I'm just trying to whip up a quick website for something, but having struggles with what I thought wouldn't be too difficult a task.

You know how tons of sites are basically a white background, but will have a solid graphic on the left hand side for example, sorta like a vertical box with a bunch of links in it etc. It may have shadowing or some effect etc.

So basically, something that would be a graphic but part of the overall template.

The tools I have are somewhat limited. I have frontpage, and downloaded a trial of paintshop pro 10.

I can make the graphic in paintshop, but setting it in frontpage is a bit of a pain. Or is it generally supposed to be a pain? Not sure if I can set it to the background, when I do that it tiles.

Arg.

[Anthony]

http://www.w3schools.com/css/css_background.asp

And use notepad or textpad, not frontpage. You hack.

[Joe Black]

Whats your code and explain a little clearer what you are trying to do.

Alternatively log into MSN and I will help ya.

[bigedge]

dont use front page it sucks. use textpad or if ure desperate to use a gui editor use dreamweaver. front page just does what it wants and adds a heap of bull**** code u dont need

[galileo]

Learn to use div tags, floating content. Please don't fall victim to other methods.

[PowerManDL]

Go steal Fireworks. It makes it easy to create **** that has all that other floating **** in it and blends to the background

[BilltheButcher]

Download trial version of Dreamweaver MX and a trial version of Photoshop CS.

In photoshop cs, go to file create a new file, designate the width and height you want. Go to window and open layers and swatches. Create a new layer in the layers, it is the little paper looking icon. From swatches pick your color. From your tool section usual positioned to the left, select the square tool, top left, drag the width and height you want on your file. Then take your paint bucket and dump in your color. If you go to Layers you can select in there the shadow, outer glow, etc.etc. Go up to file and select Save Image for the web. You can save the solid color as a GIF or JPG. You will want to chop up the image if you want.

In dreamweaver pretty much you can create a table and designate it as a background image and the you can add your links over it. If you want you can PM me and I can walk you through it.

[Joe Black]

Bah, nothing like just being hard core and using an editor.

Actually if its just a quick site, there are plenty of free temlpates out there, just change some logos, links the colour scheme and you will be set to go!

[BilltheButcher]

Bah, nothing like just being hard core and using an editor.

If you are not familiar with HTML code editors are the best way to go. You can see what you are doing. IMO.

[Genacide]

Just go to a site that you think looks great, steal their source code and alter it with your pics, links and content with notepad. :evillaugh

[geoffgarcia]

use notepad or textpad, not frontpage. You hack.

amen

[-TIM-]

If you are not familiar with HTML code editors are the best way to go. You can see what you are doing. IMO.

I agree. No sense spending countless hours trying to figure out something that can be done with a wysiwyg editor in a matter of minutes. If you were going to be designing a number of sites, then I would learn the actual nuts and bolts of writing code.

[aidano]

I'd go here and reuse or adapt an existing design:

http://www.oswd.org

[diesel_dan]

basicly you have your header (or banner) im assuming for your main graphic that you made right? now you want to add a couple table's, one for your navigation and content? if so that wouldn't be to hard to do yourself with html (their are some good tutorials out their) or with a wysiwyg (what you see is what you get) editior. Other effects can be done through css which in itself can get confusing. Then from their you can learn php which will make things a lot easier. Or you can use photshop to make a whole template and slice it up (tutorials out their for that aswell) and then save it for web and edit it. Sorry if i reposted some of what some other people said but i didn't feel like reading the other posts. And if you cant figure it out lemme know and ill help you out.

[Munky]

they still use html for websites these days?

[diesel_dan]

almost every code some how bases off html... infact i think everything does, maybe not certain exploits, scripts etc though. but for a website i would say html is almost always used even if it is coded in php, asp etc.