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Well, I have recently been trying to design a V:2 for my site. And I've come up with some good ideas, but they never seem to work out when I get coding it. But that's my problem which I'll sort out.
Anyway, what I'm asking is,
How do you plan and then design your site? Whether it be a new version of the first version.
Also, what processes do you go through while you are planning/designing before you actually get on the compuer and start?
To tell you the truth it takes days and weeks before i even open PhotShop :) For me it is very important to plan the whole layout on paper, try to bring the more usabillity in every design (except muji medias), to place so much features on less place, so it stil will look minimalistic. Then i imagine my future design, in my mind, the way it will look, what problems a simple user can face browsing the layout. If i am satisfied (mostly not, thats why i spend more time) i take a break of thinking on few days to free my mind. Then i come to idea and look on it with a fresh look and if i like it i open my fav PS 7 and start making the layout.
For me its mostly the same as everyone else. Visualise the idea in my head first. Unless its something big, or an important layout with complex specifications i dont tend to sketch it on paper but rather think about it (visualise visualise) till i can actually see it.
Then unlike RedD i open up Dreamweaver and start the HTML skeleton for it. Then based on what the skeleton looks like i go and make small images in Photoshop and glue it on this skeleton layout till it looks like what i visualised.
Sometimes before i start the work, during the planning stages i go to other sites, read up on some features (XML/XSL/XHTML/CSS2/PHP etc) depending on what exactly you are trying to make.
Generally i tend to scrap heavy GFX use and go for minimalistic but with a twist. I've learnt that if you set images as BG for cells/divs you can still render a simplistic site to "look" like a gfx heavy site. Anyway, its all about practice... trial and error.. the more layouts you make the more efficient and faster you become. ;)
Goodluck on v2 of your site!
I usually think up several ideas in my head, pick one, refine it, visualise it as a whole and thinking of all the details, font use, how it would be sliced, cross browser and res compatibility, is it practical etc - still all in my head. I very occasionally take it to paper; usually just in my head is fine for web layouts. All this “thinking” I usually do at a time when I can’t be occupied doing something else useful, so I do a lot of “thinking” when I work on Sunday. :D
The next step for me is going in to Photoshop to make quick practice layouts, “lash-ups”, just to get a feel for it and check it works visually etc. This is typically done when ideas are fresh in my head. You could call this the digital equivalent of a sketch on paper. I just find it more effective as it takes no effort to fill in with colours etc. It won’t take long at all so I sometimes print screen a browser window and “fit” the layout in there to get a visual feel for it. If necessary, I do a few options, different colour combinations etc then decide later, with a fresh perspective on it, after a sleep or something.
After fiddling about with the “prototype” layout, I save as a jpeg and start the real thing - Only this time being much more precise, considering px dimensions etc.
When completed I slice by hand, NOT using Photoshop’s slice tools ever.
"When completed I slice by hand, NOT using Photoshop’s slice tools ever."
You print it and slice it with a kungfu chop? hehe :roll:
Regarding browser compatibility I forgot all about it when i rushed the WIP of gfxDiet (this layout). Now i've entered the lazy stage I barely have time to make it work with FireFox - it looks aweful :?
So just a tip, dont leave browser compatibility last because it gets annoying and you forget about it!
BioALIEN wrote:
LMAO, actually yea... Nah, I either output a .jpg and reopen in ps to cut selections out, or I make a layer above everything and copy-merge the selection. So, btw, who DOES actually use Photoshop slice tool to slice their layouts?
AH nooo, poor bio, browser compatibility is lame :( TBH I actually can’t bloody stand webdesign, really hate it now, especially any backend crap. *shudders*.
Godless, make your own way... It's up to u how to make it. Each of us has it's own methods and changing it will not help you, just do like you always do.
Yeah thats the general rule. Do what YOU feel comfortable with. But do take into account our opinions .. but make sure you understand.. its just "opinions" nothing more nothing less.