How Do You..............

[nelkz]

Hello you lot....

I have only designed a couple of webpages..one was a table based design....the other a css from a couple of templates put together...

I want to build a new personal portfolio / gallery site ...

Im not sure how to start...

How do you guys start.....?
Do you set up a css first..
Divs first...
or a PSD...

[blueocto]

Really depends on the person and their habits, but I would start with a design in say Illustrator/Photoshop/Paint Shop Pro, then figure out how I will divide it into divs, and start building the css sheet from there. Then its just tweak tweak tweak lol
Once I am satisfied everything is in the right place, I upgrade the images, do the additional pages and links then validate.
Although its never as straight forward for me as it sounds lol

[nelkz]

Thats interesting.....thanks for that..

all i need now is some insperation....

[tommylogic]

What do you use for programs? Do you use Fireworks & Dreamweaver by chance?

[blueocto]

Me or nelkz?

[tommylogic]

nelkz...
seeing what he currently uses, so I can get an idea of his usual workflow & familiarity before I suggest something

[nelkz]

Hiya Tommy.....how are you doing...

I use photoshop and dreamweaver..

i have a basic understanding of div's and css if thats any help..

i tend to try a layout in psd form then slice it up and create divs and css but end up spending ages aligning it all...dreamweaver lets you create a layers (divs) but it all gets messy...i would love to create a compliant site...but hey you cant have it all...

[tommylogic]

nelkz, thats the preferred method for most agencies (although a lot of independents will go directly from scratch to notepad).

I always recommend this Adobe tutorial from our long standing CSS pro, Gordon Mac.

Taking a Fireworks comp to a CSS-based layout by GordonMac

Its perhaps the most in depth start to finish tutorial I have seen to date. Although he uses Fireworks as his editor, it is possible to do it with PS. I recommend using his method though. I often get a comp predesigned in PS and convert it to a Ffireworks png then slice it up, as this seems to be the direction that Adobe has intended (as there are many export-import features between the two programs that PS doesn't quite accomplish).

Check it out, it's lengthy, but WELL worth it.... Good Luck!!!

[nelkz]

Thanks for the info Tommy...I shall check this out..

Nelkz

[rick22]

research.. you need a lot of research to do something new...