I am thinking of a new way to do my site layout, and i started wondering what other people think/thought about when making their layouts. It would be interesting to see what goes on in other peoples minds during the creative process and maybe it would help me think of a layout. Post what you thought about when you made your layout, and see how similar or different it was from someone elese

well, you can always look at other's sites...but there is a good side and a bad side to looking at alot of other sites, the bad thing is if you find a really cool one you might want to copy it...but the good part, is you can mix ideas and make a cool one! i usualy just play around in MS paint un till i find a cool shape and style :)

Well I sort of got my ideas from my sister. She likes website layouts that can fit on a 800 x 600 screen and have a height of 100%.

When I make my layouts I first think about how I want it and then I code it and when I finish the first time I look at it and the layout usually has some mistakes.

I do all of my layouts in tables. I like table layouts the best because they're easy to do and my sister wants me to use them anyways.

After I do my table and I make sure that everything is in the place that they're supposed to be, I think about what is going to be outside of the table for the background and what is going to be inside the table to make it colorful. I never put a lot of pictures in my layout because I think it's easier to read and doesn't take forever to load.

When I'm making my layout, the only kind of layout that I can think of is a title box at the top, and on the second row a navigation at the left and the text and stuff on the right. The only place that I would make a little bit attractive is the title. The navigation text would be colored, and the text on the right would be black so it would be easy to read.

My brother said that things are easier to read if you keep them in an area that has a width that's no more than 500px. I think that's true because sometimes when I'm reading a forum I would be reading the same line over and over again because the text space would be very long. I put my text boxes around that size because he suggested that.

I just start coding, throw in a few colors and/or images, and see what happens :P

I first define the purpose of the site, then think of all the things that define that purpose and make it what it is. I may then go online and find some stock images based on those ideas to use later. Once I have those I'll open Photoshop and create a new file (I'm sick of 800 x 600 sites now (it may just be a phase, I don't know) so my PS files will be about 980 X 700 px). I'll leave it there ready to go while I pull up csszengarden.com to get some ideas, and I'll look through my endless folder full of old layouts that never got past the Photoshop comp stage. I start building from there, being sure that the layout will fit the content and purpose of the site.

Once I have the Photoshop comp done I'll open up DW and create the markup with CSS and XHTML.

I just start up PSP9 and get started. :buckt:

I..surf sites. Um, when I see nice pictures? I haven't really created that much :P I find all this greaat stuff and I think 'I'll learn to do that' but I haven't got round to.. :p

I'm never usually have problems coming up with inspiration - I just use whatever is around me.
For example, I wanted a new layout for my site ages ago, and i just so happened to be eating marshmallows. So, i did a search on google for marshmallows and ta da!

I use my cat in a lot of my layouts too, just because I have too many pictures of him :P

As for the actual layout, I usually search around other people's sites :P

:)

My inspiration comes from songs most of the time.

Usually, it's just a random thought or idea that's been rumbling around in my head and I attempt to make it a reality.....90% of the time I fail, LOL :P

I just look at others sites and if I like the design I try and make a similar one, with different images/colors/text (of course), I don't copy them... I make them from ideas floating around in my head too...

Well, my layouts all have to have the same theme, Dakota Fanning, because it is a fansite for her. First I think of all the things I didn't like about the last layout and try to improve on it, or what new things I want to try. Like with the layout I'm making now, I wanted to have a side menu instead of just splicing an image for navigation. Then I choose what pictures I want to use of Dakota and make the header. Then I just build on that, choosing a background that matches, etc.

I use whats going on my life. Especially moments that i want to capture. Like sledding at night and laying in the snow with my boyfriend this winter. So i made a nighttime snowy layout. And ive been really wanting to go to the beach and I keep thinking of being at the beach and how wonderful it is...so I made a beach theme.

Think of something you love(time place feeling whatever) and try to capture it in the form of codes and images, thast what i try to do!

Good luck!

If I come across a certain picture that I know would be absolutely perfect for a layout, that might motivate me.

songs ..
i'm mostly inspired by songs
or a "way of art" (like vectors etc) .. i just start something and if it's good enough for a layout i turn it into a layout.

My last layout was originally an invitation for my birthday party haha i just turned it into a layout with a lyric around it :)

Love,
Mirna

to get my inspiration I just visit the sites on my button rotations. I also go to review sites and see what kinds of layouts people with high scores got.

I don't really need inspiration. My designs revolve around a central style that changes depending on the site and what it would require. Occasionally I deviate from my normal core design but that's not often.

I rarely make image heavy layouts but mine are always 800x600 compatable and are always 100% width. I also despise restricted width layouts and 100% Flash sites.