Progressing Hopefully..

[ecntrc]

So, I am designing a website from scratch for one of the sister companies that is connected to the company I work for. Off the bat, I dont have photoshop, the only thing I have is paint and MS picture share or whatever... with that said... all I can use is color and thats it. I am using a CSS layout provided by dreamweaver.

My question is, has anyone ever designed a site with just color and no graphics. I mean I have a few pictures to place here and there but its not graphics. It looks plain. Im trying to get the color scheme they want.

I am looking for tips, my boss did purchase dreamweaver cs3 and he has yet to purchase photoshop but not sure when but that doesnt matter anyways because this site needs to be up and running.

Suggestions, tips, comments I can use anything right now. Its also hard to find a tut that isnt using photoshop to design the site.

With that said, my boss even told me Im probably the only web designer that he has heard of that has sliced their webpage in photoshop. hmmm ok. Anyways.... HELP!!!!! Thanks in advanced..

[agentxi]

well you can use the free program called "gimp" if you need to do some graphics, it's an open source software that is known as the "free version of photoshop" It's interface and names of tools are a bit different than photoshop, but it will be good enough to do some web graphics.
here's the link

As for creating a website without the use of graphics is possible but in my opinion It would take a lot more care and time to do it, just because you don't have the graphics to help out on.

Sorry I don't have any samples for you.

[notjustgraphics]

Hey Eccentrc

Here's an example of a site I've done without images... other than the logo of the company.

Leader Energy - Wind Energy Development

It is possible to create interesting websites without images but it's kinda like trying to swat flys with your hands tied behind your back.

CSS is going to become your best friend, or like XI suggested, seek out The Gimp!

Let me know if i can help at all..

Cheers

[shaunes001]

Dont forget as well, you can get a 30 day trial of photoshop from adobes website... if you just need it for this project that is, other wise Gimp works well enough.

You could try stock.xchng - the leading free stock photography site for some decent stock photos too. If you don't mind me asking, what does the company do? Just so we know what's needed

[stiney51]

Is the graphics restriction your employers choice or the limits of the lack of software? Honestly you could use paint and drop the images into dreamweaver if the later is the case.

If it's the former, then I'd suggest sketching everything out by hand first. Take all of your elements and work out a layout. CSS lets you do so much with color and text that you never could before, so you can really accomplish almost anything you want to do to liven up the site without relying on photoshop.

Take a look at this forum. It really uses very few images (as most forums do) and yet it certainly doesn't come accross as boring.

It can be done.

[ecntrc]

Thank you everyone!!!

I knew there was a program similar to photoshop I just couldnt put my finger on it. The lack of the software being available is by choice with my boss. I think its more budget issues. He said he will most likely purchase it in jan or something. I didnt think about the trial version. duh!

The website you made, notjustgraphics, very simple and clean. Gives me more ideas. Only thing is they want a color scheme of dark grey, maroon and tan. Hard to pull them together. I decided last night, what the hell go home and design real quick at home.

The company is www.adrah.com, they work with the unions strictly only with workers compensation, they are a service that makes the process faster to process your workers comp claim. If thats understandable. Right now theres only a temp site up. Very blah!

I appreciate everything!!! you guys are still the greatest!!!! Im going to slap myself silly and make it a point to visit this lovely place everyday like I used to. Hopefully boss will let me use gimp for the time being.

Thanks again!!! you have no idea how much I appreciate it!! I get so fustrated working without photoshop when making a website.

I am still looking for suggestions, comments ect....

[unleash]

I'm almost afraid to say this, but we have an Gimper lurking around here. Maybe you can smoke him out to get some ideas/ help!

Anyways, looking forward to seeying the progress

and thanks....even if I haven't posted up here, Im still a biorusteer(hé that reconciles!)

[tamlin]

Originally Posted by unleash

we have an Gimper lurking around here. Maybe you can smoke him out to get some ideas/ help!

If you mean Sparky3006, I think you'll find "he" is actually a she...

[ecntrc]

Well I got real bored and just made something at home. I figure dont get too complicated and spend too much time on it since id be working from home on my own computer. So I just made a basic banner with their name on it, did some photo manip to make the colors a little different and then that was it. So hopefully later when he does purchase photoshop then I can come up with something alot spiffier. Once the site is completely up Ill let you folks give it a try.

It sucks also, because it seems as if they just want something really simple. and I HATE simple and straight to the point. I want detail and love making it look very nice. But I have to make what the bosses want right? Right... Gimp was getting too confusing for me to make anything fantastic. I have to get the feel and touch of the whole program before making anything nice. Seems real similar to photoshop just have to find everything to make my life easier to make something on there... Thanks again!!

And the gimp luker? heshe will be able to help me?

[unleash]

If you mean Sparky3006, I think you'll find "he" is actually a she...

In that case replace all him's by her's and all he's by she's, and sorry sparky!!


I do hope you will get along with those demands!! but simple can be beautifully can't it? We got an saying about that here in the Netherlands, but I have no clue about the translation into english. 1 on 1 it would say, small but delicate, big but idiot...it's a rhyme and a saying, in Dutch that is!!

Oh for those who want to know in Dutch it is:

Klein maar fijn, groot maar idioot!

[NikonErik]

I believe almost every operating system bundle these days have some sort of web design capability buit into it. Especially the modern word processors. Windows XP and Microsoft Office 2003 solves this issue in several ways. Any page that can be produced in MS Word can be saved as a web page automatically.

Is this a relevent tip to this issue?

[notjustgraphics]

Originally Posted by NikonErik

I believe almost every operating system bundle these days have some sort of web design capability buit into it. Especially the modern word processors. Windows XP and Microsoft Office 2003 solves this issue in several ways. Any page that can be produced in MS Word can be saved as a web page automatically.

True!

But i pity the fool who actually uses these... Microsoft has no business making web pages, tools that make webpages, or any program that views webpages.

Even non MicroSoft programs are severely lacking in their ability in this area. There is no substitute for knowledge of HTML and CSS.

Originally Posted by NikonErik

Is this a relevent tip to this issue?

lol, No.. but the effort and intent is well regarded!

Cheers.

Mike.

[NikonErik]

Hey, I'd rather use the MS Office apps than Paint! Notjustgraphics, you and LOTS of others may share in your feelings with regard to MS Office's solutions for webcode, but almost anything else is better than "paint and MS picture share " . . . to quote the OP.

[notjustgraphics]

I think we're comparing apples to oranges here...

MS Paint is not a tool you would use to publish a website... it is an image editor, and a slim offering of one at that.

The OP (hi Ecntrc) was referring to choices for Image Editing, meaning that while she's used to using Photoshop, she's stuck with MS Paint for this project.

Your suggestion that she use Microsoft Office seemed (at least to me) to be a suggestion that she not use Dreamweaver CS3 which she does have.

I cannot stress enough that with years of experience in web development that my disdain for Microsoft products as they relate to web development is neither unfounded nor unshared.

As for practical uses of Microsoft Office products, i'd be totally lost without them.

In short, if you need to edit an image, there are lots of choices that are better then MS Picture Share or MS Paint, but you would not use a word processor or a spreadsheet program for this purpose.

Mike.

[ecntrc]

HAHA Guess who used MS Word to make a webpage... think it was my boss. But you know you could do a basic layout and then maybe use notepad and code it. Maybe, not sure might be just talking smack.

Originally Posted by notjustgraphics

True!

But i pity the fool who actually uses these... Microsoft has no business making web pages, tools that make webpages, or any program that views webpages.

But right now, I downloaded gimp. I did do some art at home but told myself not to spend hours on it like I usually do for my paying clients. I do get paid at work but only in my office. Not at home. Even boss told me to not spend alot of time on it. But I did come up with some banners for my agent to choose from. I know big boss lady is waiting for a result of the webpage. So I have to hurry up. I want to incorporate a tan/darker brownish marble background. I dont want to just create a banner and then the rest be plain white. I guess I will be brave and attach the banners Ive made. They are going for a color scheme or maroonish, dark grey and tan. Remember I am not the best at graphics so if you laugh, laugh to yourself and dont make it known, too much.

You know me guys I will take suggestions, opinions ect....

The fade and the logo was bosses idea.