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Layout, Graphic and Banner Makers: Read Please

So I've decided to make layouts, graphics and banners. The only issue is... how on earth do you make them so professional (lol) I know, probably a stupid question, but I've seen some GREAT players make amazing layouts and graphics.<br><br>This is all I have so far...<br><br><a href="http://virtualpups.com/index.php?r=kennel/view&id=279795"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">http://virtualpups.com/index.php?r=kennel/view&id=279795</a><br><br>and..<br><br><a href="http://virtualpups.com/index.php?r=kennel/view&id=279249"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">http://virtualpups.com/index.php?r=kennel/view&id=279249</a><br><br>now I'm working with just the basics right now, but if you have any advice or sites to use you can post or message me anytime, it would be greatly appreciated and will not go unnoticed! <br><span style="font-weight:bold">thanks everyone</span> :)
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Comments

  • Banner tip: Never cover animal's faces with text. Always put it somewhere where it's not distracting someone from the image.<br><br>It bugs me when people paste a whole bunch of text over faces and main points of images. Just my own preference, many people don't mind it. But it's a good tip for most banners.
  • I agree with Garfieldz Gal. Another piece of advice I would give you about your banners is, make sure they're clear and people can see what's on there. Personally, on your first layout, I couldn't tell what was on that banner until I looked at it for like 5 minutes. Also, try to make the text on your banners more interesting. What program do you use to make them?<br><br>As for your layouts, you have the right start. There are a few things I would suggest to help you though. Number one, try lining everything. I see you have some links to the left, than you have them on the left, but there way lower on the page than the other ones. Another thing, try sticking to one color/ a simple color palette. When I look at your layouts I see pinks, greens, yellows, blues, reds, I even see a rainbow at the bottom of one. If you need help with colors, try this website. <a href="http://kuler.adobe.com/#themes/newest?time=30"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">http://kuler.adobe.com/#themes/newest?time=30</a>; They have really nice palettes and you can even search by colors. <br><br>I know I left you with a lot, but I hope this helps you a little bit. If you need anymore help or just want to send me some graphics/ layouts for me to critique, just PM me. I'll be happy to help. :)
  • all i have is paint.NET which is free, thank you both for the tip! also, is there any programs either of you know of? That can help with graphics. The layouts are still in progress, I could really use some advice. thank you again! I dont take anything personal, and welcome positive or negative feedback :D
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  • I don't know much about layouts myself, or banners - but I like your layouts, and if you offered your services to the public, I'd buy one. ;3
  • haha welp I've taken coding classes at school, along with a few years of expirence and the natural nik for it. The hard part is thinking of a original design and getting the general - core coding to work correctly. Forget about the colors and detail codes for the end. You're first example is just HTML from xIHeartNewYorkx's and my free layouts, but no matter. If you can create a slick-simple design then spice it up with detail codes and decent graphics then I say you're a pro, yourself. Professional goes in different directions, making something not obnoxious and decent looking is professional in my opinion. Meanwhile some layouts and coding are too custom and just simply can't be made or reachable without a program or the easy way of copying -gag- Hmm, for graphics I have a photoshop elements then I have a gimp, but I personally love using GIMP and picnik.com over PS anyday. Just got to be original and get the hang of banners, and if you're asking me, your a professional in you're own way (:
    luluandgarneybanner.jpg
    This glimmer of hope was never enough, To guide me through the darkness like a diamond in the rough
  • Captain x) That was amazing haha. I guess I'm just looking for a miracle website hahaha. I'll take your advice and start from scratch. Which i have been, but when i had two players interested in a layout... I took all the time and they bailed. Now these layouts looked better than my main lol. hmm. well I've been using Paint. NET.. which works OK but usually I make all the details on photobucket... your saying GIMP's? a lot better? oh the confusion of programs xD
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  • haha thanks (: well hmm i'd be willing to give simple codes and basically all around help you and critque if you'd like. But yes good old Gimp is the most simple program and I prefer it {other than the fonts, but you can download those} then I finish off all my graphics with picnik, {theres a secret to that too ;P } I'm in the midst of making a offical website for my works, so you can view them. I don't really have time until school ends, so after that, if wanted of course, I could try passing on some of my 'skills' ;D Here is one of my more recent examples <a href="http://lunarlayouts.webs.com/memphiskennel.htm"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">http://lunarlayouts.webs.com/memphiskennel.htm</a>;
    luluandgarneybanner.jpg
    This glimmer of hope was never enough, To guide me through the darkness like a diamond in the rough
  • see, captian that is just amazing! I want to know how to make the actual layout format with a rounded "banner" like you do. I'll look into gimp right now. which coding can you help me with?
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  • oh captain, please please teach me how to use gimp!! I can't figure out how to blend layouts together or anything. are there any tricks? please help me with this. I even read the help forums. I'm not sure what you can do with this software. Thank you by the way :)
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  • haha when you say captain, I think of the dead poet society movie, Oh captain my captain rofl anyways xD<br><br>with Gimp, the easiest thing you can do is just play around with it! mess around with the different filters and effects. download fonts/brushes etc. for the rounded edges the way I do it *whispers* I cheat xD using <a href="http://www.picnik.com"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">www.picnik.com</a> I can write it all out how to do it eventually, but first I recommend you play around with GIMP and picnik first. You're graphics have their own feel to them, I like it. <br><br>as for codes, I was looking at your webs site. I recommend professing one style first and keep working on it so it can hopefully become you're main layout of services. I really like <a href="http://virtualpups.com/index.php?r=vpKennel/view&id=277029"; target="_blank" class="bb-url">http://virtualpups.com/index.php?r=vpKennel/view&id=277029</a>; cause its simple and clear to what we can work on.
    luluandgarneybanner.jpg
    This glimmer of hope was never enough, To guide me through the darkness like a diamond in the rough
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