Developing a theme
If you have chosen a title for your website or business, think about what theme would compliment that title. Let your imagination take over here and think of several ideas and write them down.
If you don't have a title or name chosen, think of the content, graphics and/or photos you're going to include on your site. Deciding on a theme might help you come up with a unique name.
A theme can be obvious . . . such as a greenhouse using gardening tools, flowers, etc. Or it can be a metaphor. For example, a website about babies could also use a ''gardening'' theme. The metaphors of seedlings, growth, nurturing, feeding and caring for tender plants would translate very well.
Expressing a theme
Another popular way to express a theme is to use thumbnails throughout the site that tell a story or express an idea. Thumbnails of snowflakes scattered around your website would be great for a website that deals with winter sports or some other cold weather activity or product. Also, using the thumbnail method makes your website easier to load than when using large graphic images.
When the theme is a particular color or color combination, the links, buttons and graphics should all reflect that color theme. Use it everywhere on your website. If a logo is used as the theme, that logo should be incorporated on every page. One such method is to incorporate your logo into your page headers and/or footers. This way your visitors will be presented with a repeating theme on every page of your website that they visit.
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Summary
What you are doing, with a theme, is providing cohesiveness to your site - letting visitors know they are still in the same place no matter what section they are viewing. Web users don't like the feeling of being ''lost'' and will leave a site if they feel they don't know where they are or how to find information.
More importantly a theme should tell a story or convey an idea. Your theme should enhance your message. It can help to make your visitors understand what it is that you are trying to say.
Picture your theme as a framework into which you are placing your message. Like the settings that a jeweler might use to embellish a gem your theme should present your content is the best light possible.
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Designing Web Pages
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Designing Web Pages
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Designing good webpages begins with good webpage layout. So what do you want on this most important first screen? |
Professional Webpage Layout
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Examining the methods of professional webpage layout. The individual pages in your website must have a layout that allows the visitor to find out as much as possible about your webpage at a glance. |
All About Design Principles and Elements
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Basic website design elements to consider. A truly shocking number of web designers are unfamiliar with the basic principles and elements of design. |
Designing your Homepage
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Believe me, you want your visitors to stay as long as possible. This is the only way your site is going to succeed. Your site must be interesting, persuading, and easy to navigate. |
The Best Page Layout and Design for Content Websites
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To understand which layouts work you only need to look at the industry gorillas. These are the online content publishers who have been around for years, and who have tested just about every layout combination. |
Writing for the Web
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Writing for the Web is very different from traditional writing. The way website visitors read Web copy is unique and you must adjust your writing style to be effective. |
An Easy Way to Choose Attractive Color Combinations
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Lots of people struggle to come up with attractive color combinations when designing logos, banners or web sites. So, here's an easy technique that only takes a few minutes. |
Professional Graphics
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Graphic design is an intimidating subject for many Internet entrepreneurs. However, most of us must learn some basic design techniques to avoid the high costs of hiring a professional graphics designer. |
9 Ways to Make Your Web Site Look Great
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Learn how to design a website that gets attention every time. Avoid the mistakes most people making when creating their first web site. Take home some tricks that even the most advanced designers will enjoy. |
Selection of Web Templates
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An important part of website designing is selection of web templates. Here are a few points which will help you select the best web template for your website. |
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Creating a Basic Web Design Template
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A "template" is simply a design format which you can apply to all (or most) of the pages in your web site. |
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