Welcome to the Web - Rocketface(R) Workshop Webmaster's Tutorial - "How to Design a Website"


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Something a little different

Unbalanced Web Page Layout
A poor page layout drives away visitors

Unbalanced webpage layout

The arrangement of the text and graphics is boring in this example. There is nothing to interest the eye. Even with good graphics it would be difficult to make this page look professional. More important is the fact that visitors to this type of webpage would soon tire of it.

Remember, you only have a few seconds to grab the attention of someone who opens one of your webpages. That is the reason to develop a webpage design that is clean and simple to comprehend. One that leads the eye to the main focus of the page quickly and without the use of novelties. Once you have done this use the same webpage layout throughout the site.

Example of an Unbalanced Webpage

fig. 1 - Example of a webpage that is unbalanced and lacking visual appeal

Legend: The dark gray area is either bold text or graphics. The light gray area is text.

See: Common Web Design Mistakes

The importance of webpage layout

New webmasters often make the mistake of paying too little attention to the layout of their webpages. It is imperative that your visitors feel good about your website and that is accomplished with clean, simple but pleasing page layouts.

Look at websites that you find appealing and try to accomplish the same effect with your site. By observing a few basic elements of webpage design you can examine other websites with a keen eye.

Design elements to look for

1 - Color balance - What is the primary color scheme

2 - Negative space - The space around the page elements

3 - Typography - The style of type used

Designing Web Pages

Designing Web Pages

Designing good webpages begins with good webpage layout. So what do you want on this most important first screen?

Professional Webpage Layout

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Creating a Basic Web Design Template

A "template" is simply a design format which you can apply to all (or most) of the pages in your web site.