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ksmithDipped a toe into the redo-the-website pool. I've spent the last two evenings picking through templates, and have likely settled on one. Found a cool photo on deviantArt to use on the homepage...assuming it's available for use. If not, will search further for writing-related images.
I'm still boggled by how much website styles have changed over the last few years. To be honest, they seem to have become very cookie-cutter--basic blog-like layouts for the most part, with very wide margins. A few trends are downright irritating. White text on black/dark grey/etc--I admit that this is visually striking at first glance, and I do like the overall look. But if I read more than a few lines of text, my eyes literally start to throb. I don't know if the astigmatism is to blame or what, but I need to look away, blink a lot, and wait for the afterimages to fade before I can do something else. On the iBook, I have a cool Javathingie called 'black on white' that reverses the colors to black text on a white background. Love that thing.
The other trend of very light text (think light grey) on a white background also takes me aback. It must be a sign that many of these designers are still in their 20s, because add in the light-on-white with the overall narrower field of view and the smaller font sizes usually employed, and you have websites that are damned near unreadable by anyone over 40. I know that templates are infinitely customizable, and I could discard the features I dislike and retool, but if I'm going to completely change a template, why use it at all? Better to hunt for something I like right off the bat.
That being said...I have found a template with lots of brown--parchment to milk chocolate. Some purple and blue text. May have to tweak font and background shades to heighten contrast. The homepage will have a large image with embedded links. It's a dramatic look overall, and very different from the current site.
Then I will get to start rewriting all the essays. Updating the pups' ages. Adding new photos and redesigning the book pages. I think it will look cool once it's done.
And I don't do the actual coding myself, so discussions are useless. Ruta Duhon of Willowbrook Designs manages my site--she also does sites for Elizabeth Moon, Jody Lynn Nye, and some Austin-area businesses.
In other news, finally had business cards made. Found a place in Redmond WA. Lovely offwhite parchment with a gold/black design. Also bought a card case from Colorado Pen. I'll be all set.
I'm still boggled by how much website styles have changed over the last few years. To be honest, they seem to have become very cookie-cutter--basic blog-like layouts for the most part, with very wide margins. A few trends are downright irritating. White text on black/dark grey/etc--I admit that this is visually striking at first glance, and I do like the overall look. But if I read more than a few lines of text, my eyes literally start to throb. I don't know if the astigmatism is to blame or what, but I need to look away, blink a lot, and wait for the afterimages to fade before I can do something else. On the iBook, I have a cool Javathingie called 'black on white' that reverses the colors to black text on a white background. Love that thing.
The other trend of very light text (think light grey) on a white background also takes me aback. It must be a sign that many of these designers are still in their 20s, because add in the light-on-white with the overall narrower field of view and the smaller font sizes usually employed, and you have websites that are damned near unreadable by anyone over 40. I know that templates are infinitely customizable, and I could discard the features I dislike and retool, but if I'm going to completely change a template, why use it at all? Better to hunt for something I like right off the bat.
That being said...I have found a template with lots of brown--parchment to milk chocolate. Some purple and blue text. May have to tweak font and background shades to heighten contrast. The homepage will have a large image with embedded links. It's a dramatic look overall, and very different from the current site.
Then I will get to start rewriting all the essays. Updating the pups' ages. Adding new photos and redesigning the book pages. I think it will look cool once it's done.
And I don't do the actual coding myself, so discussions are useless. Ruta Duhon of Willowbrook Designs manages my site--she also does sites for Elizabeth Moon, Jody Lynn Nye, and some Austin-area businesses.
In other news, finally had business cards made. Found a place in Redmond WA. Lovely offwhite parchment with a gold/black design. Also bought a card case from Colorado Pen. I'll be all set.
