I haven’t created my own website design for a long time. Part of the problem has been that I have expected myself to create WordPress themes, and to include the post styles, have cool features, be responsive, follow current trends and be as great as themes other people are selling. I realise that if I am going to put that kind of pressure on myself I would probably never create a web design again. So I am going to step back into it gradually, make it fun and try and find that joy in making websites that I used to have.
I decided to make a really basic ‘cute’ design. Just to freshen myself up, become familiar with how I ‘code’ and ‘design’. I wanted to do this without any pressure, so I am just making it to enjoy the process. I want to continue to work on it, and see where it goes.
This is what the design looks like at the moment. It is very basic, and I mainly played around with the css colours and html structure. What I would like to do next time is add more general styles, mix it up with more content and maybe change the small header image. I always enjoy adding textures to different elements but don’t want to over-do it.
15 Responses
A huge IKR. I feel the pressure to do something wonderful that I never got to it because I feel I need lots of time to fix it up. But surely and slowly, we will get there. There has been so much changes to webdesign that I gotta ease back into it. I love the colours of the design. 🙂 I kinda miss my old school blog layouts (css and tables and all).
It is a lot like that. I guess the way I am doing it is helping. Some things have changed but most things are the same. Sometimes they also give things new names that mean the same things.. lols.
Oh man. Tables, iframes haha. xD
Making a wordpress theme used to be so easy, I remember when we would make them all the time back in around 2005 – 2008ish. Now they are a mission, wordpress coding advanced well beyond my level of understanding. I wish they would create a super simple theme that people can start with. I just ended up customising an already existing free theme.
The site you designed looks so cute! Makes me want to design again.
There are framework themes available that you can do that with, which makes life easier. I can remember when it was fun to have a design you made and then mess around with inserting heads and footers into things… whatever we were doing. xD
I guess once you try and ‘decode’ the changes that have taken place and different aspects that people want in designs now, you can kind of move forward a bit. Just try not to do it all at once.
I used to make themes and such, but I sort of lost interest in it completely. I started to do it for money, but people kept backing out and never paid/wanted to use the theme. I guess that contributed to my loss of interest in it.
Anyhow, that’s cute. 🙂
I think when you take something you like and then start making money from it, or trying to, it changes things somehow. It can almost feel like you are removing the magic from it. 🙁
I know how you feel. Everything has changed now and mostly I feel like it’s too hard to begin again. Good luck with your design and theme 🙂
Slow steps, try to reconnect. xD
That is lovely. 🙂 I’m currently kicking my bum into gear and (trying!) to make a new layout for my blog. XD
I can’t wait to see the design on the new site. I am sure you will be able to make something awesome. 😀
If it helps you practice, there are a few “framework” WordPress themes, like Thematic, that take care of the PHP functions, but leave the CSS all up to you.
I do miss seeing your adorable designs. Your giant giraffe was simply awesome. Hopefully, there will be more!
That is a good idea, I always forget about them and feel like I have to make everything from scratch or I am ‘cheating’ which isn’t logical. xD
Thank you so much. I was looking at that giraffe theme a few days ago. Even though it was simple, it was rather cute. xD
I love it, love! And I totally agree. I’m so scared to get back into graphic/web design. There’s new trends and ways of doing things now. Heck, even Photoshop was different for me after a year (and going straight into CC). When I got back into fanlistings a few months back, I just went straight to what I knew. From there you can only go up.
I know what you mean about the pressure. I haven’t made my own design in about 6 years. I keep wanting to make one, but I keep saying it has to be up to date with all the new trends and whatnot. Your post pretty much knocked sense into me. lol! I love your theme and I’m excited for your new project!