WordPress uses “themes” to display the content of the database in a user-friendly and attractive interface in the browser. Deciding which theme to use may be determined by the site requirements, some themes have additional features that may be required – or not. Don’t use a theme with all the Bells & Whistles if you don’t need those…
Bootstrap is a set of tools including CSS, (& LESS) and jQuery that are designed to provide a the basis for a grid based responsive website. Download the files from http://getbootstrap.com/ (version 3) Version 3 is structured to be “mobile first” – all CSS is designed to flexible, in contrast to version 2 where much of…
When your website has it’s main navigation as tabs across the top of the page, how will these appear when viewed on alternate media? If the design is to be “responsive”, ie: elements wrap down into columns depending on the available screen width, the links can also wrap down – OR, they can change into…
Window Dressing – You can design a website, and then worry about content, or you can get the content up-and-running in a rudimentary fashion, and worry about the ‘design’ later. But it’s more than just window dressing. Usability is key. Join us as we tackle a quick make-over to an existing and functioning site, adding…
Using CSS and Div’s for layout. Div’s contain the information to layout the site, but making them behave in a predictable manor is not always easy. Floats are used to control positioning, (left or right) but multiple elements will need to be “cleared” to line up correctly. http://www.sitepoint.com/using-css-grid-layout-and-blend-5-to-build-a-game/ http://960.gs/ http://unsemantic.com/ http://caniuse.com/css-grid http://designfestival.com/design-organized-websites-rapidly-with-960-grid/ http://layouts.ironmyers.com/ http://css-tricks.com/all-about-floats/ http://www.quirksmode.org/css/clearing.html
With Windows 8/touch screens, iPads and cell phones becoming mainstream for web browsing, what should designers take into consideration when planning a new website layout? Start by understanding the user experience, and your potential viewer. What kind of content will the user be looking at? Will they be shopping, reading, viewing image galleries – and…
Would you like to include a slick image gallery on your website? Let’s take a close look at the “Colorbox” image gallery system. This is a free/Open source jquery/javascript system for showing image enlargements on an overlay. It’s widely used on the web, but how is it done? If you want to download the current…
To take advantage of high-resolution displays on iPad, laptops and phones, images used on existing websites may need modification. Images designed for desktop screens can look blurred on Retina displays, and several options have to be considered. Present different images/photos based on media queries? A higher resolution version can be shown, however consider possible download…
HTML Tables are outdated, but they still have their place to effectively present tabular data. Tables should not to be used for design, or as an easy way to position elements on a page. However, when tabular data needs to be presented, HTML tables are still the best option, and CSS can be used to control…
Website design is no longer a “What You See Is What You Get” situation. What YOU see can differ considerably from what someone else sees. It’s very easy to be visually/mentally seduced into believing that your design is consistent across the web. However, with your pages being opened on anything from wide screen monitors, to small…