Advice on how to design

[two4god07]

I think of webpage design as artwork.. I don't want to build flat pages, but I dont know any programming languages to be dynamic. All I can do is the artwork. I want to be able to build a fast loading webpage with backgrounds like this one

http://www.viget.com/inspire/how-to-make-the-viget-inspire-background/

Or even more advanced while still having a fast loading time.

I also am better at designing using exact sizes rather than percentages. Each time I use a percent, something completely goes awal. Sometimes things start shifting sizes when I move my browser around. Sometimes things move around on the page. I want to be able to have the website across the page like the example I gave without worrying that some people dont have widescreen computers like I do. Basically.. I dont want there to ever be a bottom scroll bar, but I dont want the contents to be screwy either. I understand people have different settings on their pc that change text size etc... but I want the overall to always look decent.

Advice?

[donatello]

Wordpress.

Then simply modify themes.

The easiest way to do so is as follows:

upload a theme that you like (architecture wise) - with regard to 2 column, left sidebar, 3 column, graphic heavy... etc.
FTP the theme back to your PC with the images folder
Copy the HTML from the displayed page (not the PHP) and open it in dreamweaver
Edit the images and CSS until you have a theme you like...



By the time you do the first one, you will almost be an expert.
You will have your own theme pretty much and CSS... if you modify it extensively...

The pages will be dynamic, loved by Google and easy to edit/modify.
There are tons of plugins so you do not need to be a programmer.

Wordpress CAN be set up as a site and NOT a blog - with a static homepage, and static subpages; you can place blog posts under a subsection called simply "Articles" or "Blog".

[two4god07]

I want to be able to do high graphic webpages like these..

http://www.cotr.tv/

http://www.churchoftheopendoor.com/

but still maintain a decent loading time

And have everything proportionate

[Jarrod1937]

I want to be able to do high graphic webpages like these..

http://www.cotr.tv/

http://www.churchoftheopendoor.com/

but still maintain a decent loading time

And have everything proportionate
Then you better get learning ;)
Those sites are a mixture of different techniques, flash, tiling css backgrounds...etc. However the trick isn't so much the technical techniques used, but rather the skill you have as a graphic artist. If you have the graphic artist ability you're more than half way there already. The trick is to think minimally. For example checkout the church on the rock's background:
http://www.cotr.tv/Websites/Churchontherock/templates/COR/styles/images/mainBg.jpg

That it one of their major pieces that allows them that nice graphically pleasing style (though it tiles badly because of the darkened area in the center, producing repetition artifacts). I would recommend starting with a blank page, and making the raw design you want, complete with imagery, css, and html. Then, as donatello suggested, download an existing wordpress theme that has a layout closest to yours and start making it look like your raw design. Since you will already have the html, css, and images done it will be quite easy to make the transition. That will also allow you to focus primarily on the design, not the technical inner workings required for the dynamic nature of the site.

"I also am better at designing using exact sizes rather than percentages. Each time I use a percent, something completely goes awal. Sometimes things start shifting sizes when I move my browser around. "

Quite true, which is the reason you usually only use percentages for your main container, and even then only if the main container expands. You can create the illusion that the site expands based on the persons resolution and browser size by doing what church on the rock did, have their "body" element have a repeating/tiled background that then fades. Everything else should operate on a fixed size, even if your main site container does expand, the actual design elements should still be a fixed size but perhaps have nested repeating elements as the site expands.
Its definitely something that will take some practice, even if you use an existing wordpress theme, if you're not familiar with html and css yet.

[nanclin]

In order to create the best website, you need to have a clear goal and a good strategy of achieving that goal. A good website should leave a strong impression on the user within the first few seconds of clicking on it.

A good website is one that persuades the buyer to hire the services offered or buy the goods on offer. Competition is high in online business. In order for you to create website that stands out from the rest you need to maintain a competitive edge while at the same time offering information that is true. This will enable you to design website that will build trust among many people who visit there.

Thanks.