need ideas

[kim123]

Hi Everyone! Thanks for PS and this site, I'm "getting there" on my website. It will be a non-profit site for teachers.
www.teachersplanet.org

Anyway, now I'm kind of stumped. I now have empty child pages for each subject (reading, math, science) etc. I need to create a header/banner/top/?? for each.

Here's the look that I'd like: (sort of)

http://www.barefoot-books.com/us/index.php3?page=4 or
http://www.dreamation.com/ or
http://www.nsta.org/pressroom&news_story_ID=46706 or
????????

Would any of you talented designers out there have any ideas or suggestions? I've hit that proverbial brick wall. Any help gratefully appreciated

Kim

 

[namvet]

kim123 .. I had a look at those sites ... and to me they are too busy with graphics etc .... your site, although a wip, is simple and tidy (and currently loads quickly - important) ... header that tells me where I am, menu (menu area) that will tell me where I want to go :} :} ... in my book (note I am not a professional, but I hunt for heaps of info on the net) simple and clean is best .... you are an information site, your viewers are there for info/resources so make it easy for them to find what they want ..... personally I would keep the same format on each page (the viewer has confirmation on every screen change that they are still on your site and not looking at a pop-up etc) and I would simply add "Organizers" (etc) into the header(s) on each page .....
have a look at Marks (theKeeper) site as an example ...
http://photoshopgurus.info/
http://photoshopgurus.info/beginner.shtml
... see I know eactly where I am

.. and finally, the content of your site is what's most important ... content will make viewers bookmark and return

 

[kim123]

Thanks namvet. Yes, that is really what I want, I think. Something pretty clean and tidy. There is a ton of content that I'm starting to add, and I really should make that my top priority.

Here is an idea (the concept of which I got from another site).
What do you think about this? This is what I'm thinking of for my subject areas. One will be science, one reading, etc. Of course, I'll change the montage for each, but the design will be the same.

Kim


[/img]

 

[kim123]

Hmmm...I'm noticing now that the end does not fade away gracefully. It abruptly ends. How could I get that to fade?

Also, does anyone know of a good tutorial on creating montages? I had no idea what I was doing with the one above. I just sort of cut, pasted, brushed here and there and then smudged. I wasn't really happy with the result. I would have liked it to blend it bit better.

But...I'm learning. And having fun making these things!

Kim

 

[Alistair]

Like thi you mean?

 

[ljiljana]

Hi Kim,
If you would like to make collages from two or more images here is a very detail tutorial:
http://www.creativepro.com/story/feature/17023-2.html
Hope this is what you are lookibg for.

ljiljana

 

[wbiss]

Hi Kim!

I agree with namvet when it comes to the "clean and tidy" look of your site.

As for the various page headers, I like the example that you posted.
To get the image to fade into the background, just use a layer mask. Mark has a good tutorial showing what wonderful effects you can achieve working with layer masks http://photoshopgurus.info/intermediate/layer_masks/layer-mask_effects.shtml

 

[namvet]

kim123 .. nice graphic ... but will it clash with the 'header'? ... btw, I like the fact that you have a site map on your site

 

[kim123]

Wow-thanks for the ideas and tuts everyone! I knew this was the place to ask.

namvet: It won't clash with the header because this will be on its own page----a child page off the header page.

Alistair, yes that is exactly what I had in mind.


I'm off to the tuts... 3[

Kim