Blogging / web design can anyone help?!

lauranurse

I have recently started a blog, and as I enjoy fiddling around in PSP etc I really fancy creating my own template.

I have fiddled with the html on the existing one a bit but cant get the effects I want just by doing that.

I have seen these amazing backgrounds here: http://www.thecutestblogontheblock.com/backgrounds.php?cat=39

and I really really want to create something along those lines!

Does anyone know where I start and what software I would need (eg do i need a web design software like dreamweaver as well as paint shop pro?)

I have tried googling but Im not getting anywhere!

Thanks!

A:I

Photoshop is you rbest bet for designing, slicing, then coding in dreamweaver.

FreheitOverture

What blogging site are you using?

lauranurse

Im using Blogger, the google one.

malcolmcoles

There's a tutorial on blogger backgrounds here. You just need some image editing software after that - depending on the complexity of what you want, you might be able to get away with a free one...

e00c

as all the above - use photoshop though! It's brilliant.

The possibilities are endless! (lol)

Its fairly easy to use... plenty of tutorials on it. most design stuff is done with photoshop.

lauranurse

Thanks for all the help, it is very much appreciated!

I am still stuck though!!!!

The cutest blog backgrounds (above) are added to blogger as a gadget/widget rather than put on the main html code for the page.

I made a test background the same size as the one of theirs I have got at the moment, and just pasted it into their code instead of their image. And it didnt fit the page! I dont understand why that happenned?!

Please help somebody, I have loads of good ideas but cant use them at the moment!

e00c

I dont use blogger but a quick look makes me think this....

html_code wrote:

<style type="text/css">
body {background-image: url("http://i342.photobucket.com/albums/o401/Thecutestblogontheblock/HotLipzcopy.jpg"); background-position: center; background-repeat: no-repeat; background-attachment: fixed; }
</style>
<div id="tag" style="position:absolute; left:0px; top:30px; z-index:50; width:150px; height:45px;">
</a></div>

Just upload your picture and replace that in the code above?

Have you tried this already... and it's that whats not working?

lauranurse

That's what I thought too, but it didnt work - my image is too small and doesnt fill the page - but I made it the same size as the one they used?!

It is so frustrating!

e00c

1450 X 1100...

Thats how big that image is. Do you have a link to your blog?

lauranurse

Is it?! That must be where I am going wrong, I looked at it on photobucket and it said something like 819 x 621!

Thanks for that, Im going to resize and try again!