Enigma Layout

So, I found a layout person. But neither of us are really sure what she's supposed to do. Instructions?

Yes, please.

Random thought: I haven't been to Gaiaonline yet today. MIRACLE!

Well, hmmm.

The layout I like best has the navigation in the left column while the main content takes the rest of the page. So... pretty much like it is now. We could also do it so that the navigation is below a banner at the top and the main content spreads to the full width of the page. I can do the coding for that, so no worries. But just white is bleeeh.

So what we need is to pretty it up. For now let's go for a banner up top with navigation in the left column, like it is now. -goes to sketch the basic design in paint because I need a visual reference- Here

Hokay, so area A is the banner. B is navigation. C is main content. D is the background. The background should be either a solid color, or some scenery. Forest is generic enough. And then tint the forest to whatever main color we will be using. In A, we need a banner that has the name of the site and then conveys the site's meaning. So it needs to be meaningless. xD Not crazy or zany, but ambiguous. Maybe something in the background obscured by blurry wisps of color or something. I dunno. I fail at graphics. D:

B and C will be solid color backgrounds depending on what color scheme the layout is going to be. Speaking of which, what color scheme? XD Need a color that doesn't scream at people, of course. We could either have the background be lighter and the foreground darker, or vice versa. You guys decide!

A B and C are separated slightly to let the background show through. I'll need some sort of border for those that matches and goes well with the background.

So... I hope that explains it somewhat? Take artistic license with the sizing; that's just a sketch. Keep in mind that some people use different resolutions, but 1024x768 is the most common. We'll probably not get it right on the first try, so we'll need to keep experimenting with it until it looks right.

For some reason I like a pale-blue/white color scheming. Does that seem Enigma-y?

Or maybe a green...

*attempts to be helpful*

I like pale-blue/white. 8D White is mysterious. Problem is, it's not too pleasing on the eyes... unless we make white the background. With a picture, it'll end up a more gray-ish, but that could still be okay.

So, basically, the format is the same (aside from the nav bar), just with a different color scheme?

I can make a banner and background in photoshop if you want. As far as colors, how about coming up with some hex values?

Take artistic liberties with the colors. x] A darker pale blue, if that makes sense, would be best. Can't really get an exact hex value for the background if it's going to be a tinted picture or somewhere along those lines.

To be perfectly honest, I've almost no idea what I'm doing.

I think you'd be better off going with a premade layout.

From what I can tell, that page (the Enigma page) was made using Dreamweaver or another HTML program. Everything I've done with HTML has been done using just notepad and changing notepad to a .html file. It's also been at least two years since I've done anything like that.

If I even managed to make anything, it would either be very simple or would take a very long time to make. This is much too complicated for me.

The best thing I can do is find something premade for you or maybe a generator. But I still don't know what's going on. It's for this page, right? If not, I've been confused from the beginning.

Really sorry to disappoint you.

I do have something to say in my defense, though. I was sort of roped into this without knowing what was expected of me. n_n;;

Don't worry about the coding. I can do that. It's the graphics that I utterly fail at. xD

The page is in the default Acorn Rack layout. The actual layout code stuff is in the header using css, I believe. I only glanced over it.

Oh, I see. I can help with that. Just tell me what needs to be done (banner, buttons, etc.) and in what colors.

I guess we've decided on pale blue and white-ish? And I described the banner/background in above posts. Do whatever looks good? -fail-

Here is something I've come up with for the background. If you're more interested in a picture, rather than something abstract (or if you'd rather just have it be solid color), then a similar design to this could be used for the banner instead. If you don't like it altogether, then maybe you could give me an idea of what you're looking for. You weren't specific on what kind of style you wanted. n_n;;

Abstract is best, in this case. <3 I will play around with it and colors and stuff when I get back home*. Can you make a darker blue version for me to mess around with too 8D?

*At a friend's house until July 1st.

All right. I'll get that darker version to you ASAP.
I've got the darkened version right here. I just lowered the brightness. If that's not quite the color you were looking for, then I can go through some more complicated steps to change it. I'm just feeling lazy right now. XD You see, I (stupidly) had all the colors on the same layer. Only the textures were on different layers.

As far as the banner goes... I've no idea what to do. D:

-noms on computer- So, last you heard I was at a friend's house. I then moved states and waited a month for my computer to come. It's finally here. <3

I'll fiddle around with layout and the background and things first before putting in a banner. Expect a placeholder image soon. It will be stunningly beautiful - if you think black text on a white background is stunningly beautiful, that is. 8D Won't be able to get to it this morning, though.