Create Your Own Stunning WordPress Themes With Artisteer

The WordPress blog you’re on right now, BestWebDesignSoftwareDeals.com, was created with Artisteer.  I’m sort of a WordPress theme junkie and love hunting for new themes.  There are so many talented web designers.  However, what I didn’t like was not being able to easily modify them without digging into the php code.

I like certain fonts, colors, textures, gradients, and usage of sidebars.  I’d often find a neat theme, but perhaps didn’t like two sidebars on the same side.  So began my search for a WordPress theme builder.  That’s when I found Artisteer and downloaded the 30-day free trial to check it out.  Within a few hours I was in love with it and bought it a couple of days later.

Artisteer is Easy To Use

It’s really easy to use.  A theme has various sections where you can change colors, fonts, layout, columns and more.  Here’s a shot of the tool bar.  You can also click the Suggest button on the far left while in any of the sections and the software will randomly suggest variations for which ever section you’re in.  I use the suggestions as a jumping off point for my own designs by changing any element to suit my current needs.

Artisteer is constantly adding new textures and gradients, one of my favorite features, that turns flat color into eye-popping sensational effects.  Plus, you can also use your own graphics from files on your hard drive.

Artisteer Is Perfect For Affiliate Marketers

Gone are the days when I’d build HTML sites for affiliate marketing.  Now, I strictly use WordPress and Artisteer is the software I use to make my WordPress themes.  With so many free WordPress plugins available, I haven’t run into anything I can’t do on WordPress that I was doing on my old school traditional sites.  (Affiliate marketers, learn how to hide your affiliate links in WordPress.)  Sometimes I’ll create a brand new theme when I start a new site and other times I’ll modify a master theme that I’ve already tweeked to just the way I like it, simply by changing colors and the header area.

More Than Just A WordPress Theme Generator

Artisteer also creates themes and/or templates for Blogger, Drupal, DotNetNuke, Joomla, and straight HTML, in addition to WordPress.

HINT:  Combine Traditional HTML Sites With A Blog

I really like using WordPress because search engines love blogs.  However, if you have traditional static HTML websites, but hate the hassle of updating your site, then install a WordPress blog in its own folder on your site and link to it from your menuing system.  Then updating your site with new content is easy and the search engines LOVE blogs.  WordPress is the best way to keep your site fresh.

Click Here to Buy Artisteer

Hi,

I would like to build a website for a small business I own but I have no experience in web site design (or programming for that matter). Can anyone tell me of a website design program for beginners like me that won’t break my piggybank? (like Dreamweaver…)

Thanks!

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I’ve tried Dreamweaver and it was hard for me to understand. I’ve also tried Frontpage and it was a bit too basic. I need something “middle of the road”. Does anyone have any ideas? I use Mac.

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Which software should is used to design website?  I don’t know html coding.

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I have an HP laptop with Windows Vista. I need to design a working website, but I have no idea what program I should get. I don’t want to spend more than $100 on the software. Any ideas?

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I’m ignorant about web design.  Is there any free site or software that helps me to build my commercial website. like making a word document. i don’t want to add special characters or < > :” `.. etc

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How Important is it For Your Webpages to Look Right?

By G. Hilliard

Reading Composition

As humans that are trained to read and write expect to see reading medium laid out the way we are taught. Granted, there are written languages throughout the world that have variations of reading formats that differ from the known Western standard of reading left to right and top to bottom, but when it comes to International transmission of messages via the Internet, even people of multi-lingual backgrounds are taught that the English language and the Western reading style is a standard.

If you are making your own website, regardless of your purpose, there are a few things you’ll need to apply to maintain comfort for your audience when they visit your website.

1) Use the English Language: Mainly as the primary base for your web page language, unless your website is specifically directed to a particular audience culture. Even if you “market” your website to a specific audience, if it is on the Web, it’s going to be seen by anyone. Keep your web pages readable with a universal language.

2) Web page composition: This is tricky because the format of the page will need to accommodate the content of the web page. Since there are so many varieties of web page layouts that can be used to create the over all look of the web site, sticking with a standard composition instead of experimenting would be your best bet. The “standard layout” is something you see most of the time, which makes it easy to find usable components of a website. The “Header” will always be across the top. The “Navigation” should be easy to find either across the bottom of the header or vertically to one of the sides of your web pages. The “Footer’ should always be on the bottom and the “Body” is what you want to have in the center of each web page.

• The “Header” is usually a logo and title for the website which may include a decorative image that is the most predominate feature of your web pages. Think of it as a “branding image” for your web site. It is a good idea to use the same Header for all of your web pages and a hyperlink in your header image to link back to the first page of your web site. One of the main reasons for this is that search engines may pull up one of the pages of your website because it contains a specific set of words. If someone lands on that page they can easily reference your whole website by clicking on it.
• “Navigation or the navigation bar” should be very easy to find with the topic title of each of your pages listed. This particular feature needs to be graphically identifiable by appearance and not to be similar to any other hyperlinks that you may put on your web pages. What ever navigation element you chose to use for your landing (first) web page, you should use the same look in the same location for all your other web pages. Remember, if you invite people in to see your home, put things exactly where they expect to see them or they will be uncomfortable and leave. Think of it this way, If you walk in your neighbor’s home and all of the furniture placed in every room is on the floor in a corner and then you enter the kitchen and you see a lawn chair attached to the middle of the ceiling, would you feel comfortable being there?
• The “Body” is the context or your written message, you want to keep this as close to the middle of your web pages as much as possible. Of course, if you chose to use a sidebar navigation element or have advertisements on one side of your web pages, your body will need to be shifted to make room for this. The best thing to do when you have to split your pages between advertisements and body context is to shift your body to the left of the page and make it two-thirds the size of the space you will dedicate for your ads and navigation element. Remember, people learned to read left to right, so start your context that way to make the context seem more natural for reading. Even though your body context may be mixed between text and pictures, the position of it needs to be in the same place on every page.
• The “Footer” is the lowest part of your web page. If you look on many professionally made web pages, you’ll see the footer contains links to the privacy policy, information about the business, copyright information, FAQs and contact information or link. This information needs to be in the exact location on every single page of your web site. Most people that are designing personal web sites usually just have a copyright symbol, name of the web site, year and maybe a contact link in this location.

3) Use of Pictures: Images make any web site more attractive, but the use of too many could easily make your website look like a woman with way too much make up on. It is a rookie mistake to add an abundant of images to their web pages when they are designing their first web site. Even if you have a photography web site, it is better to categorize your images using a single link and then hyperlink to a page on your website that uses thumbnail images that will hyperlink to a larger image (ex. Landing page: image subject: Animals>hyperlink>web page named “Animals”: thumbnail image listing of animals>hyperlink>larger image of each image when clicked on).

• Another thing you need to understand about images is that it takes much longer to upload on a visitor’s computer than text. You want to economize your web site’s load time so your visitor wont become frustrated and leave before they enter the door. You can see a image’s size by right clicking on it and looking at “properties”. You really want to stay away from images that require a lot of megabytes on your web pages. Try to use links when you can and keep images at a maximum of 3 in the body of your web pages. /li>

4) Advertisements: Be mindful of any advertisement banners you chose to use also. As much necessity it may be for you to use them to make a little extra money, you can easily lose a reader if they become too overbearing. Try to place heavily colored banners and ads on the bottom of your web pages above the footer. The effect of someone staying on your website to read your context should be more important than looking at glaring advertisements.

Conclusion

Designing your on web site is really a trial and error experience. Choosing the right colors, fonts, design elements and even content material will be difficult at first. Don’t be discouraged or expect to get it right on you first attempt. Expect your web pages to go through an evolutionary process as you begin to discover better ways to present things. My solid advice is If you remember to stay with the basic elements that people have been acclimated to seeing, you will have a good place to start.

Original Article written by G Hilliard

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=G._Hilliard
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-Important-is-it-For-Your-Webpages-to-Look-Right?&id=4837279

One of the key features of WordPress is the fact that it’s so expandable. It offers the ability to add both plugins and themes to enrich your website. One other option is to use a framework. This way, you receive a bolt-on solution that covers the scope of many plugins all built into one easy to use interface within the WordPress backend.

For example, RichWP and Thesis are both frameworks that support child themes, themes that inherit the added functionality that the framework provides you. Here’s what a framework can do for you:

-Manage the CSS from the backend

-Add RSS feed URL if it’s outside of WordPress itself

-Add Google Analytics codes easily

-Control the frontend without the need for CSS

-SEO optimization for your site

-Add Advertisement boxes where you’d like

-Change the presentation / content of the header and footer when you’d like

-Change site fonts and background images on-the-fly

-Most frameworks have great support & frequent updates

-Font Replacement with CSS3 and @font-face

Although frameworks often have a price associated with them, They’re well worth the buy if you plan to have a near omnipotent control over your website and make changes as you please. Some would say that WordPress is only half of the deal, and using a framework completes the experience. Others live by the WordPress core and choose to use as little amount of addons as possible. What I personally like about frameworks is that it’s like having many powerful plugins built into one system.

If you’re interested in WordPress frameworks, check out this Premium Framework to get started!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_Bastien
http://EzineArticles.com/?WordPress-Framework-Tips-and-Tricks&id=4829519

I fooled around with HTML in school, and I would really like to avoid doing my entire website like that. Is there any good beginner software I can purchase to help me design a website?

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can i use web design and web site creator software from best buy or comp usa on my godaddy or freewebs web site?

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