Here goes!

Winterchase

New Member
Okay, I'm new to all this but now that I've got Front Page and FTPs figured out, I'm wanting to run with it and go "big time." As soon as I get my new page built, I plan to get a domain name and have someone to host it.

To start (begging); any tips on where I might find letters, in chrome?
 

ian

Administrator
Staff member
Do you have a graphics program?
Depending on what program you have, there should be a tutorial on how to create a chrome text effect.
If you dont have a graphics program, there is an online text logo generator at http://cooltext.com/ which has a few chrome effects.
 

Winterchase

New Member
Front Page

ian said:
Do you have a graphics program?
Depending on what program you have, there should be a tutorial on how to create a chrome text effect.
If you dont have a graphics program, there is an online text logo generator at http://cooltext.com/ which has a few chrome effects.

Front Page came with the computer but if there's a tutorial on it, I sure can't find it. I do know how to turn a picture into chrome, but it doesn't work on text.

I also have PhotoElements, which I'm pretty familiar with.
 

StephanieCordray

New Member
Winterchase said:
Front Page came with the computer but if there's a tutorial on it, I sure can't find it. I do know how to turn a picture into chrome, but it doesn't work on text.

I also have PhotoElements, which I'm pretty familiar with.

There won't be tutorials in Front Page per se. Companies make money putting tutorials together for it... but the help files are pretty extensive.

Photoshop elements would be your graphics program. If you want a good one that has quite a bit of options for graphics editing and filters without spending lots of money try JASC Paintshop Pro.
 

Winterchase

New Member
Thanks

StephanieCordray said:
There won't be tutorials in Front Page per se. Companies make money putting tutorials together for it... but the help files are pretty extensive.

Photoshop elements would be your graphics program. If you want a good one that has quite a bit of options for graphics editing and filters without spending lots of money try JASC Paintshop Pro.

Believe it or not, I have a copy of Photoshop that hasn't even been opened! It's two or three years old now and probably way out of date.

I do have another question: what is the best (pixel) size for a BG photo if it's to be used for the entire page, and not for just, say, a banner? I have a "few" photos, most of which are, unedited, in the 6MB range but I don't see a need for over-kill or one so large it takes forever to load, which to me makes sense.
 

StephanieCordray

New Member
even an out of date copy of photoshop is pretty good if it's not too old... I used v6 forever before I finally upgraded.

As far as the photos, i wouldn't recommend using any for a background but you might want to set up a gallery or something for them if they are relevant to the site. are they 6MB jpgs?
 

Winterchase

New Member
pics

StephanieCordray said:
... are they 6MB jpgs?

Negative on the JPEG. They're Nikon dedicated (is that the right word?), in what I call the "negatives." I've always burned two CDs as they come out of the camera (they're usually around 6MB), and put one "raw" copy in the safe deposit box, so I can still do anything with them, in any format.

Question: you said, "... I wouldn't recommend using any for a background...."
Why not? If they're relevant to what I do now, which is write screenplays. I was a photojournalist for twenty years, which might explain some of my terribly long postings (and poor spelling), so please forgive me.
 

StephanieCordray

New Member
Because photos are something to share, not cover up... backgrounds tend to get covered up more than actually show through on the page. Like, how would you see the text if you used a photo background and didn't make the table backgrounds a solid color. It's a personal preference, I suppose.
 

Winterchase

New Member
Very true

StephanieCordray said:
Because photos are something to share, not cover up... backgrounds tend to get covered up more than actually show through on the page. Like, how would you see the text if you used a photo background and didn't make the table backgrounds a solid color. It's a personal preference, I suppose.

That's not all personal preference, rather common sense, and good advice, and despite the fact that I'm also a professional photographer (stock, commercial and location scouting), I do have (just) a little of that left. I think. Well, maybe not.

It has to be kept simple! That I do know. My target audience is only about 7,000 people, world-wide, and they're mostly in their late 50s to 70s and not inclined to fool around on the web without a specfic reason.

What I envision for my first real page is a background of something from space. From NASA. Those I believe are in the public domain. Anyway, one basically dark, but artistic, and pleasing to the eye, yet without a specfic subject that would distract, as would a typical photograph. If I could figure out how to get a picture on this forum, I'd show you one and ask for you opinion, but whatever I end up using, it won't be a "photograph" per se.

With the name and navigation bar in chrome and a limited amount of text on the main page (the title of the work and logline, which is a short description of what the story is about), and that'll be it. Links will be made to sample pages of several scripts, my bio, credits, and the general BS that we're so noted for.

After I learn to walk, then I can get cute, adding reels, stills, all that sort of stuff.

The chrome thing is proving a problem. I've downloaded a couple but they just don't pop the way I've seen others do. They look, well, flat. Contrived. Unreal, when the objective is to cheat the eye. I hate having to spend the money just to get seven letters but will, to get what I want. The problem is, finding it. Any suggestions?

Boy, I've got a lot to learn.
 

StephanieCordray

New Member
Shiny chrome? Well, the best way I've seen to make metallics that really look metallic is Cool 3d http://www.ulead.com/cool3d/runme.htm which costs $49.95 USD. It's cheap and easy, fairly easy to use as well.

I'd definitely add a photo gallery and share those photos... you might just make that 7001 users, lol.

As far as the background, you will either wind up stretching an image to fit or using a layer to make it stationary in one location (regardless of what the rest of the page is doing) or you could use a space themed header graphic(s) rather than a background.
 

wensk

New Member
You may find this site helpful...

Winterchase said:
Front Page came with the computer but if there's a tutorial on it, I sure can't find it. I do know how to turn a picture into chrome, but it doesn't work on text.

It has tutorials although they are a bit outdated, they probably will fit your versions just fine. I too used Photoshop 6 forever and am now only using 7. I get comfortable with something and hate the change. I used Dreamweaver 3 until only a few months ago when I upgraded to MX 2004 ;-)

http://www.devhelper.net/training/corefiles/index.htm

If you know how to use Word, you can figure out Frontpage...hey, if my husband can use it, anyone can!

If you don't mind spending a little money, you can take online courses on various web design programs. I just signed up for a class on CSS thorugh ed2go.com. I got to it through one of our community colleges and the cost was less than going direct.

Regarding pictures for backgrounds, I agree with Stephanie, although if you fade it like a watermark it will probably look fine.
 

RAJO

New Member
a good advise to begin your site:
define the main goal of your site, deal with SEO to choose a domain name (free and helpfull in se), then start your design
 
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