Photoshop and Dreamweaver

She has: 3 posts

Joined: Nov 2006

I was wondering if anyone knows of any good sites for help with photoshop and dreamweaver. I'm new with dreamweaver and I'd like to
advance in photoshop. My problem with photoshop is all my layouts come out looking bubbly and not proffessional. I need a little help on making them look more proffessional.

DDoSAttack's picture

He has: 38 posts

Joined: Oct 2006

Here is some quick advice before the links...

The code that is on your site that is in your profile:

<table width="1024" height="768" border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="Table_01">
<tr>
<td colspan="7">
<img src="file:///C|/Documents and Settings/Rentway/Desktop/images/Index_01.gif" width="1024" height="56" alt=""></td>
</tr>

<tr>
<td rowspan="2">
<img src="file:///C|/Documents and Settings/Rentway/Desktop/images/Index_02.gif" width="270" height="712" alt=""></td>
<td>
<a href="http://www.angelfire.com/planet/makowebdesigns77/portfolio.html">
<img src="file:///C|/Documents and Settings/Rentway/Desktop/images/Index_03.gif" width="86" height="32" border="0" alt=""></a></td>
<td>
<a href="http://www.angelfire.com/planet/makowebdesigns77/pricing.html">
<img src="file:///C|/Documents and Settings/Rentway/Desktop/images/Index_04.gif" width="76" height="32" border="0" alt=""></a></td>

<td>
<a href="http://www.angelfire.com/planet/makowebdesigns77/clients.html">
<img src="file:///C|/Documents and Settings/Rentway/Desktop/images/Index_05.gif" width="77" height="32" border="0" alt=""></a></td>
<td>
<a href="http://www.angelfire.com/planets/makowebdesigns77/about.html">
<img src="file:///C|/Documents and Settings/Rentway/Desktop/images/Index_06.gif" width="91" height="32" border="0" alt=""></a></td>
<td>
<a href="mailto:[email protected]">
<img src="file:///C|/Documents and Settings/Rentway/Desktop/images/Index_07.gif" width="111" height="32" border="0" alt=""></a></td>

<td rowspan="2">
<img src="file:///C|/Documents and Settings/Rentway/Desktop/images/Index_08.gif" width="313" height="712" alt=""></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="5">
<img src="file:///C|/Documents and Settings/Rentway/Desktop/images/Index_09.gif" width="441" height="680" alt=""></td>
</tr>
</table>
'

...will never work because you have linked to images from your personal computer. Here is what I mean specifically

file:///C|/Documents and Settings/Rentway/Desktop/images/'

You also posted in another thread interested in developing a site for a company. I would recommend that you work on learning while developing your personal site and possibly a friend's site too before you move forward with attempting a business site. This way you can hone your skills without worrying about any of the small but important nuances of developing a commercial site. You may even save yourself some major headaches and possibly save a lot of hair from being pulled out Wink

As for a good site for Photoshop tutorials...
I like http://good-tutorials.com is a good one for learning how effects work and stuff

I cannot speak for Dreamweaver because I have been using it for somewhere around 6 or 7 years now (geez has it been that long???) and all that info is waaay outdated by now, but I am sure that if you Google Dreamweaver Tutorials you can find something. It will also heavily depend on what version you are using too. DW 8 is far different than DW 7 and below.

Hope that all helps and good luck. Web design is very fulfilling and fun!!!!! Laughing out loud

::Edit:: BTW I forgot to mention that tables used for layout are a tool of THE DEVIL lol Sticking out tongue

Megan's picture

She has: 11,421 posts

Joined: Jun 1999

I agree that you've got a ways to go before you're ready to start offering professional web design. Creating web pages is about a lot more than slicing up images in Photoshop and plugging them into dreamweaver. In fact, a good web site may not have many images at all. It's all about working with the medium as it is - learning HTML and CSS and making the most of them Smiling

A good book on photoshop might be a worthwhile purchase. There is a lot to that program that you might not find through shorter tutorials.

As for professional design, look at other designs carefully. There are lots of CSS gallery sites you there with tons of examples of good professional design. Look carefuly at how they've constructed the page, what techniques they are using, and how they might have created their graphics. That is the best way to learn.

LenBradshaw's picture

He has: 36 posts

Joined: Nov 2006

Actually, the most valuable resource for learning either Photoshop or Dreamweaver that I've found is clicking the little "help" button at the top of each one. If you have the latest versions of them, their help files have come a LONG way.

They have: 68 posts

Joined: Dec 2006

Yes, Clicking on the little help button will give more information than any website. But, we usually neglect that button.

LenBradshaw's picture

He has: 36 posts

Joined: Nov 2006

And if I may I'd like to offer another "inexpensive" but very valuable method of learning: there are tons of Dreamweaver templates out there for sale. Most of them are $50 or less. The real templates have a .DWT extension and are very cleverly assembled. I've purchased a few of them over time and then dissected them down to the bare bones. I change the color scheme completely and also add to or subtract from the menus as well as moved the menus around. What I end up with is a well-constructed, easy to maintain website that looks nothing like the original that I started out with. And I end up learning even more! Some of them even come with the Photoshop PSD files that make changing the overall look even easier.

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