Developing Banners for Websites...

[Rip the Jacker]

I'm having a bit of a hard time thinking of banners for sites... For example if I come across a certain image that I want to include, I have a hard time deciding what parts of it I should crop it, where the text goes, what kind of blending modes, etc.

Has anyone come across a good tutorial/guide/book on this topic? Or maybe can input some of their own tips?

 

[xanis]

Assuming your going to use Photoshop, check out GoodTutorials, GreyCobra, or Pixel2Life (my favorite).

 

[badmouse]

I go to e-bay and pay like five bucks for somebody to design my banners. I get surprisingly good results with that.

 

[igowerf]

Originally posted by: ItmPls
I'm having a bit of a hard time thinking of banners for sites... For example if I come across a certain image that I want to include, I have a hard time deciding what parts of it I should crop it, where the text goes, what kind of blending modes, etc.

Has anyone come across a good tutorial/guide/book on this topic? Or maybe can input some of their own tips?

It's hard to simplify design into a tutorial, although I found this pretty neat link on StyleGala a while ago. It shows you had to design a trendy, generic banner that's too often used on design sites.

 

[Rip the Jacker]

ttt

 

[OdiN]

You can't just read a tutorial and learn that.

You can't learn creativity and vision.

You either have the talent or you don't.

 

[Mrvile]

Well, if you know how to use Photoshop, you're done with the tutorials.

The rest (creativity, making decisions) is up to you. No one can teach you that.

 

[Rip the Jacker]

Originally posted by: OdiN
You can't just read a tutorial and learn that.

You can't learn creativity and vision.

You either have the talent or you don't.

The thing is, you can't just take an image, cut a part of it, and call it a banner. You have to add the graphics to it, and that's where I'm weak... You have to make the text fit into the banner, etc, maybe add patterns, etc and that's where I'm stuck at.

 

[OdiN]

Originally posted by: ItmPls

Originally posted by: OdiN
You can't just read a tutorial and learn that.

You can't learn creativity and vision.

You either have the talent or you don't.

The thing is, you can't just take an image, cut a part of it, and call it a banner. You have to add the graphics to it, and that's where I'm weak... You have to make the text fit into the banner, etc, maybe add patterns, etc and that's where I'm stuck at.

Like I said...I think you lack the creativity for that. Not that that's a bad thing, it's just probably not your strong point. It's not my strongest either but I'm okay at design.

Do you know how to use photoshop or do you need to learn more about the actual program? That you can do, but after that it's all up to the creativity of your mind.

 

[George P Burdell]

Originally posted by: igowerf

Originally posted by: ItmPls
I'm having a bit of a hard time thinking of banners for sites... For example if I come across a certain image that I want to include, I have a hard time deciding what parts of it I should crop it, where the text goes, what kind of blending modes, etc.

Has anyone come across a good tutorial/guide/book on this topic? Or maybe can input some of their own tips?

It's hard to simplify design into a tutorial, although I found this pretty neat link on StyleGala a while ago. It shows you had to design a trendy, generic banner that's too often used on design sites.

:thumbsup:

 

[yobarman]

Originally posted by: OdiN
You can't just read a tutorial and learn that.

You can't learn creativity and vision.

You either have the talent or you don't.

This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Very few people have a natural talent for design. What you call creativity and vision is what many artists simply call years of practice and learning.

ItmPls, long before i got really good with photoshop I always did tutorials. You learn a neat trick here and how to edit something there. eventually you pick up enough things where you can start putting together your own stuff. Art classes in college helped with design as well... doutful that you're gonna go to art school to learn how to make banners, but trust me on this: Keep practicing with tutorials, study how your favorite banners are made and try to decipher what the artist did, and most importantly just dick around in your photo program cause you might come up with something you like.... either way the crappiest of designers will get better with practice.

simple as that.





make sure you're conforming to standard sizes too!

 

[OdiN]

Originally posted by: yobarman

Originally posted by: OdiN
You can't just read a tutorial and learn that.

You can't learn creativity and vision.

You either have the talent or you don't.

This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Very few people have a natural talent for design. What you call creativity and vision is what many artists simply call years of practice and learning.

No it isn't. Sure you can practice for years and read and learn all you want - but that still doesn't give you the talent of an artist. You have it or you don't.

You can read a tutorial and copy whatever they do - it's not the same thing.

 

[SVT Cobra]

Originally posted by: OdiN

Originally posted by: yobarman

Originally posted by: OdiN
You can't just read a tutorial and learn that.

You can't learn creativity and vision.

You either have the talent or you don't.

This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Very few people have a natural talent for design. What you call creativity and vision is what many artists simply call years of practice and learning.

No it isn't. Sure you can practice for years and read and learn all you want - but that still doesn't give you the talent of an artist. You have it or you don't.

You can read a tutorial and copy whatever they do - it's not the same thing.

LOL Odin is severely impaired in his vision of an artist.

 

[LikeLinus]

Originally posted by: OdiN

Originally posted by: yobarman

Originally posted by: OdiN
You can't just read a tutorial and learn that.

You can't learn creativity and vision.

You either have the talent or you don't.

This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Very few people have a natural talent for design. What you call creativity and vision is what many artists simply call years of practice and learning.

No it isn't. Sure you can practice for years and read and learn all you want - but that still doesn't give you the talent of an artist. You have it or you don't.

You can read a tutorial and copy whatever they do - it's not the same thing.

I'm with Odin on this one. Even with years of practice...you either have the eye and creative thinking...or you don't. An artist doesn't always have to rely on what they've been "taught"...they can do it from their imagination and create something new and exciting. You have to be able to think outside the box in most cases. Sure there are people who can fake it and get by..but I wouldn't call them true artist.

There's a different between a skill and a talent. Skill is something you can pick up. Talent is something you were born with.

 

[yobarman]

Originally posted by: OdiN

Originally posted by: yobarman

Originally posted by: OdiN
You can't just read a tutorial and learn that.

You can't learn creativity and vision.

You either have the talent or you don't.

This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Very few people have a natural talent for design. What you call creativity and vision is what many artists simply call years of practice and learning.

No it isn't. Sure you can practice for years and read and learn all you want - but that still doesn't give you the talent of an artist. You have it or you don't.

You can read a tutorial and copy whatever they do - it's not the same thing.

😕 Dude, every artist i know started from somewhere. No one is born a Rembrant... It takes time, practice and study to become very good at it. If you've never taken a class or read a book on the subject, then you don't realize that there are many aspects of creativity that are learned.

I can't play the piano for sh(t now. I have no musical talent whatsoever... but do you think if i practiced non stop for a few years i'd actually be good at it ? 😕

 

[LikeLinus]

Originally posted by: yobarman

Originally posted by: OdiN

Originally posted by: yobarman

Originally posted by: OdiN
You can't just read a tutorial and learn that.

You can't learn creativity and vision.

You either have the talent or you don't.

This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Very few people have a natural talent for design. What you call creativity and vision is what many artists simply call years of practice and learning.

No it isn't. Sure you can practice for years and read and learn all you want - but that still doesn't give you the talent of an artist. You have it or you don't.

You can read a tutorial and copy whatever they do - it's not the same thing.

😕 Dude, every artist i know started from somewhere. No one is born a Rembrant... It takes time, practice and study to become very good at it. If you've never taken a class or read a book on the subject, then you don't realize that there are many aspects of creativity that are learned.

I can't play the piano for sh(t now. I have no musical talent whatsoever... but do you think if i practiced non stop for a few years i'd actually be good at it ? 😕

You're bluring the line between good and great. You can be good in almost anything, but that doesn't mean you should do it as a job. Would you quit your job to become a pianoist because you are able to play? I know I can play guitar and have since I was 10. I'm pretty damn good at it, but I wouldn't consider myself "great" or a great song writer. There's more to it than just being able to do it good.

 

[OdiN]

Originally posted by: Son of a N00b

Originally posted by: OdiN

Originally posted by: yobarman

Originally posted by: OdiN
You can't just read a tutorial and learn that.

You can't learn creativity and vision.

You either have the talent or you don't.

This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Very few people have a natural talent for design. What you call creativity and vision is what many artists simply call years of practice and learning.

No it isn't. Sure you can practice for years and read and learn all you want - but that still doesn't give you the talent of an artist. You have it or you don't.

You can read a tutorial and copy whatever they do - it's not the same thing.

LOL Odin is severely impaired in his vision of an artist.

No...I think that you are. I never said that it's impossible for someone to learn how to draw or learn to better themselves at design. I've taught myself a lot of design over the years and am pretty handy with Photoshop.

I can't draw worth crap freehand. I just don't have the talent for it and I seriously doubt you could teach me. Seriously...my stick figures look bad.

Some artists are more talented than others.

Take piano for example.

Both my brother and I studied under the same piano teacher for years, playing the same songs, going through the same books, practicing the same amounts of time.

My brother is a very very good pianist. I cannot play much of anything today. I reached a point where I was not getting any better. I didn't have the talent for playing the piano - my brother did.

 

[JDrake]

I just test s bunch of things, see what works

 

[OdiN]

Originally posted by: yobarman

Originally posted by: OdiN

Originally posted by: yobarman

Originally posted by: OdiN
You can't just read a tutorial and learn that.

You can't learn creativity and vision.

You either have the talent or you don't.

This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Very few people have a natural talent for design. What you call creativity and vision is what many artists simply call years of practice and learning.

No it isn't. Sure you can practice for years and read and learn all you want - but that still doesn't give you the talent of an artist. You have it or you don't.

You can read a tutorial and copy whatever they do - it's not the same thing.

😕 Dude, every artist i know started from somewhere. No one is born a Rembrant... It takes time, practice and study to become very good at it. If you've never taken a class or read a book on the subject, then you don't realize that there are many aspects of creativity that are learned.

I can't play the piano for sh(t now. I have no musical talent whatsoever... but do you think if i practiced non stop for a few years i'd actually be good at it ? 😕

About the piano, read my post lol.

I know that you aren't born a rembrant...although there are those very rare cases where someone really is very good at a young age. A prodigy. But no that is not everyone and to develop a talent requires a lot of practice.

Without the talent of an artist, you can become good, but there will be a level which you will not be able to reach beyond without the talent.

About your piano playing - I bet you could get to be okay. But if you have no musical talent whatsoever - you won't be a Horowitz.

 

[yobarman]

Maybe I have a messed up belief system...


I truly think anything can become great if they believe they can and put the time and effort into it. The only difference between good and great is how determined you are to become great. Odin, i think the reason your brother become a better player is because you either lost interest, were discourged by his progress, or both. There is nothing we humans are born with that makes us any better than the other person. It's only a matter of how fast something "clicks" in us, where we finally understand our craft to the point of mastery.

Most people do not realize the brain's potential... and that's discouraging to me cause we could be better people if we chased what our hearts desired.

 

[OdiN]

Originally posted by: yobarman
Maybe I have a messed up belief system...


I truly think anything can become great if they believe they can and put the time and effort into it. The only difference between good and great is how determined you are to become great. Odin, i think the reason your brother become a better player is because you either lost interest, were discourged by his progress, or both. There is nothing we humans are born with that makes us any better than the other person. It's only a matter of how fast something "clicks" in us, where we finally understand our craft to the point of mastery.

Most people do not realize the brain's potential... and that's discouraging to me cause we could be better people if we chased what our hearts desired.

Oh no I tried and I worked hard to get better, but it didn't happen.

I'm not saying that any person is "better" than any other person, or more important, etc. I'm just saying that some are better at doing some things than others. My brother may be better playing the piano than me, but I'm a better singer than he is for example. Both require musical talent.

Different people are better at different things. Some people make good CEO's where other people wouldn't. Some are excellent stock brokers where others are not. That doesn't make the actual person better than anyone else, just better at a certain task. The stock broker may not be a good CEO and the CEO may not be a good stock broker.