Are you interested in fabric blog design? If you're a fabric enthusiast, there are many ways that you can express your passion within the design on your blog.
All About Fabric Blog Design
Before you get started creating your own blog designs, you'll want to map out exactly what you want in your layout. It's important to have an idea of what you hope to accomplish so that you can stay focused in your project. Once you have a plan, you can move on to turning your creative vision into a reality.
Necessary Tools
In order to design your blog layout, there are a few tools that you will need. These items are relatively inexpensive to purchase for yourself, or you may have a friend or family member who will let you use theirs.
- Graphics software
- Photoshop Elements is available for both Windows and Mac OS X
- Web software
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- Windows users can try Coffee Cup
- A flat bed scanner, if you would like to scan your own selection of fabrics for images
- A FTP program
- A bit of instruction on creating a custom template
Scanning Fabric for Blog Backgrounds
If you'd like to incorporate actual fabric patterns into your blog design, you'll need a scanner. It's fairly simple to scan fabric, as long as it's opaque and unwrinkled. Just scan it like you would scan a photograph, making sure that you've got your scanning software set to a higher color resolution or else you will lose some of the finer details in your pattern. After you scan the portion of fabric that you're interested in, save it as a JPG or PNG file and open it in your graphics program. From there you can play with the levels of the image and adjust its brightness, contrast, and color settings.Once your image is ready to go, open it in your web design program. You have many options as to what you can do with it, including:- Setting the image as your blog's background
- Adding some text and using the image as your header graphic
- Placing the image strategically around your site for decoration, such as in a sidebar
Another option you have is creating a collage with multiple patterns, and then scanning the finished product for your blog's background. All you need is a pair of scissors and some craft glue. Really, the possibilities are endless!
Creating a Repeating Pattern Graphic for the Web
A repeating pattern is an image that seamlessly tiles across the background of your website. While they are simple to make, tiles are considered an intermediate-level graphics project.
More Blog Design Resources
If you're interested in reading more about creating your own fabric blog design, here are some resources for your perusal:
- If you still need a home for your blog, there are many free blogging services available on the Internet.
- Web Page Design for Dummies is a great resource if you have further questions on how to create custom websites.
- Create a photo gallery to show off your fabric findings!
- Here is a guide to creating templates for Livejournal users.
- If you're interested in a stand-alone blog platform, there is a wide selection of applications to choose from.
- WordPress users will find this theme creation tutorial very handy.
- If you use MovableType as your blog platform, this website specifically for you will be of great help.
