Website Layout/Grahpic question??

[DarrenReeder]

Srry that this isnt 100% CSS or even webdesign...but id like to know how to make my site not look at 'cartoony' and 'beginnery'.....

 

at the moment i make crappy things on fireworks and it looks basic..

[haku]

To stop 'cartoony', use photoshop instead of fireworks. And stop designing cartoony! Using photoshop won't guarantee that your sites won't look that way, but I find that fireworks sort of biases you in that direction.

 

To stop 'beginner', get experience. There really isn't anyway around it. Take some sites you like of other people's, and rebuild them from scratch. DONT put them up on the web - that's theft of copyrighted material. But just practicing the design on your own computer is fine. After you do a few, you'll get a feel for what it is you do and don't like, and pick up some skills along the way.

[DarrenReeder]

this is a example of what id useally make (i only done it quickly before i going bed..also i havent added text..and i havent even set up text in correct poisiton yet)

 

so...u can see wat i mean, Do u know any tutorials that can help out with new types of layouts..

 

 

i tried experimenting with the header, but it just looks crap :/...

[haku]

To stop 'beginner', get experience. There really isn't anyway around it. Take some sites you like of other people's, and rebuild them from scratch. DONT put them up on the web - that's theft of copyrighted material. But just practicing the design on your own computer is fine. After you do a few, you'll get a feel for what it is you do and don't like, and pick up some skills along the way.