Designing and creating a website

[cute.bandar]

Hi all on TE

I am planning to work on my first serious website , the backend of which would be in php +mysql and display in html+css(obviously) . Now I am pretty confident that i will be able to program the backend using php+mysql. But designing a pleasing and elegant looking html template is a challenge for me. I am not a designer or artistic person, so its proving very difficult to create a good looking html template from scratch. I understand html and css pretty thoroughly though and only want something simple.

Questions:
1. should I just use one those free html templates available and modify it to my requirements ?
2. what should I do first . Should I first create the php+mysql backend OR work on this html/css designing part first ?
3. I am pretty serious about this website. thinking of hiring someone to design a good looking site . anybody have experience with this ?

Please share your opinions.

Thanks

 

[thetoxicmind]

so its proving very difficult to create a good looking html template from scratch.

Start with the multitude of templates included with, say Adobe Dreamweaver. Once you get the template right, start adding content and fool around till you like the results you see.

For the design bits, you could make use of Photoshop.

I am pretty serious about this website. thinking of hiring someone to design a good looking site .

Well, if you're that serious about it, you could look for someone to design it for you, while you work with the back end.

 

[cute.bandar]

I ended up finding a template from one those free templates site.
thanks anyway

 

[Jack]

you could probably hire someone for a small amount at sites like freelancer.com or vworker.com.