Interested In Learning

[kiFF]

I was interested in making my own skins as well. Mostly because I'm very good with computers, have some experience with HTML, experience with Photoshop, and I already have a sketch of exactly what I want to make. The only thing I don't have is the knowledge of where to start. Where do you make the skins? Do you just type some coding in notepad and save it as ".xml" or something?

Is there some huge online manual on vbulletin skinning? I really want to get into this...I'm not going to pay $1000 for someone else to do it. Like I said, I'm very good with computers, etc, I think I'd be able to do it myself if I knew how.

[MPDesignZ]

Originally Posted by kiFF

I was interested in making my own skins as well. Mostly because I'm very good with computers, have some experience with HTML, experience with Photoshop, and I already have a sketch of exactly what I want to make. The only thing I don't have is the knowledge of where to start. Where do you make the skins? Do you just type some coding in notepad and save it as ".xml" or something?

Is there some huge online manual on vbulletin skinning? I really want to get into this...I'm not going to pay $1000 for someone else to do it. Like I said, I'm very good with computers, etc, I think I'd be able to do it myself if I knew how.

Not all designers charge you $1000 for a skin, I don't. However, that being said to get started you don't need to make a xml file or anything like that. Just login to your Admin CP and click on the Style Manager link in your menu on the left and this will bring up all your styles you currently have installed on your forum. Then if you are strating from scratch scrollo to the bottom of your styles list adn click on the "[Add New Style]" link at the bottom. Fill in the blanks and its best to choose for your members not to see the style before you are done. You as an admin will still be able to see it, but they will not. Give your style a name adn click save, submit or ok (don't have it right in front me right now don't remember which one it is). Then you will be directed to the styles list again, find the style you just created and edit it from there. You will see a drop down list on the far right hand side. To change colors and various CSS click on the drop down list and choose "All Style Options". Usually its already showing there and you can just click the "Go" button. This brings up your CSS and the things you can modify for your skin.


MP

[kiFF]

Okay, I'll fool around with that

And the design I want would probably cost well over $1,000. It would require a lot of custom coding as well as skinning. Here's the design I drew up quick on Microsoft Paint (photoshop isn't working lol)

http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w...ebateforum.jpg

That navbar is probably hard enough. I'm guessing my design would require some advanced coding. There's a custom homepage with that sidebar and there's also the blog implementation and a custom news page for world news, topstories, etc. There is no mod for that (besides AboutToday, but it's not as professional as I would like) so it would need to be custom made.

If only there was some program like DreamWeaver or FrontPage for vBulletin skins! I could create that design in a second! I'm very capable of making the graphics myself. I know exactly what I want. I just couldn't do it with coding...

[MPDesignZ]

In skins mainly vb is CSS & html. You can use Dreamweaver to create the HTMl you what for your skin and then input it in th proper place in teh templates of your vb skin. IF you are able to do graphics, html & css you have a really good bet of getting something close to the way you want it on your forum. Looking at the design it actually would not be very hard to code it into the skin. The main template you would need to look at would be the header template & FORUMHOME. You can put standard html in the templates such as tables and what have you to hold your images where you want them, or you can use CSS to do this, whichever you are more comfy with

As for the cost, that realy always depends on each individual designer adn what they charge for certain things. Some are better at other things then others and some charge more if they feel it will be alot of work involved in the job. It just depends on who you get and how they work things. I've seen many designers really charge alot for some things and I've seen them IMO not charge enough for others, so its all personal really in the end. Since you do have experience in adobe photoshop I suggest you make your graphics with it and then implement them or code them into your skin you can't go wrong with this approach at all. Good luck

MP

[no mods]

HaHa no skin should cost more than the actuall forum (Vbulletin).

[kiFF]

I like that idea lol.

[MPDesignZ]

Originally Posted by no mods

HaHa no skin should cost more than the actuall forum (Vbulletin).

It really depends on what is in the skin and how much coding a designer has to do on it as to the cost of a skin. The more involved the more money. Me typically I try not to go nuts with the cost on skins, but again it depends on what is involved in a skin and what the client wants. But coding a skin from a PSD file is actually not that bad in the end. As a designer you have to make the graphics usually and then code, but if you have a PSD file it does make it easier to implement into someones site.


MP

[kiFF]

What if I made all the graphics for my design? How much would you charge me to put it into the style for me? I have zero knowledge of CSS, so I figure you could do it much easier. We could have a little team lol.

[MPDesignZ]

Originally Posted by kiFF

What if I made all the graphics for my design? How much would you charge me to put it into the style for me? I have zero knowledge of CSS, so I figure you could do it much easier. We could have a little team lol.

I'm pretty sure giving you a quote on the open forum of vb is probably a no-no. LOL So if you like you can send me a PM and we can discuss it. I usually give free quotes via e-mail.


MP

[rjmjr69]

Most use Photoshop. That skin is nice No Mods good work keep going you'll be a pro in no time.