anime_layouts_4_u_tutorial on Xanga

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Last updated on: 4.30.06 My name is Kas and I run this tutorial site. My main layout site is anime_layouts_4_u, be sure to check that out. Want to visit my other sites? avatar_obsession potter_mysteries anime_layouts_4_u Want to read my fanfiction? my fanfiction account my naruto fanfic

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read my profile sign my guestbook Name: Melanie Gender: Female Expertise: Making layouts, I guess... Use this button when linking back to me... <a href="http://www.xanga.com/anime_layouts_4_u"><img src="http://tinypic.com/2bp3xg" alt="Image hosted by TinyPic.com" border="0"></a> Message: message me Website: visit my website Member Since: 3/1/2005

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Sunday, April 30, 2006

Learn to Make a Layout...
That doesn't look like crap

Part One: Understanding What a Layout is

So...you want to make a layout. Okay...it's fine with me, but in order to make one, you need to understand what it is that you're doing.

Here's an analogy...think of this...a layout is like a set of clothes. Without clothes you're naked, right? Well a xanga without a layout is naked too. There are a wide range of types of layouts, and the same goes with clothes, but the basic principle of clothing is to cover you up. And that's what a layout does.

I'm sure everyone has seen the huge HTML code that layout makers use to make a layout. All that code does is change the colors of parts of a xanga to make it look better, and maybe add an image or two. That's all a layout is.

Everything is really not as complicated as it looks. Actually, once you get the hang of it...it's quite easy.

Part Two: The Type of Layout

You usually choose to make one of two types of layouts:

1. Plain Layout
Click here for an example

2. Layout with Custom Modules
Click here for an example

Once you pick the layout type that you want, you're all set. If you are a beginner, then I would pick the Plain Layout. If you think you know a bit more about HTML and would like a challenge, then try the Layout with Custom Modules.

Part Three: Plain Layout

Let's start with the Plain Layout...
Here is a style sheet for a Plain Layout with no custom modules:

This is a code to make your own layout provided for free by anime_layouts_4_u_tutorial
 

ALWAYS READ CAPITAL LETTERS!

If you want to write something like..."Welcome to my xanga," or your xanga username go ahead. Just fill in where it says, YOUR TEXT HERE with what you want the words to say. Next you get to change the font, color and size of the text. Where it says YOUR FONT HERE replace that with a font that you like, ex. Tahoma, Impact, Snap ITC. Then you can change the color of the font. You can replace the 000000 (black) with a color like red, blue, orange, etc. If you want to get specific with colors you can look at the color chart right here [http://www.lissaexplains.com/colorchart.gif]. Simply take the number off that chart and put it in for 000000. Then you can change the size of your font. The Sizes range from 1-7 with 1 being the smallest and 7 being the largest.

Let's start at the beginning...first it says background color. Change that to a color of your choice using the hex color code chart mentioned above. If you want to put a background image on your page put the url [ex. this is an example of a  URL http://img335.imageshack.us/img3435/24859/banner134ai.png] where it says YOUR IMAGE URL HERE. If you want your background to repeat/not repeat change REPEAT OR NOT? to repeat or no-repeat. If you don't want your background to repeat, you want it to be attached change FIXED OR NOT? to fixed. Then set the position [change POSITION HERE] that you want your fixed background to be in, ex. bottom right, bottom left, top right, top left.

The next part changes the colors of the different parts of the scrollbar. The face is the little rectangle that you move around to scroll up and down. The track is the part where the little rectnangle slides around. The arrow is the little arrow at the top and bottom of the face/rectangle. There are other parts of the scrollbar like shadow, highlight, etc. Just fool around with colors until you get the look that you want. Use the hex color codes mentioned at the top to change the colors.

font: normal 12px Tahoma;
  line-height: 18px;
  color:000000;
  letter-spacing:0px;
  text-align:justify;
  }
table.footer TD {
/* THIS MAKES THE FOOTER AT THE BOTTOM CENTERED */
/* LEAVE IT ALONE UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO*/
  text-align: center;
}
div.blogheader, .caption {
/* THIS EDITS THE FONT AND COLOR OF THE DATES
On your xanga you have the little box at the top of an entry that says the date. Use what I told you above to figure out what each of these parts of the code mean.*/

font-family:tahoma;
text-transform:lowercase;
font-size:12px;
line-height: 20px;
background-color: YOUR COLOR HERE;
color:YOUR COLOR HERE;
letter-spacing:0px;
text-align: center;
}
a:link, .footernav.link, a.footernav:link, a.footernav:active {
/* THIS EDITS ALL LINKS 
This edits the links or hyperlinks on your page. I would change them to be a different color of the main text so they can be identified easily. Text decoration is if you want your links to be bold, italicized, underlined, etc.*/
  color: YOUR COLOR HERE;
  text-decoration: NONE;
   font: normal 12px tahoma;
  }
a:visited, a.footernav:visited,  {
/* THIS EDITS LINKS THAT THE USER HAS VISITED 
Once you click on a link, it is considered "Visited". Change the color, font, size, etc. of a visited link if you want.*/

color: YOUR COLOR HERE; 
  text-decoration: NONE; 
font: normal 12px tahoma;

}
a:hover {
/* THIS EDITS LINKS WHEN YOU PUT YOU MOUSE OVER THEM
Putting your mouse over a link is known as a "hover". You can change the color, font, size, etc. of a hover link if you want. */

color: YOUR COLOR HERE;
text-decoration: NONE;
font:normal 12px tahoma;

}
input, select, textarea, .textfield, .button {
/* THIS EDITS THE BUTTONS DROPDOWNS, ETC.
This code edits the buttons and dropdowns on your page. A music playlist is an example of a dropdown menu. Feel free to change the font, color, size etc. of your buttons and dropdown menus. */
  font:normal 12px tahoma;
  background-color: YOUR COLOR HERE;
  letter-spacing:0px;
  color: YOUR COLOR HERE;
  }
table.left { 
/* THIS EDITS THE MENU MODULE 
This edits the module on the side of your xanga containing your profile information, subscriptions, blogrings, etc. Change the border color [where it says black use the hex codes to pick another color if you wish] and thickness [change 1px to another number] and type of border [solid, dashed, dotted, etc]*/
  border: 1px solid black;
  }
table.blogbody {
/* THIS EDITS THE PLACE WHERE THE BLOG IS
This is self explanatory. This edits what you blog/entries look like. You can change the width to how ever many pixles wide you want the entry box to be. I would leave it around 300-450 pixles. */
  background-color: white;
  width: 400px;
  font:normal 12px tahoma;
  line-height:18px;
  color: black;
 border: 1px solid black;
 }
table.left th {
/* ON YOUR MENU MODULE THIS EDITS THE TITLE PART OF IT*/
/* This part edits the titles like blogrings, subscriptions, etc. Use your knowledge to figure out what everything means based on the codes above.*/

background-image: none;
  background-color: YOUR COLOR HERE;
  font: normal 12px tahoma;
  text-transform: lowercase;
  color: 000000;
  }
table.left TD {
/* ON YOUR MENU MODULE, THIS EDITS THE BODY OF IT 
This edits the boyd of your menu module. Use that good old prior knowledge to figure out how to alter the code.*/
  background-image: none;
  background-color: white;
  border: none;
  font:normal 12px tahoma;
  line-height:18px;
  color: black;
  }
table.search TD, table.search, table.announcements {
/* THIS CHANGES THE BORDER OF THE SEARCH BAR
Self explanatory...change this as you wish.*/
  background-color: white 
  border: 1px solid black;
  }
table.search TD, table.announcements TH {
/* CHANGES THE COLOR OF THE NEW WEBLOG ENTRIES BOX
You know when you are signed into your own xanga and you see the box that says New Weblog Entry and some other things? This code changes that box.*/

border: 1px solid black;
  }

hr {
/* THIS IS THE COLOR OF A HORIZONTAL DIVIDER 
There is a horizontal divider at the bottom of most xangas using the style sheet. Change the color if you wish.*/
  border: 1px solid black;
  }
</style>

/* THIS IS THE COLORS OF BORDERS AROUND YOUR PAGE 
The colors and thickness of the borders that surround your page can be changed here. Keep the thickness to around 10-25t to make the page look nice. Change YOUR COLOR HERE to the color that you want.*/
<BODY style="border-bottom: YOUR COLOR HERE
20t solid; border-top: YOUR COLOR HERE
20t solid; border-left: YOUR COLOR HERE
20t solid; border-right: YOUR COLOR HERE
20t solid"></BODY>

/* THIS EDITS THE BLINK BOXES AT THE TOP OF YOUR PAGE 
I'm sure everyone loves those blink boxes. Here you can change the colors of your blink boxes below where the parenthese ( ) are. Seperate the colors with commas and keep them in quotes " ". Use the hex color code chart mentioned at the top again.

You can then change the border of your blink boxes by changing the BLACK to a color of your choice. Where it says "var blinkRows = 1;" You can change the number. That number is the number of rows that your blink boxes will have. Where it says "var blinkCols = 40;" You can change that number. That number is the number of columns that your blink boxes will have. Do not edit anything below where it says, "DO NOT EDIT BELOW THIS LINE". Down there is the complicated interworkings of the blink boxes, which I don't even know how to edit. After the blink boxes code you can put a link back to your xanga/xanga layout site saying that you made this layout.

Then you are done! Test your layout and see if everything is working correctly before releasing it to the public. I always test my layouts and fix any errors that I make. */

<script language=JavaScript>
<!--
//blink boxes - xanga.com/add_ons
//by sean f http://www.xanga.com/seanmeister

//fixed to work with new security measures by
//hotaru_01 http://www.xanga.com/hotaru_01

var blinkColors = new Array("YOUR COLOR HERE","YOUR COLOR HERE","YOUR COLOR HERE", "YOUR COLOR HERE");
// the border color
var blinkBorderColor = "BLACK"
// the border width, in pixels
var blinkBorderWidth = 1;
// the # of rows
var blinkRows = 1;
// the # of columns
var blinkCols = 40;
// the width of the entire box, in pixels or %
var blinkWidth = 625;
// the height of each row, in pixels
var blinkRowHeight = 10;
// speed of blinking, in milliseconds
var blinkRate = 8;

// DO NOT EDIT BELOW THIS LINE
st=setTimeout;
document.write("<table id='blinkbox' width='" + blinkWidth +"' border = 0 cellspacing='" + blinkBorderWidth + "' cellpadding=0 bgcolor='" + blinkBorderColor +"'>");
for (r = 0; r < blinkRows; r++){
document.write("<TR>");
for (c = 0; c < blinkCols; c++){
document.write("<TD height='" + blinkRowHeight + "'></TD>");
}
document.write("</TR>");
}
document.write("</table>");
// ... and this makes it blink
function blinkIt() {
changecell = Math.floor(Math.random() * (blinkCols * blinkRows));
changecolor = Math.floor(Math.random() * blinkColors.length);
bb = document.getElementById("blinkbox");
bbtd = bb.getElementsByTagName("td");
bbtd[changecell].style.backgroundColor = blinkColors[changecolor];
st('blinkIt()', blinkRate);
}
blinkIt();
//-->
</SCRIPT>

<br><a href="URL OF YOUR SITE">Layout made by YOUR SITE HERE</a>

/* THIS EDITS THE TITLE OF YOUR PAGE
At the top of the window there is usually something like so-and-so's Xanga Site. You can change that right here. Make it says what ever you want, "Welcome to my xanga," or "My Xanga Rocks!" or whatever you want. Replace TITLE OF YOUR PAGE HERE with what you want the title of the page to say. */

font: normal 12px Tahoma;
  line-height: 18px;
  color:000000;
  letter-spacing:0px;
  text-align:justify;
  }

}
.blogbody b, .standard b, p b, strong {
*/ THIS EDITS THE BOLDED TEXT
Change the color of your bolded text by replacing it with a color from the hex color codes chart mentioned above. You can also change the font of the bolded text.*/

font-weight: bold;
 color: YOUR COLOR HERE;
 font-family: YOUR FONT HERE;
 }
*/ THIS EDITS THE ITALICIZED TEXT
Change the color of your itialicized text by replacing it with a color from the hex color codes chart mentioned above. You can also change the font of the italicized text. */

em,i {
font-weight: italize;  
color: YOUR COLOR HERE;
font-family: YOUR FONT HERE; 
}

*/ THIS EDITS THE UNDERLINED TEXT
Change the color of your itialicized text by replacing it with a color from the hex color codes chart mentioned above. You can also change the font of the italicized text.*/

u {font-weight: underline;
color: YOUR COLOR HERE; 
font-family: YOUR FONT HERE; 
}

table.footer TD {
/* THIS MAKES THE FOOTER AT THE BOTTOM CENTERED */
/* LEAVE IT ALONE UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO*/
  text-align: center;
}
div.blogheader, .caption {
/* THIS EDITS THE FONT AND COLOR OF THE DATES
On your xanga you have the little box at the top of an entry that says the date. Use what I told you above to figure out what each of these parts of the code mean. You can change the border colors and thickness around the date as you wish.*/

font-family:tahoma;
text-transform:lowercase;
font-size:12px;
line-height: 20px;
background-color: YOUR COLOR HERE;
color:YOUR COLOR HERE;
letter-spacing:0px;
text-align: center;
border-top: 1px solid YOUR COLOR HERE; 
border-left: 1px solid YOUR COLOR HERE;
border-right: 1px solid YOUR COLOR HERE;
border-bottom: 4px solid YOUR COLOR HERE;

}
a:link, .footernav.link, a.footernav:link, a.footernav:active {
/* THIS EDITS ALL LINKS 
This edits the links or hyperlinks on your page. I would change them to be a different color of the main text so they can be identified easily. Text decoration is if you want your links to be bold, italicized, underlined, etc.*/
  color: YOUR COLOR HERE;
  text-decoration: NONE;
   font: normal 12px tahoma;
  }
a:visited, a.footernav:visited,  {
/* THIS EDITS LINKS THAT THE USER HAS VISITED 
Once you click on a link, it is considered "Visited". Change the color, font, size, etc. of a visited link if you want.*/

color: YOUR COLOR HERE; 
  text-decoration: NONE; 
font: normal 12px tahoma;

}
a:hover {
/* THIS EDITS LINKS WHEN YOU PUT YOU MOUSE OVER THEM
Putting your mouse over a link is known as a "hover". You can change the color, font, size, etc. of a hover link if you want. */

color: YOUR COLOR HERE;
text-decoration: NONE;
font:normal 12px tahoma;

table.left th {
/* ON YOUR MENU MODULE THIS EDITS THE TITLE PART OF IT*/
/* This part edits the titles like blogrings, subscriptions, etc. Use your knowledge to figure out what everything means based on the codes above.*/

border: 1px solid black;
  }

<script language=JavaScript>
<!--
//blink boxes - xanga.com/add_ons
//by sean f http://www.xanga.com/seanmeister

//fixed to work with new security measures by
//hotaru_01 http://www.xanga.com/hotaru_01

var blinkColors = new Array("YOUR COLOR HERE","YOUR COLOR HERE","YOUR COLOR HERE", "YOUR COLOR HERE");
// the border color
var blinkBorderColor = BLACK
// the border width, in pixels
var blinkBorderWidth = 1;
// the # of rows
var blinkRows = 1;
// the # of columns
var blinkCols = 40;
// the width of the entire box, in pixels or %
var blinkWidth = 625;
// the height of each row, in pixels
var blinkRowHeight = 10;
// speed of blinking, in milliseconds
var blinkRate = 8;

EDIT TO YOUR LIKING --\/

texttable.left, td.mainleft, table.left, table.navigation,
table.search{display:none}

table.blogbody tr td {
width: 0px; 
padding: 0px;}

*/ THIS EDITS THE CUSTOM MODULE COLORS, BORDERS, ETC.*/

table.module {
border: 1px solid #00ccff; 
width:165px;
background-color: #000000;
}

table.module th { 
font:11px arial; 
color: #ffffff;
border-top: 1px solid #000000;
border-bottom: 4px solid #ffffff;
border-left: 0px solid;
border-right: 0px solid; 
}

table.module
td {
background-color: #000000;
border-top: 4px solid #ffffff;
border-left: 0px solid #ffffff;
border-right: 0px solid #00ccff;
border-bottom: 0px solid #00ccff;
}</style>

THIS EDITS THE CUSTOM MODULE's CONTENT

TITLE OF FIRST MODULE HERE

</th></tr><tr><td
valign="top" class="module">CONTENT OF THE FIRST MODULE GOES HERE<br><br>

<strong>I like to:</strong>WHAT YOU LIKE TO DO HERE

</td></tr></table><br><table
border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" width="100%"
class="module"><tr><th valign="top" align="left"
class="module">

Navigation (This is the title for the second module)

</th></tr><tr><td
valign="top" class="module">
<b>¢¾</b> <a
href="http://www.xanga.com">xanga</A>

<BR><b>¢¾</b> <a
href="http://www.xanga.com/private/subs.aspx">subscriptions</A>

</td></tr></table><br><table
border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" width="100%"
class="module"><tr><th valign="top" align="left"
class="module">

TITLE FOR THE THIRD MODULE GOES HERE

</th></tr><tr><td valign="top"
class="module">

CONTENT FOR THE THRID MODULE GOES HERE

</td></tr></table>

*/ YOU CAN ADD MORE MODULES IF YOU WISH */

EDIT THE BORDERS WITH COLORS --\/

Copy the code above into Microsoft Word or Notepad or another program that handes text. Read the directions that I have provided you with that are located in the code. Then from there you can make your layout! Just make sure you read everything carefully.

Part Five: Getting a place for the layout

Once you have made your layout and have tested it, and everything looks good, it is time to release your layout to the public.

First you need a place to put the code and a place where people can see an example of the layout.

Go to xanga.com. Create a new username. Call it "yournameherelayout1". Just put your name in where it says yournamehere. An example of mine is "melsdesign1".

If you don't like that idea you can try something else, like naming your layout, "flower_layout_1" or whatever you want.

Once you have put the layout on the look and feel of your new account, you have to display the code. Create a new weblog entry and put the HTML code for the layout inside the entry. Click submit and you should see a xanga with your layout and the code for the layout on it.

Then put a link to your "flower_layout_1" site, or whatever you named it, on your main layout site [assuming that you are making the layout for a layout site].

It's pretty simple, really. =]

Part Six: Other Types of Codes and Layouts

Another type of layout is a Layout with a Box at the Top and No Custom Modules. I don't usually make these kinds of layouts, so here are some examples of some from another site [electric_layz18]...Click Here & Click Here.

There are many other variations of layouts but I have shown you the two basic ones. Remember, HAVE FUN WITH IT!

If you were looking for more advanced HTML tricks, tips and codes, and you didn't find what you wanted here, try lissaexplains.com or createblog.com.

Good luck, future web designers!

Imporant Note:
I worked my ass off to make this tutorial for you. If you take the above content and say that it belongs to you, that is considered jocking in my book. I don't mind if you give out a link to this site, but DO NOT TAKE MY TUTORIAL AND SAY THAT YOU WROTE IT!

11:55 AM - 36 views - email it

So what do I need to do to become a successful layout maker?

So...you want to be a layout maker, do ya?

Part One: Commitment

Being a layout maker is not a walk in the park. You need a lot of patience and it takes a lot of skill and hard work.

If you decide that you want to make a layout site, you have to update frequently and make new layouts quickly to please the public. If you think that life is already too busy and that you can't handle having a layout site, then stop reading this right now, because being a layout maker is not for you.

Part Two: Making the Site

Okay, so you've decided that you want to start a layout site. You just need to think of a name.

Try to keep the name as simple as possible. I know that this isn't easy since many names are already taken. You can be a little creative with the name of your site, but don't make it too complicated like, "k00LlAy0UtZjUsT4y0u." That would be a bad choice. Also, make sure that you make a name that people can pronounce, and can remember easily.

So once you've got your name down, go ahead and make the xanga site. Make a nice layout [using my tutorial in the above entry if needed] for the site, and you're on your way.

Part Three: Content

Decide what type of layout your site will have. Will it have just Plain Layouts? Just Custom Module Layouts? Will it have both?

Once you have that down, think about what category of layout you will make.

Will your layout site only make girly layouts? Will it only make anime layouts? Will it make all types of layouts? Think about your interests. Try to stick to making layouts featuring things that you like.

For me, since I like anime so much, I decided to make an anime layout site.

Part Four: The Actual Site

1. Cursing
If you curse in every sentence, you will lose a lot of customers. No one wants to hear, "Hey, welcome to my layout site! You jockers suck! Stop fucking jocking my layouts! You jocker bitches need to get a life!" So don't curse a lot.

2. Chat Speak
Hey- some people like it. But I don't. I like to use proper grammar so people can actually tell what you are saying. When I read chat speak, sometimes I think I lose a few brain cells XP.

Try to avoid saying things like, "hey pplz. suP! welcom to my rad layoutz site. its so cool. ne wayz the layz r free, but remmber dont jock ne of my shit, k????" It's hard for other people to understand and it makes you sound retarded.

3. Organization
I can't stand sites that are disorganized. If people come to your layout site and they can't find the layouts, they aren't going to stick around. They are going to leave. Keep your site as neat and organized as possible and avoid clogging things up with useless information and repeating things.

4. Images
Some of us have slow computers. If you put huge images on your site, it takes longer for a computer to load it. Try to keep the number of images to a minimum.

Also, DO NOT DIRECT LINK OTHER PEOPLE'S IMAGES! What I mean is, don't spot and image that you like, right click on it, click properties, and take the URL of the image if it belongs to someone else. Instead, save the image on your computer and upload it to an image hosting service like imageshack or tinypic.

5. Publicity/Support
You can't expect people to just come to your site. You have to advertise. Some good ways to advertise are to:

Create a link button
This way, if they like your site other layout makers will link your site, [in other words, put your button on their layout site]. People who go to their site and see your button there, will click on it and come to your site! But in return, you must put the button of the person who linked you on your site, it's only fair.

Create a blogring
Creating a blogring is a fast and easy way to gain support and publicity. Click here to create a blogring. Name the blogring after your layout site. My blogring is called, "Anime_layouts_4_u's layouts are the best!" On your layout site, ask people to join your blogring. Chances are, if they like your site, they will join.

Ask people to subscribe to you
The more people that subscribe to you, the more supporters you have. The more supporters you have, the more advertising you get. People who use a layout on their xanga with no custom module usually have a part on the side where it says subscriptions. If they subscribe to your layout site, your site will be listed there! It's all about advertising.

Spread the Word
Tell your friends about your layout site. Write down the name for them. The more people in the real world that you tell, the more people are likely to go to your site.

Part Five: Voting

Now, we all know about toopowerful.com, right? Toopowerful.com is a site that lists thousands of xanga sites and ranks them based on the number of votes that they get each day.

Joining this site has it's benefits and it's losses.

Pros:
~Joining this site gives you more publicity!
~Just imagine if you were number one on the xanga topsites!
~The competition is fun

Cons:
~It puts more pressure on people who come to your layout site for them to vote
~It puts more pressure on you to be #1
~The competition gets intense

Everyone dreams of being #1. It's their ultimate goal. Some layout sites even go as far as lying and saying that their layouts will not work unless you vote. This is a lie. The layouts will work fine even if you don't vote.

Some layout makers command you to vote if you use a layout, but you don't have to listen to them. You have free will, right?

Some respectable layout sites do not have a voting button. This takes the pressure off of them to be #1. If you are a really competitive person, maybe it's a good idea if you don't join toopowerful and you don't use a voting button, because things can get pretty intense.

If you aren't that competitive of a person, it might be a good idea to join toopowerful. If you are not constantly thinking about how many votes you'll get, and if you are not constantly pressuring people to vote for you, then you are not a competitive person. If you don't care that much about what number you are, you just want the advertisement, or you just want to see how good you are compared to others, then get the button.

Some people would think the opposite of what I just said. They would think that noncompetitive people would not use the button and competitive people would use the button. But think about the reasons I gave for using or not using the button. Competitive people should not use it because it leads to problems, and noncompetitive people should use it because it doesn't lead to as many problems. Just think about it, and it will make sense.

Part Six: Making Layouts

I cannot emphasize this enough...

MAKE YOUR OWN LAYOUTS!

Do not jock someone else's layouts! It's disrespectful and wrong. Make your own layouts and make your own images. Give people credit if you got an idea from them, or if they helped you with something.

Seriously people, anyone can tell a good layout from a bad layout. If you make bad layouts, people won't use them! So try to make the best layouts as possible, make layouts that you would want to use.

Make sure that each of your layouts is unique with colors and images. Make sure that the layout matches. If the picture on the layout is of a brown and white puppy, make the layout brown and white, not blue!

If you don't know how to make your own images, I will tell you some programs that I use.

I use the following computer programs to make, use and apply all aspects of my layouts:

The Internet [duh!]
Microsoft Paint [MS Paint]
Microsoft Word [MS Word]
Jasc Paint Shop Pro 8 [PSP 8]
Animation Shop 3

Let me tell you, it is extremely difficult to make a layout with nothing but MS Paint. I have done it before, but the layouts that I have made aren't that great. If you want to see an example of a layout that I made with just MS Paint, Click Here. I made the swirls with a font called Edwardian Script ITC. So it is possible to make a layout with just MS Paint, but it is difficult to make the layout look good.

The program that some layouts makers [including me] use is called Jasc Paint Shop Pro. There are 9 versions of this software, I have version 8. If you go to jasc.com [corel.com] you can download a free trial version of this software that lasts for 30 days.

Then you can download brushes for PSP. Brushes are little starts, swirls, grids, flowers, butterflies, etc. that are often on layout maker's images. Click Here or Here to see some brushes that are available for downloading.

I hope this guide helped you; now you know what you need to do to become a successful layout maker. The only thing left to do, is to just do it!

Imporant Note:
I worked my ass off to make this tutorial for you. If you take the above content and say that it belongs to you, that is considered jocking in my book. I don't mind if you give out a link to this site, but DO NOT TAKE MY TUTORIAL AND SAY THAT YOU WROTE IT!

11:55 AM - 29 views - email it

	Putting a layout on your site... This is extremely easy: 1. Copy the HTML code in the little box on the site with the layout that you want 2. Go to your xanga look and feel 3. Paste the code into your custom header 4. Go to the bottom and hit Preveiw 5. If you like the layout click YES on "Save Changes?" at the top You're Done!
	11:54 AM - 25 views - email it

Have a question and want an answer from me?

Q: How do I make a layout?
A: LOOK AT THE FIRST ENTRY, IT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE!

Q: What do I need to do to become a layout maker?
A: SECOND ENTRY, PEOPLE!

Q: How do I put a layout on my xanga?
A: ARE YOU BLIND OR SOMETHING?!

Q: I am trying to make a layout but I am having a problem because [insert problem here]. Can you help me?
A: No. I explained how to make a layout clearly in the first entry. Follow the instructions and you can make a layout easily. If you run into a problem figure it out yourself. I don't have time to be fixing your layout just because you want me to.

Q: What is your main site?
A: Look in the custom module at the top! *mutters* Idiots...

Q: Can I use the layout on this page? It's so pretty!
A: NO! You cannot use the layout on this page because I made it specifically for this site and no one else is permitted to use it.

11:54 AM - 25 views - email it