Today we are showcasing some of best tutorials and techniques that will help you create beautiful and functional designs by using only CSS, focusing primarily on the properties of CSS3. All with absolutely NO JAVASCRIPT. For the most part, the techniques we have highlighted below, can be used for everyday use, others probably not. Please do check browser compatibility when implementing any of these techniques. You might also like… CSS3 Compatibility Tools, Resources and References for Internet Explorer → CSS [...]

Responsive web design become a very popular trend in 2011. It’s likely something we’ll see continuing well into 2012 as designers are beginning to support a myriad of mobile devices. Building layouts for the web can be tough, but inspiration is a huge factor. In this gallery I’ve collected 40+ amazing responsive website layouts. These designs are built to support a set of different resolutions and re-size accordingly. It’s tricky building this functionality in HTML5, even advanced web developers may [...]

The process of designing a website can present enough pitfalls at the best of times. A good site presents quality content that informs, engrosses and still delivers SEO, all served up in easily digestible, well ordered chunks. It should be clear and easily navigable, with graphics that catch the eye without overwhelming the brain. Designing a website in your own native language can feel like juggling a dozen flaming clubs. When you factor in cross-cultural, multilingual issues, there are even [...]

In the Things My Clients Hate. What about Yours? article I discussed 5 things my clients hate. Now, let me present the other side of the story – i.e. 5 things I hate about clients. Well, with so much hatred, it might sound like we freelancers and clients are at a war but definitely I don’t think this is the case. Rather, I hope that by giving my opinion and hearing yours, too, we will be able to understand each [...]

Static HTML sites look so last century that sometimes you might be wondering if they don’t belong to the past. There is no doubt that dynamic, database-driven sites, offer more and they make static HTML sites look like a poor relative but are static sites to be extinct? Historically, static sites were first and for some years they were the main way to create a site. Content Management Systems (CMS) appeared a couple of years later, mainly as an easier [...]

Each time you develop a theme you’ll have to deal with the same, repetitive tasks. E.g. you need a certain folder structure to organize your PHP, CSS and JavaScript files or you rely on features like layouts, compression and caching. Because you don’t want to start from scratch, coding all these features over and over again, you are better off using a theme framework. It provides you with a file and folder structure and offers a rich tool set for [...]

If you are a heavy WordPress user then it’s likely you’re interested in deep customizations. There are a slew of plug-ins available, but some tasks are just easier to perform yourself. As an example, the login/register forms are often unfitting to match the template of most websites. But thanks to a few genius developers there are simple guidelines to including your own custom styles. In this guide I’ll walk you through the process of designing a totally customized WordPress login [...]

I’ve spent the last 10+ years freelancing and bouncing back through different agencies. While there were plenty of perks both working for yourself and in an agency atmosphere, It always felt like something was missing. From the first day I opened up Photoshop and built my first website at the age of 13, I knew what I wanted to do for a living. From then on I dreamt about owning my own design agency. For a long time I thought [...]

A search box is probably one of the most common UI elements around, and I think there is no need to explain its purpose anymore. Whether it’s about a website or a web application, to increase user experience for it, you may want to add a stylish search box. Today, you will learn how to create a nice CSS3 search box using pseudo-elements. Before we begin you can download the Source Files or view the Demo The HTML As you [...]

Content sites, such as blogs, article directories, image galleries, video galleries, etc. are a major category of sites and if you haven’t designed such a site until now, you can be sure that sooner or later you will. Designing a content site is in many aspects easier than designing a corporate site but it has its specifics. Most of the usability rules for content sites might seem obvious but if you have designed mainly corporate sites, the switch might be [...]

When it’s working, we call it developing a distinctive style. When it’s not, we call it falling into a rut. Formulaic, trend-based design might help you get the bills paid on time, but it won’t win you any design awards — and let’s face it, what’s most scary about that feeling is the idea that your artistic side might be slipping as you behave more like a manufacturer. While this is a common feeling shared by all designers at some [...]

When you enter the world of web hosting, you will find yourself inundated with options. Choosing a hosting company is only the beginning. Even after you have a domain, hosting account, and all of the preliminary tasks out of the way, you still have to build a website. Many options out there are proprietary, sold by commercial vendors and private developers, but in some situations, it is much better for your website and your business to use free and open [...]

I have been a freelancer for almost a decade now and in the course of these years, I have had dozens of clients and hundreds of projects. While no two clients are the same, I have noticed some common things many of my clients hate. For truth’s sake, I try to avoid these things, especially when I really value the client but sometimes the items on the list below are unavoidable. Here are the Top 5 of things (my) clients [...]