I've got a bit of a problem with my website (Crystalhawk Chronicles): The top banner is, to be honest, ass-nasty. And since I have little to no experience or skill working with images, I've been stuck with this for quite a while.

My question is this: How can I make the site look better?

EDIT: Fixed the link.

How can I make the site look better?
In short: decide what *is* important, and give that the attention, both in terms of visuals and interaction.


IMHO the first thing you should ask yourself (even tho you write the tale) is: what is this site about, what is it's purpose?
The reason you should, is because there is no short introduction or strong visual signs to guide a visitor. To put it bluntly: if your main purpose is promoting the stories, give them the attention. If it's the forum, then put the stories on another site, and *make* this a forum.

Like Watterson makes Calvin's parents think of Thoreau: "simplify, simplify", you gotta refocus on the issues you find most important to present. The rest basically is either a convenience for a very small and select group or chaos caused by using a "standard" presentation solution. Take for instance the main menu on the left. What does it show? Let's highlight some items:
· Home (and I *am* already on the first page. Happens at 90 percent of the sites.)
Modules (What in deity's name are modules, and can I do something with them as a visitor?)
· Downloads (This is supposed to be a story site, what am I to download?)
· News (Isn't this already on the front page? Home eq. News?)
The rest of the items I won't mention, but this should say not *all* items are equally important, and as such shouldn't be treated as such. Keeping it that way will leave the visitor without a real choice or visual impulses to "intuitively" walk tru the site: make "better" templates, or ditch the rigid framework I'd say.


Finally, if you want this site to mainly focus on your stories (as I think it should), then you should wonder why on earth you're trying disguise it as that of a 18th century folklore woodwork village reenactment group. I mean, seriously, isn't this *the* site for *the* passionate story? Populated with ever warring races, sly and villanous people, wondrous creatures, pain, love, joy and hate?
The site's design should somehow reflect that, or at least show, in an inviting way, what people can expect. I haven't read past the first part of story 1, but there should be some way. I mean, not like SF or Fantasy book covers, they almost never get it right and always look like made in the seventies :-] I'd say the overall atmosphere and important scenes in the story should provide enough input for a creative person to start sketching roughs with.

And it doesn't even need to be static as well, I mean, you could easily gradually change the site's visual appearance once registered readers get further into the story...


HTH

I'm not too happy with the theme, myself, but it's the only Postnuke theme that comes close to fitting the theme of the site.

To add on top of what unSpawn has mentioned. The one thing I've learned about designing websites is the layout and how the graphics fit.

You don't need alot of pretty graphics to make a site look great, but great graphics do make a site look pretty. I've learned though the best looking sites have a good balance of graphics and layout, not too much and not too little. Also placement and layout though to me are the number one thing to making a website nice looking.

If it was my site personally, I would drop the wood banner at top, or at least fade it out, darken the contrast of it or something along those lines.
I would also find a different background for the page, its cool but I think its a bit much. The transparent tables and such are a nice touch, if you can find another background to play nicely with it, it can look way cool.

No offense to the phpnuke peeps but their layouts are getting popular, it looks like a thousand other sites I've been too that also use phpnuke, just a different theme. I'd suggest trying to create your own theme or the liking. Good graphics can even make a sloppy coded site look great.

My advice though if your going to design and maintain websites is to learn the basics of creating and editing graphics.
Also browse other sites, they will give you ideas for your own site.

Another thing I also agree with is simplicity, too much is overwhelming to me and just makes a site ugly. Take example my personal site, www.trickykid.org
I am still working on it but what I have so far is just simple, decent graphics with a simple layout I made. Even though some will tell you that gray background is boring, I prefer it as its easier on the eyes and such instead of those sites that have a white background that blind you staring at it too long.

Hope this helps.

i dont mind the wood banner but not light wood on dark wood like it is now. and there are some good tutorials out there on making wood and making chiseled letters in it. i think chiseled letters could add a touch of style over the way it is now.

and if that doesnt work you could always go vrml. that would be more unique i should think.