ive got a full website to be built for a college project but im totaly at a dead end, or mabee even a dead start if theirs such a thing were do you get you inspiration from i keep thinking of things and in my head they seem like a great idea but on screen they just aint lookin to gd, the website is for a driving school

Start with the content and the aims and objectives of the site, you'll probably have to make something up as it's a project.

 

For a driving school what information might potential customers want?

I sometimes find getting hold of a good stock image for the particular project I am working on can help a lot, as it helps define the flow from there.

Also check out Smashing Magazine for some great ideas or look up web design inspiration in the Google. Stuff will come up. Try to look for CSS galleries too.

 

I hope that helps

Well, look here, for instance.

IMO try thinking from the customers point of view, and if it's a business website that you need to develop - if possible for you try to know more about their business and then project it out on the site. The above links given by the members would help for sure.

First question, do you have something to base the website on?

I take that back I see now. A driving school. I agree, take a look at some templates and get a feel for what you like and then work from there incorporating your own styles.

 

Stefan

Gotta love Bluedreamer! I'd add to his chestnut:

Think of an innovative message you want to get across... think as if you're creating a killer advert. The message should target learner drivers in a way that engages them and then sets you up with a strong message which then will lead to a design theme to support it (I call it web design but lots of folks skip all this and just get stuck into the piccies!).

Thinking the biggest target audience will be teenagers, how about:

Wanting to escape home - think like those 'mini adventure' TV ads?

Wanting to get away from parents - parents instead of cones on a test track?

Cool kids drive - think of flashy cars pulling up outside college?

 

Pretty crap... but here's a corker!:

 

Backseat 'romance' - "mirror, signal, manoeuvre": Only "mirror" is a teenage guy preening in front of a mirror getting ready for a date, "signal" is a girl winking at him at a party, "manoeuvre" is an exterior shot of a car with steamed up windows!

 

That'd suggest a kind of 'photostory' layout/ look.

 

Just how my mind finds inspiration (yes, usually through play-on-words and then, ultimately it turns to smut!).

Edited May 6, 201016 yr by wizely

+1 for Wize there - good shout.

 

I often find that if you think of your site as an advertising campaign first, you will come up with some excellent themes. Anyone can design a nice site, but it takes an expert to design as a site that WORKS and is on-message!

 

You should always do the following for new sites:

 

Brainstorm ideas

Get some books to help you be creative (check out this one and this one too)

Draw up a mood board of stock images

 

Once you have some solid ideas, get the content right and the messaging perfect. After that, comes the easy part of designing it

You should always do the following for new sites:

 

Brainstorm ideas

Get some books to help you be creative (check out this one and this one too)

Draw up a mood board of stock images

 

Once you have some solid ideas, get the content right and the messaging perfect. After that, comes the easy part of designing it

 

Do people actually DO that? I always thought it was one of those things you ignore until asked about it, and then you reverse engineer

I'd go to Amazon and have a look The Web Designers Idea Book - It's about a tenner and a great start place for info, I use it a lot.

 

Soz to mention this book again in another post but it is very very good.

 

S