Is it easy?

S

sherwood

New member
OK, I know a bit about HTML, CSS and PHP, but I am not at all a web designer or developer. I am just an amateur "template tweaker". I wonder how long it takes to create a template from scratch, assuming that you know what you are doing.
 
If the creative juices are flowing, an experienced web designer can create a good template in ~8-24 hours of work. That is total hours worked. Not start to finish.
 
Love the link ;)

If it takes a man an hour to dig a hole, how long will it take two men to dig half a hole?

How long it will take to design a template depends entirely on how skilled you are, and where you draw the line as being "complete". Talk to any painter, most of their artwork is not "finished", there's always something that can be added, removed or changed.

I usually start with a prebuilt template these days as you can pick up one relatively cheap (and dirt cheap in some cases). Then build and "kit-bash" and modify to your hearts content. When I design cookie cutter web sites for people, I can be done with a 5 page site in less than 3 hours when they provide the text and images they want online, up to 5 hours if they only provide a logo and text, and it could be DAYS if they only provide a logo with nothing else.
 
My other half is a senior php developer, and proper geek. Last weekend he set out to make some templates (for fun, ha!) and was done with the first in about four hours. It was a simple one, but he was pleased with it. Really and truly it just depends on your skill level.
 
Loving, the link.

But really, there is a fine balance, you can over design it from spending to much time on it, and you can under design it from spending to little time on it.

So you have got to find "your" right balance on it.
 
As people before me have already posted, it all depends on the skill of the person who is doing it. It also depends on what functionality you require and how well you want to achieve it.

For example, you want to create a blog template. The functionality may vary based on your requirement. You can simply have a blog to pen your thoughts. Or you can have a sophisticated publishing platform where users can discuss, post and comment and then certain other functionalities like great SEO which is fully automated and you can also optimize the performance of the blog.

The list of requirements is endless, it is you who have to decide which are essential and which are extra. And, each and every one of these definitely takes time.
 
I practiced coding my own sites by modifying templates, then I made another set using the resources from the first one.

Try that and let's see how it works for you :D
 
handsonhosting said:
I usually start with a prebuilt template these days as you can pick up one relatively cheap (and dirt cheap in some cases). Then build and "kit-bash" and modify to your hearts content. When I design cookie cutter web sites for people, I can be done with a 5 page site in less than 3 hours when they provide the text and images they want online, up to 5 hours if they only provide a logo and text, and it could be DAYS if they only provide a logo with nothing else.
Click to expand...

I think Connor encapsulated the process of a web designer very well in his example, and it is generally the process a professional web designer will take. Firstly asking a client what they like/would like (thus example sites, ideas etc) combining this then with what they have provided and then gluing the lot together both in code and aesthetically.

I find more and more that both designers and clients don't start from scratch be that in terms of their requirements, layouts or styles, this is mainly due to clients wanting roughly similar sites to their competitors with only a few distinguishing features.

Thus why reinvent the wheel ? (us designers don't) meaning as Connors example, times vary both on what resources you have be that memberships to sites with prebuilt resell-able templates, PHP Class libraries (Zend, Pear, Smarty, Custom?... etc...), CSS files and documentation and even reference books (useful at times :P).

As well as provided time frames/deadlines, manpower and mainly complexity. Personally I can turn around integrations within 30mins/1hour, complete CMS templates within 4/5 hours, basic sites much link Connor and upwards to 2/3month team project/CMS/Service builds.

However i have over 8 years experience and am yet dont consider myself an expert, as such I would recommend much like a developer you set yourself or ask for say a couple of easy and more difficult briefs (much like a college/university web design course) and set about completing them.. then you will get a better feel for the time involved at your level of knowledge and with the resources you have.
 
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All depend on you and your template !
Maybe 2 days, Maybe 2 months or more , But you should consider in these case If you gonna make a pro temp must give it to a pro developer but for a train Yes It is a good idea .
 
sherwood said:
OK, I know a bit about HTML, CSS and PHP, but I am not at all a web designer or developer. I am just an amateur "template tweaker". I wonder how long it takes to create a template from scratch, assuming that you know what you are doing.
Click to expand...

Web designers should concentrate on Flash design etc. PHP programmers will concentrate on layout/templates etc.
 
Lol.. This question can't be given a definitive answer... As everyone has suggested, it all depends on the skill of the designer and also, the number of designers involved.

For me, creating a website can be broken down as follows:
- 2-8 hrs on layout (oh yeah... finding the perfect layout is a pain in the a**)
- 3-10 hrs for designing in photoshop
-1-3 hrs for HTML + CSS coding
- 1-3 hrs for all the eye-candy (AJAX - JavaScript)

Once you have completed the first page, subsequent pages can be coded pretty quickly!
 
If you don't want to spend more time on designing and development you can also use ready made templates for your website else if you have patience and good grasping power you can use website builder and can build your website yourself. Having basic coding and designing knowledge will be helpful.
 
I always used to tell my kids "It takes as long as it takes." Wait... I still tell them that. In answer to the question it takes as long as it takes.

Seriously though, I understand your desire to compare yourself against other designers, but focus on your own skills and continue to refine your OWN timelines. Then you'll find that time consistently getting shorter and shorter. Never stop learning new things and you'll be all set. :)
 
You may use various template making tools and applications to do your work. You may customize your template within 2-3 hours of your own idea.
 
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