For those who would like to make their own backgroundsbut don't have an image manipulation/editing program, here is an Open Source freebie application you can download. I use the term "background" but of course this could be for your scrapbooking, card making, blog etc.etc.
The program is called "Gimp" and can be downloaded here...
It will take a little getting used to, but if you just think of the backgrounds as the layers you add to your cards or journals (for those who do card making or scrapbooking), you will soon get the hang of things. Each layer can be worked on separately, and you can drag your layers to higher or upper levels if you change your mind during the creative process. The main thing to remember is that you should not save anything until you are satisfied with the results, because saving will flatten the image... Just think of it as adding a glue which will no longer allow you to separate the different layers.
My intention here is to take you by the hand in a step by step process to teach you how to build a very simple background with a central block area which will be wide enough to hold all your page content.
Once you have mastered this, you can then come back forfurther tutorials on how to make everything fancy by adding some bells and whistles. That is if you haven't already experimented and found out how to do it all by yourself!
FIRST STEP.
Download the Gimp application and install it. I usually leave an icon on my desktop for those programs I use most frequently. Don't forget to download the help files in your preferred language too - and install those.
SECOND STEP
Make sure that you know how wide the central content area of your blog is. Unless you have a pixel ruler, you may not quite know how to go about checking this. Using regular rulers is not an option I'm afraid...but here is an idea. You experiment by making the simple background you will learn with this tutorial, and try it out on your blog to see if everything fits. You can always make the central area a bit wider if needs be.
So now the fun starts. Give careful attention to the images in this post - click on the small images to find more instructions embedded on the image itself.
Open your Gimp work space which will look more or less like this...
Now we want to create a large background area...we will have to create a "new" image as explained in this screenshot...
But first we must decide on the dimensions. To cover most screens, the image must be 1950 pixels x 1200 pixels which just about covers most smaller and larger screens in use according to statistics collected by the World Wide Web Consortium.
Let's add some colour to the background... I have chosen a deep red as you can see here...
Now follow closely as we need to prepare a few tools to be able to create our central contrasting block which will go behind the text area on our blog page...
Look at the instructions on this image...
Here I have done a collage so that two phases of the aforementioned preparation can be viewed together...
So now you are ready to add the new "layer" as the central area will be defined...Each layer can be worked on separately, but all we need to do at this stage is put one layer on top of the other for our very basic page background.
As with the first background layer we created, we now also have to define the size of the new layer which will rest on top of the pile.
For 2 column blogs, I suggest a width of 850 pixels. You will use the same height as for the background... that is to say,height 1200 pixels.
When you confirm your choices, the new layer will appear on top - I have chosen white - but it is all pushed over on one side. We now need to place this in a central position.
You will find what you need to place this white layer centrally - over in the toolbox on the left.
E voilà!!!! Here we have something which looks a bit more like a blog background. Certainly nothing very fancy for the moment, but the foundation is there.
Now at this point I am going to leave you all to mess around with the Gimp application a bit. Nothing is going to break... what's more this is not your dream background, so even if it gets ruined, no hassle and no sleep lost.
You can save this background if you really want to, but as it is so simple, I wouldn't bother. In fact I suggest you throw it out and try creating the same thing for a few more times so that you become confident with the basics.
Look out for a future tutorial on how to add a few bells and whistles, so don't lose touch!
The program is called "Gimp" and can be downloaded here...
It will take a little getting used to, but if you just think of the backgrounds as the layers you add to your cards or journals (for those who do card making or scrapbooking), you will soon get the hang of things. Each layer can be worked on separately, and you can drag your layers to higher or upper levels if you change your mind during the creative process. The main thing to remember is that you should not save anything until you are satisfied with the results, because saving will flatten the image... Just think of it as adding a glue which will no longer allow you to separate the different layers.
My intention here is to take you by the hand in a step by step process to teach you how to build a very simple background with a central block area which will be wide enough to hold all your page content.
Once you have mastered this, you can then come back forfurther tutorials on how to make everything fancy by adding some bells and whistles. That is if you haven't already experimented and found out how to do it all by yourself!
FIRST STEP.
Download the Gimp application and install it. I usually leave an icon on my desktop for those programs I use most frequently. Don't forget to download the help files in your preferred language too - and install those.
SECOND STEP
Make sure that you know how wide the central content area of your blog is. Unless you have a pixel ruler, you may not quite know how to go about checking this. Using regular rulers is not an option I'm afraid...but here is an idea. You experiment by making the simple background you will learn with this tutorial, and try it out on your blog to see if everything fits. You can always make the central area a bit wider if needs be.
Have you got somewhere to host your blog background? It may not be possible to host a large background image with free image hosting online such as Picasa, Photobucket etc. So you have a couple of options - some web space of your own or some "premium" space with an image host online. Give this some thought.
So now the fun starts. Give careful attention to the images in this post - click on the small images to find more instructions embedded on the image itself.
Open your Gimp work space which will look more or less like this...
Now we want to create a large background area...we will have to create a "new" image as explained in this screenshot...
But first we must decide on the dimensions. To cover most screens, the image must be 1950 pixels x 1200 pixels which just about covers most smaller and larger screens in use according to statistics collected by the World Wide Web Consortium.
Let's add some colour to the background... I have chosen a deep red as you can see here...
Now follow closely as we need to prepare a few tools to be able to create our central contrasting block which will go behind the text area on our blog page...
Look at the instructions on this image...
Here I have done a collage so that two phases of the aforementioned preparation can be viewed together...
So now you are ready to add the new "layer" as the central area will be defined...Each layer can be worked on separately, but all we need to do at this stage is put one layer on top of the other for our very basic page background.
As with the first background layer we created, we now also have to define the size of the new layer which will rest on top of the pile.
For 2 column blogs, I suggest a width of 850 pixels. You will use the same height as for the background... that is to say,height 1200 pixels.
When you confirm your choices, the new layer will appear on top - I have chosen white - but it is all pushed over on one side. We now need to place this in a central position.
You will find what you need to place this white layer centrally - over in the toolbox on the left.
E voilà!!!! Here we have something which looks a bit more like a blog background. Certainly nothing very fancy for the moment, but the foundation is there.
Now at this point I am going to leave you all to mess around with the Gimp application a bit. Nothing is going to break... what's more this is not your dream background, so even if it gets ruined, no hassle and no sleep lost.
You can save this background if you really want to, but as it is so simple, I wouldn't bother. In fact I suggest you throw it out and try creating the same thing for a few more times so that you become confident with the basics.
Look out for a future tutorial on how to add a few bells and whistles, so don't lose touch!
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