Making Custom Forum Skins?

[Zalaki]

Just curious bcus i really want to learn... can someone lead me in the direction of where i can learn to make a Custom IPB or vB skin.... Like Tutorials or maybe even someone can tell me how.. bcus i really would like to know so that my Forums have a Nice touch to them :P

 

[ablaye]

I don't think there are any tutorials. You just have to install IP or VB and play with the template files.

 

[Zalaki]

Ya i dont want to just edit the CSS though... i actually want to Design my own template

 

[ablaye]

It is not simply editing the CSS file. These forums contain template folders that have template files written in HTML.
Modify these template files.

 

[Zalaki]

Im talking about like designing my own in Photoshop or ne kind of program... but i need help figuring out where to start

 

[Barrucadu]

1) Install IPB or vB
2) Mess around with the images, .tpl and .css files.

Thats how to make your own template

 

[Zalaki]

I got a little creative and tried to make one on my own.. I did it.. thx for the help though everyone

 

[LeetPCUser2]

The hard part is that unlike other things like blogs, forums are quite extensive and exhausting. In order to make and code your own template you have to know how all the PHP works. What I used to do was find a design I liked, rename it, then change all the graphics and colors. It works a lot better that way. I am quite positive most designers take an idea from somewhere. Try that out and see how that works. It is all just playing around and getting some experiance.

 

[Zalaki]

Ya i also tried that but i hate having to edit the colors only... id rather have a totally custom PSD of the design and then have it coded so that it can work the same way all the other forum skins do

 

[LeetPCUser2]

It is a pain but once you get used to a certain style of forum (i.e. PHPBB, VBulletin, SMF) you will know how the code works. It is really hard in the beginning and then you know what to look for. Also, if you work with a specific skin a lot you will get good at editing colors.

 

[Zalaki]

Ya but just bepends on which one you use... for vB omg thats hard... for ipb its a breeze for me

 

[abcde]

2 things: Design and Code

Design ( Just to design a skin is not hard, but to design a nice sin is not too easy)
Code ( html and php)

 

[ProzGFX]

i have a vid tut but its veryyyyyyyyy long i never watched the whole thing......i downloaded it and watched a few parts but never got through the whole thing...but if you realllllllly realllly want too learn it will be helpful just let me know if you want it.....its just the guy who made it takes a while to get through the steps himself....But learning CSS makes it very easy*hint hint*

 

[andysyme]

I'll have a look at that if you don't mind cheers

Andy

 

[ProzGFX]

if you dont mind i have too send it too you tommorw because i cant find where i originaly got it from and i dont have the time to upload a GIG of vid right now....PS: its broken into 8 sections.....

 

[LeetPCUser]

Yeah learning CSS is a huge help. You should know CSS fluently and at least understand PHP a bit, IMHO.

 

[tygercat]

Can anyone tell me which part of the CSS controls the text and background colors of the box which contains the google or yahoo ads on invisionfree boards?

 

[dojo]

I never had any tuts to study. I usualy design in photoshp a layout, slice it and the HTML code I try and place in the forum script. Was successful with phpBB, VB and IPB so far ...