New Web Design

7 13 13 Bearman Cartoons Web Design Coding in Your Sleep Cartoon

 

The New Site Design is Here, The New Site Design is Here.  First let me apologize to all the people I typically come read your blog.  As you can see this is what has been keeping me up at night for the last week and away from visiting my friends on the net.  I am NOT NOT NOT a web designer nor a web coder.  But I am muddling my way through.

I still have a bunch to do on the back end like creating a “Get Mugged” page to highlight caricature commissions and other commission work.  But this is the new look for now.  I must have changed it 100 times as I looked at other sites and kept wishing mine was as clean as theirs but I liked having my own identity.    Between design and trying to learn CSS and what it does I was either not sleeping because I was constantly thinking of changes or dreaming of coding issues.

The big deal was the theme I have been using for years called Frugal.  Well two years, the maker created Catalyst Theme and I was supposed to upgrade.  Well I didn’t until today so hopefully everything works out.  Please let me know.   The beauty of the theme is that you can design pretty much whatever you want.  That is the drawback as well.  Too many choices for the amateur like me to screw up.

Big thanks to InstantWP which allowed me to actually load the Catalyst Theme on my flash drive and create all the elements you see here before bringing it to a live site.  As someone who doesn’t get the backend stuff, InstantWP was a life saver.  Also my social media buttons on the home page were created with the help of a tool available at Image-Maps.com.  I know there probably was a way to do it via CSS easier with only two images but using HTML with five images wasn’t bad.

EDIT – A big shout out to my Google Plus buddy Kenneth Poveda Mata (wordpress coding genius) for letting me know my site was mobile ready and looked like shit on it.  Thanks to him I fixed some stuff that should make it look all pretty and nice.

 

Comments

81 responses to “New Web Design”

  1. Kim Avatar

    Great job! As useful as HTML/CSS are to learn, you can’t help but have these nightmares, lol.

    1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

      Thanks Kim….Today my RSS feed didn’t work right away so I was freaked I screwed something up.

  2. hermes Avatar
    hermes

    Coding while sleeping, lol that is the last nightmare i want to have 🙂
    Wonderful design, i love it 🙂 🙂

    1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

      Thanks Hermes….it’s scary

  3. kaitou Avatar

    Even though I cheated and used WordPress/Easel/Comic-Easel for my site, I still had to do a bit of php tweaking and a ton of css (how else do you think I got my glorious black and white motif?). And, yes, you can do the icon images in one image and css (no java needed); see my prev/next buttons.

    Give me a holler if you have any questions (but, beware, I have a day job and a response is likely to be delayed).

    1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

      Very cool how you did that. AAAAAAACk don’t even say java. I got to avoid that completely as well as having to tweak any php….I would ruin everything with that.

  4. Tammy Avatar
    Tammy

    I think you have done an amazing job on your page! I like it!

  5. D Bryant Avatar
    D Bryant

    I like it lots! You did Good Bman 🙂 Only one suggestion, if I may…howz about some kind of Google + logo at the ‘find me on Google’ link…..

    1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

      Definitely on the list. Going to replicate my social media buttons at top of sidebar.

  6. duncanr Avatar

    Glad to hear you’ve been having a hard time wrestling with a new site design – would hate to think you haven’t been visiting madhatters as often as you once did because you found a more enjoyable way to spend your time 😉

    1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

      No…as much as visiting the MH is like going to the dentist, it is much better than what I have been doing hahah

  7. buddhakat Avatar

    Job VERY well done, Bearman! It looks so nice and clean and done by someone who knew what he was doing!!!

    🙂

    1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

      That’s good because it was definitely done by someone who doesn’t know what he is doing.

  8. Raydred Avatar

    Looks Nice =)

    1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

      Thanks Ray…appreciate it.

  9. Laura Avatar
    Laura

    Coolness. Love the new look <3

  10. Gail Thornton Avatar

    Bearman! Your site is beautiful! I love it, it is clean and fresh. We all need something new once in a while, and kudos to you for coding.

    Looking forward to your posts.

    Gail

    1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

      Thanks so much Gail….hoping to get some drawing done soon haha

  11. Christina Avatar

    Clean and fresh, like a spring breeze. But is it soft and absorbent?

    1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

      Put it up to your face and let me know.

  12. Tim Avatar

    Looks particularly sharp on mobile (Android on Galaxy S4).

    Great job.

    1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

      Thanks Tim. Should look even better now that I fixed a few things

  13. Tony McGurk Avatar

    The new design looks good. I don’t understand all the technical stuff. You may remember when I “Broke” a previous site beyond repair once bi fiddling about too much. Now I leave all that stuff alone.

    1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

      From your mouth to….

      You are the king of theme changing. I couldn’t figure out half the stuff you do.

  14. Bo LUMPKIN Avatar

    What? You mean there is a way to change the way a page looks? Yours looks great. I have enough trouble lately just posting regularly.

    1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

      Me too…that’s why I figured I would distract you with something shiny and new.

      1. Bo Lumpkin Avatar

        It is shiny and it is new. I’m distracted. Wait…I’ve been distracted for almost 63 years. I don’t think I have ever been “tracted”. How can I become distracted if I have never been “tracted”.

        1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

          Is that a tractor reference?

          1. Bo Lumpkin Avatar

            No the tractor is a Farmall. I didn’t know Reference made tractors.

  15. walid Avatar

    I feel your pain man, I’ve been through a few redesigns….actually planning one right now. Having learned to code a few years back I understand. Having to make design choices can be fun and excruciating at the same time. You’ve done a great job! Keep it up, it only get’s easier from here. 🙂

    1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

      Easier? You think I plan to do this AGAIN anytime soon? HELL NO!!

  16. David Hurley Avatar

    Congrats Bearman, trying to change mine too. Glad it was a success, I am not a technical guru either.

    1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

      Not that I know much but if I can any help let me know

      1. David Hurley Avatar

        Thanks Bearman, I am hoping to have mine updated soon…you never know I may be a asking, lol. Thanks for the offer.

  17. Tim Green Avatar

    Back in my day, we used to count sheep! Yikes!! 🙂

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Ever since I saw that Blondie comic where Dagwood tried to count sheep but the kept sneaking under the fence I can’t do it without that popping in my head

  18. Comedy Plus Avatar

    I like it very much. Messing with this code can make anyone crazy. You also need to look at it on the the browsers too. Some look okay and others sometimes not so much.

    Have a terrific day. 🙂

    1. Bearman Avatar

      So which ones don’t look ok? Haha

      1. Binky Avatar

        The visual ones.

          1. Binky Avatar

            Just kidding. Have some chocolate and you’ll feel better. Oh, you don’t like chocolate. Well have some ?? and you’ll feel better.

  19. DadaHyena Avatar

    Coding nightmares…burrowing into your brain…reprogramming you while you sleep…turning hair green….

    But hey, the new site looks fine!

    1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

      No it turns green hair gray

  20. Dave Avatar

    Like I said in another place, good job on the changes.

    A couple of months back I migrated to a new domain. Since I didn’t know what I was doing it took me two days. I was shooting in the dark. Coding and anything on the back end is not my specialty either.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Yours looks great so it worked out

  21. Cha Avatar

    omg I can feel your pain! ahah poor Bearman!!! 😀

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Good. Misery likes company

  22. Binky Avatar

    Nice clean design. It’s just so different, it doesn’t seem like you yet.I take a while to get used to things.

    1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

      I know…I come across as trashy

      1. Binky Avatar

        I pass no judgement.

  23. frigginloon Avatar

    OMG…. what the hell happened here?

    1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

      I tidied up the place

  24. Bill Murphy Avatar

    I like it. Clean and easy to read.
    I admire that you were willing to redesign your site to make it more of what you wanted it to look like even though you’re not a web designer. I’m not a web designer so I try not to touch anything if it’s working properly. 😉

    1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

      Well as I said I was about 4 upgrades behind on my theme and because of it, it wouldn’t do a clean upgrade so my hand was kind of forced.

  25. Red Dwyer Avatar

    I like it. I have heard good things about Catalyst. I feel your pain about dreaming in code. I do it every time there is an update to the RP theme. I am really tempted to break ties with the theme developer as I have changed the original so much it is hardly recognizable. (Last time I asked for help, the owner asked me whose theme I was using.)

    Time to scroll around. Like you, I have been missing for a couple weeks.

  26. jynksie Avatar

    Your site looks sexy. Now, when will the work on YOU begin?!? [smirk] [fleee]

    1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

      My wife thinks I am sexy….and your wife doesn’t think I’m half bad either haha

      1. jynksie Avatar
        jynksie

        Yer right, my wife doesn’t think your half bad… thats because you’re half the man I am! [wink-wink] [measuring tape]

        1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

          Word is that you have 12 inches but don’t use it as a RULE

          1. jynskie Avatar
            jynskie

            Thats because the RULE, doesn’t do me justice! [grin]

  27. Kenneth Poveda Mata Avatar

    Hey man, thanks so much for the mention!! Glad I was able to help, and let me know if I can do anything else for you. 😀

    1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

      Just let me know when I screw something else up

      1. Binky Avatar

        You mean on here, or in real life? Because that could be a long list.

        1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

          Just keep a count.

      2. Kenneth Poveda Mata Avatar

        You did really good and did everything, proud of you man!!

  28. Mark Stokes Avatar

    It’s lookin’ good, Bearman! All the hard work was worth it!

  29. Gruhn Avatar

    Approved.

    1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

      Thanks…btw saw someone shared your stuff on G+

      Time to get a profile I think haha

  30. G. B. Miller Avatar

    Looks pretty clean and user friendly so far.

  31. Christopher L Avatar

    Nice site redesign Bearman, I really like it! Maybe I’ll try something similar with my WordPress install. 🙂

    1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

      Well then you have to buy catalyst which lets you do all the things I was able to do an much more I couldn’t figure out

  32. Mike W Avatar

    <h1 style="cool-toon" class="website"

    Looking good Bearman.

    MJ

    1. Bearman Cartoons Avatar

      Whatever that means hahah j/k Thanks Mike

  33. Ducktoes Web Design Avatar

    Very cool, thanks for sharing!

  34. Vinci Designs Avatar

    What a cool cartoon. When you try to design a website on your own without help, it can get really frustrating. It usually takes longer than people think, too.