This tutorial is completely made by me. Do not steal. If this tutorial helped you, please link me back. If you have any questions feel free to contact me.
Layouts...
If you visit a website, the first thing you see is the layout. So, a good layout is a very important thing for a website. I don't know if it's the most important thing,
but it is really important. If I visit a site and the layout looks messy and just bad, I leave without looking at the content. Cause if the layout is bad, people will think your content
is also bad. So here I'll tell you something about layouts and how to make a good one.
Layouts featuring a celeb
I know that there are many sites which are using a famous person for their layouts, but it's illegal. You are not allowed to use a celebrity picture, because they are copyrighted.
For example: You take a picture off Google and you credit Google and you think that's enough? Google just SEARCHES for you for the pictures you want, but the pictures have been taken by other sites/persons than Google.
I mean, what would you feel if you find a site with a picture taken by YOU and then those person just credits Google? I would feel really bad. And no, it is not enough to link back to the site you used the picture from, unless the site gave you the permission to use this picture.
There are a lot of sites which offer Free Photos so you can take them there.
Layouts without a celeb
Those are really the best ones. I think they show your creativity and your talent! When I make a layout I have seen a picture before which I had to use for a layout. And if the layout is ready I find a name for it.
If you make a layout and have no idea, think of a theme, like nature, soccer, cats or whatever and then search for pictures and create one. I think the best site for layout pictures or pictures in general is
Deviantart. Of course you have to link back to the people you used something from ;)
Tips for your layouts
*Don't use animation or glitter. This just makes your layout look ugly
*Always write your site name on the layouts. This looks better and so nobody can easily steal your layouts
*Don't use too much: Brushes, Colors, Pictures, Fonts... Sometimes less is better
*Your layout colors should be on your site, too. So you shouldn't make a green-red layout and your website-colors are black and pink, for example
*If you use a layout which isn't made by yourself, don't forget to credit
*And you have to credit the sites where you use the pictures from if you make your own layouts