Do many of you, use the backgrounds that come with the HTML editor? If so can someone give me some tips how to get the best from them, or websites that have been used with them. The CSS coding of backgrounds is not the problem, just how to use them in an imaginative way is.

Thank you for any replies.
NB

I'm not clear on what you are looking for, but I'll throw out something to you.

Style the html tag directly



this way you can have one image layered over the other.

or pin one image to the side of the browser window with no repeat and use it as a background for your menu.

or edit the image like a wave (original in dark blue #38) modified attached or weave 38-2 attached

I sometimes use those backgrounds, but your request is perhaps a little too generalized to be able to give you a simple reply. What I also do is use those backgrounds in my image editor to make something a little more complex - it doesn't take much. So much depends on what kind of site you need an image for, and often the imagination comes in with the use of other small graphics to combine with the background.

As David says - sometimes having one image on top of another is very effective, just keeping the top layer pinned up at the top of the background area as a single image, whilst the main background image is tiled to cover.
Here is an example:
http://www.vallejoviolinlessons.com/
The dark red "brocade" is used to tile the whole area, but I have pinned a small transparent "musical" background image up top left of the content area.

Have you got a particular site to build? Maybe we can offer some specific suggestions. Meanwhile feel free to see the kind of thing I do with backgrounds on my blog...and of course do download any that might be of interest to you.
http://trashyourblog.blogspot.com/search/label/blog%20background

Thanks for your replies, I'll take a look at your suggestions tomorrow, when I have a bit of time. Janys when I'm doing any sites for other people I don't find it as hard to think of things, because they usually have the theme anyway. I've been playing around with a site for myself, to do with Javascript/DHTML programs and games I've done years ago. It's basically a graphic test for myself, if that makes sense.

The coding has never been an issue for me but graphically I'm not the best. The funny thing is I can draw and paint. Putting it all into web design you would think it would be easy but it's not, not for me anyway.
NB

NB - no hassle and I fully understand. My husband is a wizard with his watercolours and oil paintings, but when it comes to digital software, he has no idea. And I also understand what it means to try to develop a site for yourself which you want to convey something about you... you never know quite which direction to take.
Enjoy anyway and be kind on yourself if it doesn't all come right the first time!

Thanks David for you advice, I'm having a tinker about with layering now.

Janys had a look on your very impressive website. My wife is also very impressed. She makes jewellery and wonders if she has your permission to make paper beads out of the textured backgrounds, is that ok?

Thank you once again.
NB

NB - I would be honoured so please tell her to use whatever she might find useful in there. If then I get a chance to see some pics of what she does, that would be fun. And thanks for asking. Much appreciated.

Good luck and don't hesitate to ask more questions, we aim to help :-)

Hi Janys & David, sorry it's taken me ages to reply. Yes my wife will put some photos of your textures Janys when she gets round to it. She hasn't bn too well at present.
Yes David I'm always eager to learn and ask questions. I've bn able to code for yrs but I never know it all, it's such a fast paced activity always trying to learn new tricks.
NB