I have a case of designers block-itis

[samsoner]

Hi, I need some help on this condition.
What essential elements MUST fill up the homepage for a simple, yet well-designed portfolio?
Can anyone recommend very simple yet effective portfolio site designs?
More importantly than that, is there an online library of layouts & color schemes for websites?
And how can you connect with what you see on other sites with your own ideas?


It's been 3 years since I worked on my portfolio website and I have a few ideas, and I've been visiting css portfolio sites for inspiration, but nothing's clicking.

I have a simple goal for my portfolio: 4 pages, Home, Work, About Me, Contact

So far I've looked at sites of guys and gals and even though their designs work well for them, it's difficult to see how I can get inspired for my homepage design.

I think my biggest issue is how I'm going to layout everything. The sites I've seen are by people who are bloggers/employees of web companies, so the content that they display on their homepage consists of the latest news or an advertised link to the latest project they've created.

But as for me, I'm just like someone who has basically started out in web design...I don't have anything "new" to advertise.

Next are colors and textures. I tend to like the "urban" style...graffiti inspired designs, but everyone is actually doing that. Since looking on css websites, I've realized that people have nifty ideas on design..for example using an illustration of an orange coat as their logo or multi-colored circles inside each other...and yet the design works! Where do they get these ideas from? I want to stay away from the urban style because I don't want my clients to think I'm only associated with "hip hop"

[Pasquale]

You MUST have what you NEED.

Anything else is purely decorative. Determine what you want to show, and then make a list of the elements you need. Then decorate with design.

[samsoner]

Thanks for the advice, that is now what I've just done by viewing the site's information architecture first, ignoring the design.

Now I have a good idea of what should be on my homepage, from the top-down order.

However when I started to fiddle around in Photoshop, the design still looks incredibly plain.

What is the procedure for increasing the look of a plain design?

Should I focus more on the background of the page and side gutters of the page for my design instead of the boxes which contain my information and the header which contains my title and links?

[Pasquale]

Give weight to the most important elements by styling them with tone and colour. If you can develop a logical hierarchy, it'll help to figure out what is going to need the most attention.

Now is when you should stick your head into some css galleries and find styles, and ideas that inspire. Take things that function and work well, build on the idea, and make it your own! No use re-inventing the wheel :)