Beautifying the blog - how?

[loungeowl]

Looking at this particular website, Beyond Wonderland - March 19th 2011, I see they have a non-youtube embedded video, rounded corners on everything, and lots of translucent graphics. And how do you make a banner with just the words like that? It fits over the background like a sticker.

Perhaps this is a rather complex website, but I would like to use some of its techniques for my own blog about the most productive mental state. I'm starting Java now in college. Will this help make my site more attractive? Or do I need to know flash. I'm a newbie at computer science, so all help is appreciated.

[Made2Show]

very interesting question. I made a background myself.. But i want to upgrade my website too.. I search on google but finally i think i just have to pay for it.

[loungeowl]

Originally Posted by Made2Show

I search on google but finally i think i just have to pay for it.

I know, I've been thinking the same thing... Where are the graphics experts here? I'd like to know what language/program they use for such attractive results.

[ajwalsh]

They are using some flash on this site, and it can certainly do amazing things. Personally I don't have much experience with it, though.

If you're talking about Java, the full-blown computer programming language, that's really for designing standalone applications. JavaScript is what you would want to use to give interactivity to your website. But I would also recommend just learning more about CSS; you can definitely make some nice-looking graphics and backgrounds without doing anything fancier than a background-image property and a few other relatively simple things.

[loungeowl]

Thanks ajwalsh! I am learning java to make applications.. I will learn more CSS