Updated: 17/01/08

1) Can you teach me how to make a blogskin?
2) I like how you can change the skin of your website by just clicking a button at the sidebar. How do you do it?
3) I like some of your skins for this site! Can I use them for my own?
4) Am I qualified to be your hostee?
5) Can you help me make a blogskin?
6) Help! I've tried your tutorials but something screwed up!

This is the number 1 most common question I get via email and forums.

The answer to this, is NO. Simply because I cannot teach every one of you how to make a blogskin, as it does take a while to learn HTML, CSS and using Photoshop. If I had to teach everyone who asked me this question, I might as well be starting a Beginner 101 Blogskin class, and earn cash off it. Learning how to make skins isn't something to be picked up in a day. I took a year of experimenting on my own to get here.

However, I have some tips for you.

1) Pick up simple HTML.

Go to lissaexplains.com , it is an extremely useful site for the most basic of HTML users. If you think you don't understand lissaexplains, I really don't know where else to direct you.

2) Using other skin codes for reference.

When I was trying to learn HTML, I often downloaded blogskins from blogskins.com and opened the file containing the codings, and I tried to figure out what every single code in the file meant. It really helps, because many of the codes you'd find in a blogskin are highly applicable to what you want in creating your skin. If you are unsure of what certain codings mean, try googling them (yes, Google is your best friend), or refer back to lissaexplains.com to see whether any of the codes appear in their site.

3) Learn how to use an image editing program

HTML is no good if you have no images in your blogskin right? Most skins require a basic image, like maybe a picture of yourself or like a picture of your favourite scene in the movies as a focus point.
Let me get this straight. HTML does not make the picture for you, and an image editing program will not magically make a HTML code for you. I use Photoshop, but it costs quite a bundle, so I suggest going to gimp.org and download GIMP, a free image editing program.

If you do end up investing in Photoshop, there are several tutorials on how to use the program around the web, but you can go to goodtutorials.com for a rather nice collection of links to many many tutorials.

When you're happy with your basic HTML, why not try some of my more intermediate and advanced tutorials? Starting with the Basic div layer tutorial, and the Dynamic box tutorial for blogger users, to the more advanced Tabling tutorial.

Well, first your site needs to be able to run PHP, although I reckon with a lot of iframes it might also work (never tried it before though, sorry!)

I learnt how to make skin-changing layouts using a tutorial found in so-you.net
Please check it out for more details =)

Currently whatever skins I am willing to let people download can be found in my blogskins account.

Anything you like that is not on there, that means I don't want you downloading it for your use, sorry!

Read the rules here. If you're not sure whether you are qualified, send the form in anyway and I'll let you know. Try not to drop comments on my blog cause I rarely blog anymore. If you are not qualified, please don't pester me asking me why.

Also, it would be great if you know FTP, which is the tool to upload your files. If you are unsure, please check out my FTP tutorial.

Blogskins request are currently closed, unless you bribe me with money or if I happen to be in a good mood and have lots of time on that day.

I get emails/MSNs/Facebooks/comments for this. It's amazing how I don't really make my contacts available (though you could find them easily enough) but somehow you guys always manage to find me ;) If you really need help and want to contact me, please email liewqi@sixseven.org your questions. If it is not urgent, you can leave a comment on my domain entries, I will check (once in a while) and get back to you. Leave your contact details when you comment if not I dunno how am I going to get back to you.

When you email or comment, please be specific in highlighting your problem. I will not reply emails that go "Help my blogskin doesn't work! What to do!" If I'm feeling nice I might email you back and ask you to specify your problem, but most of the time I'm too lazy to bother. If you want me to help you ASAP, email me your website link so that I can go take a look at the problem, describe your problem and how you want it fixed; like for example, "My journal entries are running, can you help me restrict their height."

Please try not to add me on MSN or Facebook, they are for friends only =) If you do, I reserve the right to ignore you, especially since I've had some people who became pretty annoying online.