Commissioning a custom SmugMug design?

LadyJemima · December 28, 2016

Despite my best efforts and SmugMug's intuitive interface, I still seem to be struggling to get a very basic design that I have in mind. A Google search came up with one person who does custom sites, but I'm not terribly keen on it. Are there any other resources I'm missing for custom work? Does this forum support this type of request?

rainforest1155 · December 28, 2016

Hi and welcome to DGrin!
If you can include a link to your site and specifics on what you'd like to do, the customization helpers here should be able to take a closer look.

LadyJemima · December 28, 2016

Certainly! I attempted to in my first post but I'm "too new" to add links. I know some forums have a minimum post count...

denisegoldberg · December 28, 2016

@LadyJemima said:
Certainly! I attempted to in my first post but I'm "too new" to add links. I know some forums have a minimum post count...

I don't know what the minimum post count is, but you should be able to post your site name as text as opposed to as a clickable link. Instead of posting the full URL try something like: www dot dgrin dot com.

LadyJemima · December 28, 2016

Edit: changed preferred layout, so the below links are not active. See below post for updated design.

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Got it! My site is paperbirdcreative.smugmug DOT com.

My site is a hot mess right now from playing around, but I've uploaded a mockup of how I'd like the Homepage and Gallery pages to look, as well as the specs to the Assets (Page Backgrounds) gallery. It's basically a standard left-aligned navigation menu with a single image spanning the home page, and a mosaic of images for each gallery.

Homepage mockup: paperbirdcreative.smugmug DOT com/Assets/Page-Backgrounds/i-TjKbDGg

Gallery page mockup: paperbirdcreative.smugmug DOT com/Assets/Page-Backgrounds/i-zv9KCd3

denisegoldberg · December 29, 2016

Start by creating your left-aligned navigation menu on Entire Site.

customize
content and design
click Layout
turn left sidebar on

Place your logo on the top and create a menu content element below it. Define the menu content element items to point to the designated pages / galleries on your site.

On Homepage, specify the background photo.

Clean up the site by removing the smugmug header and footer.

Customize
content and design
click the Settings button
adjust SmugMug Header and SmugMug Footer entries as desired

The closest gallery style to your mosaic of images is one of the collage styles, either collage landscape or collage portrait. Set each of your galleries to the desired style. If all galleries are to be the same style, set that as your default style. To select the default style, and to customize each of the gallery styles:

Open a gallery
Customize
content and design
hover over the gallery
click the wrench icon
set the default style
open each style that you plan to use and select the defaults.

LadyJemima · December 29, 2016

Denise, thank you for the direction. I've fiddled and fiddled with it and honestly would just rather pay someone at this point because I'm frustrated. I can't seem to locate a private messaging system here, but if you (or anyone else) would be interested in doing this for me, please contact me privately and let me know what your fee would be. I can be reached at [summerbluebird AT yahoo DOT com] -- or if I'm losing it and there is a Convo feature, send me a message through this site. ;)

LadyJemima · December 30, 2016

Alright -- I'm going to give this customization one more try...

LadyJemima · December 30, 2016

Well...despite my best efforts, I give up. I get close but not quite where I need to be. I am able to offer adequate compensation if one of the talented members here would be interested in assisting me. Below are mockups (created in Photoshop) of my envisioned site design. I am now able to send and receive messages on the forum, so please send me a convo if you would like to discuss further. I'm really at my wits end; I'm a graphic designer but not a coder....

SeaverPhoto · July 19, 2018

I'm looking for someone to re-design my Smug site. I've put it off for a few years and now I just need it done. I've found a site I really like at PeterStewartPhotography. My site is currently seaverphotography. Using the current Smugmug templates and simplifying so I can handle updating more regularly are my goals. I'm ok with eliminating the WP. (DGrin wouldn't let me attaching links.) Anyone??? Thanks!

tomnovy · July 31, 2018

Hey guys - ping me with the issues that you are having with your designs and I will try to help.

Commissioning a custom SmugMug design?

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