I used to love web design. I used to love the artistry involved in piecing a layout together and the problem solving necessary for getting it coded. Back in the days of greymatter and b2, it was easy to integrate my blogs into my designs and I would often pump out a new design every month. And I loved it.

But, with the advent of WordPress, which I found much more daunting in terms of coding, and the “Web 2.0″ movement, my love for web design quickly dissipated. I didn’t feel I could keep up with where design was going… I felt my own personal style was far too “loose” and imagery-based for this new world of curved corners and big fonts.

I had a difficult time designing something I felt was original and personal. Everything felt so canned. And beyond that, WordPress scared the crap out of me. From 2000-2005 I designed and coded probably about 60 different websites and concepts. From 2005-2007 I designed and coded 2.

So what inspired me to create something again? Truthfully, Avalonstar. While I never have and likely never will create a design as impressive as that, its presence reminded me of designs I had done in the past that were more about artistry than they were about what I considered “keeping up” with the “industry.”

And so, yesterday, after looking through templates trying to find something that would suit my needs for featuring the content on this website in hopes of making it more usable for friends and family when I leave for Irkutsk, I asked myself: “Why not do it yourself?”

So I am. For the first time in years, I’m taking on a project that I feel I can be proud of. I’m applying a more rigorous set of standards and outlines for my design process than I have before. I need this design to be as perfect as I can make it. I likely won’t have time to do many tweaks or fixes when I’m abroad and I need it to be good enough to not get boring while I’m over there.

This is the prototype I came up with. I’m pretty happy with it. I finally have a logo that I feel happy with. I used a photograph of mine that I love and manipulated it to provide the base for the colors. And, most importantly, I felt free when designing it. I wasn’t thinking about what was out and about today, I was thinking about me — what I like, what I need and what I want my readers to focus on. And it was marvelous. I can’t remember the last time I had that much fun designing.

I’ve made to-do lists now. I’ve drawn out wire frames for the rest of the page concepts and created a time line for the design process:

• Prototypes – 05/09
• CSS/Header/Footer – 05/16
• “Main Site” (About, Writings, Art, Contact, Index, etc.) – 05/23
• Wordpress Elements – 05/30
• Touch-ups/Review/Previews – 05/31*
• Launch 06/01

If all goes to plan, the launch of the new design will coincide with my announcing this website to all my friends and family so they can start watching and get acquainted before I leave.

It’s a good feeling, being proud of something you’ve created.

* If you’re interesting in participating in the preview, please leave a comment. I will email you when it is available with instructions. Thanks!