what size should i make my website?

[Laurajanedesigns]

Hello

My name is Laura, im just starting out as a freelance graphic designer. I am currently trying to build my website. But i do not know which is the best size for my site...600px by 800 px, 1024px by 768px??
Any advice much appreciated.

Thanks for your time

LauraJaneDesigns.

[Corrosive]

The 'standard' (he says hesitantly because nothing is standard on the web) nowadays is 960px wide if you are going for static width. Remember that screen real estate can go from 400px wide (smartphone) to a 50" Plasma (web TV) but it always depends on audience and where you 'expect' people to be surfing your website.

We settle at 960px most of the time.

[Laurajanedesigns]

Ok thankyou

[sthomas]

Even though 960px is the norm for the width of a website these days, here's a handy guide to show the actual viewing area of a browser on different sized screens:

Designers Toolbox Web Safe Area

[sweetums]

One of the 'hot topics' within the web design industry at the moment is 'Responsive Web Design', which is about how sites should not be designed with a fixed sized canvas is mind, but instead be flexible for different browser sizes. To better illustrate what I mean try resizing your browser window when viewing this site: www.informationarchitects.jp/en/

If you want to try and make something like this then the Less Framework is a good resource. It's a CSS grid system for designing these adaptive websites. It contains 4 layouts all based on a single grid.

[Corrosive]

Not seen that Jquery masonry plugin before; jQuery Masonry it deserves some more investigation one weekend I think.

[Laurajanedesigns]

What would be a safe area for 960px wide by say, 600px height. And does the safe area mean you must keep your design within this area?

[Corrosive]

What would be a safe area for 960px wide by say, 600px height. And does the safe area mean you must keep your design within this area?

Not sure I understand. There isn't really a safe height because pages scroll.

[Laurajanedesigns]

I'm new to web design and just wanted to know what exactly a 'safe area' is? And is there a certain size that will stop viewers having to scroll?

Thanks for your time

[Corrosive]

I'm new to web design and just wanted to know what exactly a 'safe area' is? And is there a certain size that will stop viewers having to scroll?

Thanks for your time

Oh right, if you want to avoid scrolling then 600px sounds reasonable.