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SimplySilent β€” Journal Skins for Dummies Part 1

Published: 2013-07-08 05:04:40 +0000 UTC; Views: 43904; Favourites: 1789; Downloads: 223
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Description Here is Part 1 of Journal Skins for s. Sorry it's so obnoxiously long. Here's the Live Version of the journal.


Do make sure to check out miontre's Do-It-Yourself Journal Skin article as well as ginkgografix 's Old vs Gruze Journal guide. The layout we're using in this skin is the gruze layout, so be sure to take a look at that one.


Step by Step
Here is all the code used in the tutorial. Only the new codes that are added with each step are shown, and the final journal skin with everything put together is at the bottom.

1. Getting Rid of the Junk:

* {background: transparent; border: none; margin: 0; padding: 0;}

.gr-top img {display: none;}
.gr {padding: 0 !important;}
li.a.f {background:transparent;}

2. Adding Background Colors:

.gr-top{background: #4fbcbd ;}
.gr-body{background: #eee ;}
.text{background: #fff ;}

3. Changing Text Colors:

.gr-top h2 a{color:#fff ;}
.gr-top .timestamp{color: #fff ;}
h1{color: #4fbcbd ;}
h2{color:#4fbcbd ;}
.commentslink {color: #4fbcbd ;}

Note! If you want to be fancy, you can also add .gr-top h2{color:#ffffff } to your code. This makes the title white when you type it into your journal.

4. Formatting Text:

.gr-top{text-align:center;}
.list{text-align:center;}

5. Adding Padding:

.gr-top{padding:40px;}
.gr-body{padding:30px;}
.text{padding:40px 30px 20px 30px;}

Note! Alternative way to do padding (these can be in any order btw)

.text{
padding-top: 40px;
padding-right: 30px;
padding-bottom: 20px;
padding-left: 30px;
}

6. Adding Margins:

.text{margin-bottom: 20px;}
.list{margin-top: 20px;}


The Full Skin:
Mostly in order of how the tutorial progressed. This can be copied and pasted straight into the CSS box in the journals for you to use and modify as you wish.

* {background: transparent; border: none; margin: 0; padding: 0;}

.gr-top img{display:none;}
.gr {padding: 0 !important;}
li.a.f{background:transparent;}

.gr-top{
background: #4fbcbd ;
text-align:center;
padding:40px;}

.gr-body{
background: #eee ;
padding:30px;}

.text{
background: #fff ;
padding:40px 30px 20px 30px;
margin-bottom: 20px;}

.gr-top h2 a{color:#fff ;}
.gr-top .timestamp{color: #fff ;}
h1{color: #4fbcbd ;}
h2{color: #4fbcbd ;}
.commentslink{color: #4fbcbd ;}

.list{
text-align:center;
margin-top: 20px;}


Journal Creator
Is all the code making your head hurt? If you're more interested in creating a custom journal skin rather than actually learning the code, you can try my DeviantART Journal Creator . Just plug and chug, and you'll have your very own skin!
Related content
Comments: 249

BlazingShimmer [2014-07-05 22:19:39 +0000 UTC]

YE IM A DUMMIE

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SimplySilent In reply to BlazingShimmer [2014-07-08 20:28:20 +0000 UTC]

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ManboobLover69 [2014-07-05 06:13:35 +0000 UTC]

I keep trying to adjust the text, but it only ever moves the background image I have. Β :/Β 

This is how it is right now:Β  snag.gy/JLuze.jpg

Adjusting the width, margin, or padding just moves the middle, repeating, background image. Β I also can't figure out how to put the mood and all that inside the background, around the bottom left corner, but where it is doesn't bother me too much.

I'm too retarded, Simply. Β This is the easiest thing I could attempt and I can't even do it right.

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

SimplySilent In reply to ManboobLover69 [2014-07-05 20:43:43 +0000 UTC]

Ah, that's probably because you have that background image as the background image to your text. Make .gr-box{} have the cat background, and then you should have more freedom to move the .text{} around using margins or paddings. If that doesn't work, send me the link of where your journal is located.

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ManboobLover69 In reply to SimplySilent [2014-07-06 18:27:21 +0000 UTC]

It made it disappear. ;-; Β 

docs.google.com/document/d/1in…

None of the easy-to-follow tutorials I've read mentioned the gr thing (besides yours of course ;D). Β According to Ginkgografix's journal I shouldn't mix them?

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SimplySilent In reply to ManboobLover69 [2014-07-07 06:08:32 +0000 UTC]

Says I need permission. Send me the link to your actual journal, which I presume is in your Sta.sh or published in your journals somewhere.

You should not mix the two journal structures. Just use one or the other.

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ManboobLover69 In reply to SimplySilent [2014-07-07 06:18:19 +0000 UTC]

I'm extremely retarded. Β sta.sh/01f6v464la94

Well I used the old one. ;-;

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SimplySilent In reply to ManboobLover69 [2014-07-08 01:52:33 +0000 UTC]

Oh, I see! I assumed you went about it the simple (and rather wrong) way, using only one image for the whole background. Cutting it up makes the journal so much better.

Anyway, change the padding and width under .journaltext to this:

padding:30px 80px 10px 60px;
width:452px;

You can adjust the right and left paddings, but it looks like .journaltext has to total out to 592px in width (width + left padding + right padding). So if you increase the padding, decrease the width appropriately, and vice versa.

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ManboobLover69 In reply to SimplySilent [2014-07-08 04:55:09 +0000 UTC]

But all the different parts seem hard to put together.

It is fixed and you are fabulous. Β Somebody only else said to play with the width and padding together, but it finally made sense with the way you said it. Β I cannot put into words, how much I love you.

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 0

Windklang In reply to ??? [2014-06-26 19:28:06 +0000 UTC]

Wow - finally somebody who explains to me what I have to do, and what the computer thinks, when I do it
Thank you so much - gonna have a try finally
*{mel:reliefe;}

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sunnybunny1199 In reply to ??? [2014-06-14 03:20:16 +0000 UTC]

Thanks! This was the first journal skin I tried to make that worked, time to go to your Journal Creator.

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

SimplySilent In reply to sunnybunny1199 [2014-06-19 19:36:45 +0000 UTC]

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sunnybunny1199 In reply to SimplySilent [2014-06-20 10:19:00 +0000 UTC]


I really, really love it! I've made 6 so far and it's so easy and fun. Thanks for making it!

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Geak-of-Nature In reply to ??? [2014-06-12 21:00:33 +0000 UTC]

This is really very well done!Β  I can't wait to try it.

But I noticed the link to the Journal Creator is broken.Β  Did someone forget to renew the domain name registration?

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SimplySilent In reply to Geak-of-Nature [2014-06-12 21:05:27 +0000 UTC]

Forgot to fix the link. Β www.simplydevio.us/resources/b…

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

Geak-of-Nature In reply to SimplySilent [2014-06-14 21:13:35 +0000 UTC]

Thanks so much for replying directly with the new URL.Β  I'm looking forward to trying it out!

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Edd-The-Werewolf In reply to ??? [2014-05-16 20:59:17 +0000 UTC]

edd-the-werewolf.deviantart.co…

So I made one, but there's a problem. How do I get rid of that text that says "FULL RES" on the top of my journal?

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SimplySilent In reply to Edd-The-Werewolf [2014-05-16 23:24:25 +0000 UTC]

Ah, well the FULL RES part is actually part of the image you used for the .gr-box background. It's not an issue with the journal skin coding, but the an issue with the actual image that you used. I would find a different image or attempt to edit the one you have to get rid of the text.

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Edd-The-Werewolf In reply to SimplySilent [2014-05-17 18:53:51 +0000 UTC]

Oh, I see now. Thank you!

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Goodnight-Melbourne [2014-05-05 11:20:00 +0000 UTC]

part II?

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 0

OpalescentArtist [2014-03-29 07:36:09 +0000 UTC]

I made one with your creator!
Wowee, new journal skin!Its theme is Pastel Pinkie~! What do you think?

πŸ‘: 0 ⏩: 1

SimplySilent In reply to OpalescentArtist [2014-03-30 23:43:22 +0000 UTC]

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Schwannie [2014-03-07 12:22:24 +0000 UTC]

Will you be making a part two?

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SimplySilent In reply to Schwannie [2014-03-09 00:14:58 +0000 UTC]

I really should, but I need to work up the motivation first.

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Schwannie In reply to SimplySilent [2014-03-09 02:13:25 +0000 UTC]

Hmm... Can I give the motivation?

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SimplySilent In reply to Schwannie [2014-03-09 02:38:30 +0000 UTC]

Maybe.

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Schwannie In reply to SimplySilent [2014-03-09 02:48:25 +0000 UTC]

Hmm, if I suggested to twerk next to you if you do not make a Part 2, would you do it?

Or maybe... I'd teach everyone to twerk

Or play twerk-ish music when you sleep.

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SimplySilent In reply to Schwannie [2014-03-10 22:40:59 +0000 UTC]

Please, anything but the twerk-ish music!

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Schwannie In reply to SimplySilent [2014-03-11 10:10:43 +0000 UTC]

... THEN GET WORKING, GRAMMY!

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Izzyism In reply to ??? [2014-03-02 05:10:17 +0000 UTC]

Β Β Β 

I might be freaking out a tiny bit right now. My friends that code for a living made fun of me for not understanding CSS. I'LL SHOW THEM! MUWAHAHAHAHA!

But seriously, thank you. Last time I tried to have one of said code-monkey friends help me I got a migraine. This is amazing.Β 

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SimplySilent In reply to Izzyism [2014-03-02 06:48:49 +0000 UTC]

Haha, that's great. I'm glad this is helping you.


If you ever want to learn CSS for more general use, www.codeacademy.com has great tutorials, too. It really breaks it down so that you understand everything.

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Izzyism In reply to SimplySilent [2014-03-04 20:22:22 +0000 UTC]

Woot! Thank you, you rock!Β  Β 

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SimplySilent In reply to Izzyism [2014-03-05 04:59:22 +0000 UTC]

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BethZChronicler [2014-02-12 05:24:45 +0000 UTC]

Wow, this is really helpful! Thanks! Hopefully I can do this one day (although, I've seen non-members having custom skins... is that because of custom css coding?)

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SimplySilent In reply to BethZChronicler [2014-02-24 07:32:10 +0000 UTC]

Hmm, non premium members shouldn't be able to use CSS. Some non-PM members may have it because they were once premium members, or dA has a premium membership day where everyone can use Journal Skins for that one day.

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Moiscen [2014-02-06 19:24:46 +0000 UTC]

Hello! Thank you so much for this journal; it really helped me decode all of the letters and numbers in the journal skins!

I was wondering, though; in number six, (adding margins) how do you get the text to look that way? It's nicely-spaced, and it looks arranged in a perfect square? I hope I'm making sense, haha;;

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SimplySilent In reply to Moiscen [2014-02-07 00:05:02 +0000 UTC]

Hmm, I don't think I quite understand what you're saying. Are you referring to my example of padding vs. margin? Making the text square can be done by using: text-align:justify;

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Edges-to-Everything In reply to ??? [2014-02-01 20:13:29 +0000 UTC]

I will be using your helpful information to guide me as I create my first journal skin very soon. Thank you again, you are so very helpful and I love your efforts to promote people, learning and fun all over deviantART!

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SimplySilent In reply to Edges-to-Everything [2014-02-01 21:34:50 +0000 UTC]

Awesome, I'm glad it was helpful! And I live to serve~

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Edges-to-Everything In reply to SimplySilent [2014-02-01 22:02:09 +0000 UTC]

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blazinq In reply to ??? [2014-01-27 18:00:17 +0000 UTC]

On one of my own journal skins, I wanted to get rid of the blue journal icon, so I added the coding you used to get rid of it just at the top of the rest of the coding. However it didn't seem to work? The icon is still there? ;w;

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SimplySilent In reply to blazinq [2014-01-30 00:47:15 +0000 UTC]

Huh, I think it should be good if you do:


.gr-top img{display:none;}


Not entirely sure on that one though. Some of this stuff might have gotten outdated.

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xRedTnt In reply to ??? [2014-01-05 02:50:17 +0000 UTC]

I'm a dummy Thank you

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SimplySilent In reply to xRedTnt [2014-01-05 06:40:22 +0000 UTC]

Embrace the inner dummy!


Not a problem! Feel free to poke me if you ever need any help.

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xRedTnt In reply to SimplySilent [2014-01-05 06:53:05 +0000 UTC]

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anapests-and-ink In reply to ??? [2014-01-02 00:32:55 +0000 UTC]

This is an awesome guide! Β It's very clear throughout. Β Thank you so much for sharing it!

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SimplySilent In reply to anapests-and-ink [2014-01-03 00:05:51 +0000 UTC]

Awesome, I'm glad it was helpful for you.

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Skyw1nd In reply to ??? [2013-12-31 04:26:09 +0000 UTC]

Okay, time to let my n00b show...

How would one go about adding an image to the background of the journal? I want it to match the custom box on my page (*Skyw1nd ).


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SimplySilent In reply to Skyw1nd [2013-12-31 05:14:08 +0000 UTC]

No worries, embrace that inner n00b!


To make the entire journal background an image, use:


.gr-body{

background: url('IMAGE URL HERE');

}


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Skyw1nd In reply to SimplySilent [2013-12-31 05:36:25 +0000 UTC]

Er, so how do I make that background seamless between the top section and the body (text area)?

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