A demonstration of
what can be accomplished visually through CSS-based design. Select any
style sheet from the list to load it into this page. Download the
sample
html file and
css file
Littering a dark and dreary road lay the past relics of browser-specific tags, incompatible DOMs, and broken CSS support.
Today, we must clear the mind of past practices. Web enlightenment has been achieved thanks to the tireless efforts of folk like the W3C, WaSP and the major browser creators.
The css Zen Garden invites you to relax and meditate on the important lessons of the masters. Begin to see with clarity. Learn to use the (yet to be) time-honored techniques in new and invigorating fashion. Become one with the web.
There is clearly a need for
CSS to be
taken seriously by graphic artists. The Zen Garden aims to
excite, inspire, and encourage participation. To begin, view
some of the existing designs in the list. Clicking on any one
will load the style sheet into this very page. The code remains
the same, the only thing that has changed is the external .css
file. Yes, really.
CSS allows complete and total control over the style of a hypertext document. The only way this can be illustrated in a way that gets people excited is by demonstrating what it can truly be, once the reins are placed in the hands of those able to create beauty from structure. To date, most examples of neat tricks and hacks have been demonstrated by structurists and coders. Designers have yet to make their mark. This needs to change.
Graphic artists only please. You are modifying this page, so
strong CSS
skills are necessary, but the example files are commented well
enough that even CSS
novices can use them as starting points. Please see the
CSS Resource
Guide for advanced tutorials and tips on working with
CSS.
You may modify the style sheet in any way you wish, but not the HTML. This may seem daunting at first if you’ve never worked this way before, but follow the listed links to learn more, and use the sample files as a guide.
Download the sample html file and css file to work on a copy locally. Once you have completed your masterpiece (and please, don’t submit half-finished work) upload your .css file to a web server under your control. Send us a link to the file and if we choose to use it, we will spider the associated images. Final submissions will be placed on our server.
Why participate? For recognition, inspiration, and a resource we
can all refer to when making the case for
CSS-based
design. This is sorely needed, even today. More and more major
sites are taking the leap, but not enough have. One day this
gallery will be a historical curiosity; that day is not today.
We would like to see as much
CSS1
as possible.
CSS2 should be limited to widely-supported elements
only. The css Zen Garden is about functional, practical
CSS and not
the latest bleeding-edge tricks viewable by 2% of the browsing
public. The only real requirement we have is that your
CSS validates.
Unfortunately, designing this way highlights the flaws in the various implementations of CSS. Different browsers display differently, even completely valid CSS at times, and this becomes maddening when a fix for one leads to breakage in another. View the Resources page for information on some of the fixes available. Full browser compliance is still sometimes a pipe dream, and we do not expect you to come up with pixel-perfect code across every platform. But do test in as many as you can. If your design doesn’t work in at least IE5+/Win and Mozilla (run by over 90% of the population), chances are we won’t accept it.
We ask that you submit original artwork. Please respect copyright laws. Please keep objectionable material to a minimum; tasteful nudity is acceptable, outright pornography will be rejected.
This is a learning exercise as well as a demonstration. You retain full copyright on your graphics (with limited exceptions, see submission guidelines), but we ask you release your CSS under a Creative Commons license identical to the one on this site so that others may learn from your work.
Bandwidth graciously donated by mediatemple. Now available: Zen Garden, the book.
(c)Ellie Z Layouts