When you are creating a website, what works best for you?

Question

I have a website that is functional but needs A LOT of work (new graphics, content, layout). I keep procrastinating because I'm not organized enough so that when I sit down to work, I'm not very productive.
I can't seem to decide on the colorscheme I want to use and since I'm making my own buttons and back grounds- I'm unproductive! I sit and look at other sites for ideas and then fiddle around in Photoshop and Fireworks.
Since I can't make my graphics, I can't complete my site layout, etc....
SO, my question is: What works best for you when you are designing a website from scratch? Do you draw your general page layouts on paper? Do you just make a layout in a web design program and then just make graphics to fit into your tables?
I also am relying on another person for content and am hesitant to make a page if I'm just going to re-do it in the near future.
Any suggestions are welcome!

Answer 1

Why don't you just get a website template that you like and then enter your own content into it.
Have a look at this site:
http://www.freewebsitetemplates.com/
I don't necessarily recommend this site in particular, but there are lots of resources out there just like this.
Then all your have to do is write your stories and maybe include your own pictures without having to do all the graphics.
regards, Zyfert
http://xsitepro.cybersprout.com

Answer 2

Sketch on an A4 paper , Photoshop the whole page .. slice it and take ur images from it then export as HTML and open in any WYSIWYG editor and go on :) works best for me when i do either HTML websites or just PHP website templates or so called skins

Answer 3

I first make a sketch using images, ie I draw a website in Photoshop, without any html, just the way I want it, the color, etc.

I save everything as layers, so I can later change the color of a header, button etc.

This was my first web page:
http://mx.geocities.com/lucanus_elaphus

I draw everything in Photoshop, (including text and menu), and then, when I was satisfied, copied the images and built the table in html.