Design a complete abstract website layout in Photoshop — header, navigation, content area, sidebar, and footer. Ready for slicing and HTML/CSS conversion.

Step 1: Canvas and Grid Setup

Create 960×1200px document at 72dpi. Enable View > Snap To > Document Bounds. Add guides at 20px margins and 640px for main/sidebar split.

Step 2: Header and Navigation

Design a 960×120px header with abstract gradient background (g12 palette). Add logo placeholder (200×60px) and horizontal nav links with hover state colors.

Step 3: Hero Banner Area

Create a 960×300px banner section with abstract brush strokes and overlay text. Include a call-to-action button styled with gradient and drop shadow.

Step 4: Content and Sidebar

Main content column (640px): placeholder text blocks, image thumbnails, and read-more links. Sidebar (280px): search widget, category list, and 300×250 ad placeholder.

Step 5: Footer Design

960×150px footer with dark background (#1a1a1a), four link columns, social icons, and copyright bar. Match accent color #e85d04 for link hovers.

That's it! You've completed this tutorial. Experiment with the techniques and share your results with the Designstacks community.