Layout help for the utterly clueless?

[blackmare]

I know there are plenty of custom layouts available for DW, but it's like pressing my nose against the candy shop window and knowing I can't have any, while the other kids are in there getting toffee and chocolates.

You see, none of the instructions I have found even make sense to me.  I'm not literate with coding and I don't even know what most of the references are to layers, etc., so I seem to be stuck. I need someone to actually walk me through this. I tried once on my own and the results were awful.

Please, is there a Guide for The First-Timer? Preferably with visuals, so that "Enter X code in Y layer" translates to "Type this code into this field right here on this page, see?" 

If there is, it'll help drive a lot more users here, IMO. The two biggest obstacles I'm seeing at LJ are "none of my friends are moving" and "I would move but I hate DW's styles."

For what it's worth, I've already moved, and paid, because my privacy is more important than my layout, but I feel the frustration all the same. 

Comments

[foxfirefey]

Also--I can say that one of the big things holding more image-y styles back is that, well, a lot of the styles team members are good with CSS and HTML and...not so good with art. I think you've said you're an artist, and if you're the kind of person who'd want to envision some styles for other people to make, head over to dreamscapes with your ideas maybe? I know I'd be happy to implement artistic styles--I just don't have the skills to do the art part, though I covet them and have been practicing with my new tablet.

[blackmare]

If you give me some size (in pixel height/width and dpi) specs, I'll do my best to help out with that.

I may have limited resources, being all fine-arty rather than digitally-enhanced, but I should at least have one or two good things to offer.