[Tinalles]

Many of you who make web sites are probably familiar with the CSS Zen Garden. It's a challenge to graphic designers -- they get an HTML file, and they're required to completely change the way it looks without altering the HTML. They have to use CSS and background images, and nothing else.

It's quite a challenge if you're not familiar with CSS. I've been using it as a mid-term assignment for my intro to web design students for the past couple of years. The results have ranged from bad to gorgeous, but regardless of how the project turns out, any student who gives it a half way decent shot learns a lot about CSS in the process.

Today it occurred to me that I'd never made one myself. I was more or less completely fluent in CSS long before I began teaching it, so it never occurred to me before. But some of my students were having a hard time figuring out the overall process you go through to make one, so I thought I'd make one and document it. I chose a Mayan theme.

Here's my Zen Garden.

And here's the epic-length email I wrote to my students about the process of doing it, in case you're interested.
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Keeper of The Remnant Minuon (cognomen Lucy, the Eaten One) and the Emissary Caeli

[Squeeself]

Ah Zen Garden....Squee made one at some point, dunno what happened to it...

Also, a VERY good idea for a web design class.