If you're a web designer in today's world, you are probably already using some sort of grid layout for your designs. If you're like many of us you are using the 960 Grid System. The 960 grid system has simplified building good layouts for the web, with the flexibility to build a wide variety of attractive layouts.

If you are new to webdesign, or looking to improve your layout design skills, and are not familiar with the 960 grid system, you should look into it.

If you're already using the 960 grid templates, you are probably familiar with this routine:

1) Select 'open file'
2) Navigate to the template location
3) Open template
4) Remember to 'save as...' so you don't overwrite with the design
5) 'Save as...' because you DID forget and saved the design as the template
6) Open the template again and remove all the layers with new work

Avant 5 Multimedia has released Photoshop actions that save these steps, and eliminate overwrite and clean-up problems, by having 960 grid pages that are built on-the-fly as Photoshop Actions.

You simply open up Photoshop, open your actions dialog, select your preferred grid layout, and push the 'play' button. Voila! A brand new document is created. No more navigating to the template file. No more overwritten templates, because the file is new. Improved workflow. Mistakes eliminated.

The actions come in four flavors. 16 and 12 column grids, each with the grids, or with guides only, to fit your personal preference and need for the specific project.

You can download the actions HERE

Labels: photoshop, resources, tools, web design