I'm really impressed with the community response to my inquiry!

@RodG: your post in conjunction with schoolboy's have give me a better grasp on how the system works. You two are very insightful.

@SPH: your visual representation of what it means to turn a basic template into a working product was GREAT. Thank you for that. I also agree that the logo and banner elements are the hardest part of designing a website. I admit that I'm tempted to outsource these elements to other graphic designers at times.

@dgent: I'm glad a know all of those things you mentioned -- save for php -- to be spared by that rant, lol.


@Schoolboy: your two examples have also helped me to clear some of my previous concerns. The fact that those two templates feel completely different means to me -- and hopefully everyone else -- that any-one template an be used to create something totally unique.

Thank you to the rest that I may have missed.

I've downloaded a basic template that I plan on making a master piece. How long that will take? No idea.

Daykeem.