I'm working on a Dvorak keyboard for the iPhone, is there a blank template out there for making your own layouts, or is the best way still taking the russian one and erasing the letters and replacing them with my own?

oh god. and i was just getting used to the qwerty..... lol!

That is a splendid idea. I saw a mockup of a Dvorak keyboard for the iPhone here:
http://www.artsy.ca/archives/149
Before I saw this, I was scratching my head trying to figure out what it looked like. However, considering that Dvorak was made to be used with two hands with an inward progression, is it really the best keyboard layout for finger typing?
(still using it regardless.)

Well, first of all, two things to consider.

1) I can well type over 80wpm net and adjusting to the iphone keyboard was still totally different. The difference is because you are forced to look where you are typing. With a dvorak, all the vowels are located on the home key row which gives you less time moving your hands up and down. So speed wise, it might not be much of an advantage, except for the fact that it might keep me from hitting spacebar on accident.

2)Making the dvorak keyboard isn't really for the speed of typing, its just mostly (imo) for people that use that particular setup and choose to remain that way. Its just a preference. I don't believe its goal is speed, since you have to finger peck either way.

Hmm... learn somethin new everyday..

here is a great guide how you can make your own keyboards:
http://russianiphone.ru/blog/2007/09...your-language/

made my own german keyboard this way!
a dvorak keyboard should be possible with it too.