Hi All,
I really would like 2 get into web designing, Is there anyone out there that could help me get to understand where to start and so on???
Any help id be very very greatful
Web Designing
Re: Web Designing
First off you need a text editor, this is free and will give you a feel for the industry standard that is Dreamweaver.
Then you need to go to school
Start with the HTML tutorials.
Also some good tutorials here
Do NOT use MS Frontpage it is a complete bag of crap.
Then you need to go to school
Start with the HTML tutorials.
Also some good tutorials here
Do NOT use MS Frontpage it is a complete bag of crap.
quis custodiet ipsos custodes
Re: Web Designing
Similar topic was discussed on here a while ago
Re: Web Designing
I do some simple web design, but would not call myself anywhere near an expert.
I think there are a number of things you need to learn, some artisitic, some technical.
The main language of the web is HTML. The HTML code lies under every web site you look at (look at any web page with IE and select "View" then "Source" and you see the HTML code).
Many web sites now also use something called Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to layout the style of the web page (HTML for content, CSS for style).
You could create a web site with just HTML and CSS, but many web sites use code in other languages as well, like Javascript or ASP, so you need some knowledge of them.
It is possible with product like Dreamweaver to design a site without knowing much about HTML & CSS but you need to know it in case you need to go under the covers to "tweak" the HTML or CSS.
Most sites have some sort of graphics (buttons, icons, images, pictures etc) so you need a knowledge of graphics. You also need an image manipulation program (Photoshop (expensive) or Photoshop Elements (cheaper) are the favorites).
But even if you are the most knowledgeable person in the world with HTML, CSS and graphics, you could still design the worst web site in the world.
You need some ARTISTIC skills, some web design skills.
It is a bit like owning the most expensive paint brushes and paint in the world, if you have no skill in painting your pictures will be crap.
So a book like this will help:
Web Design for Dummies by Lisa Lopuck.
It talks about the design and look and feel of your site, rather than the nuts and bolts to hold it together.
If you buy the book above, plus the two books by Elizabeth Castro I menton in the append below, that is a good start.
So my five starting points would be:
Learn a web design product (Dreamweaver?)
Learn HTML
Learn CSS
Learn graphics
Learn web design
That should keep you going for a while.
I think there are a number of things you need to learn, some artisitic, some technical.
The main language of the web is HTML. The HTML code lies under every web site you look at (look at any web page with IE and select "View" then "Source" and you see the HTML code).
Many web sites now also use something called Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to layout the style of the web page (HTML for content, CSS for style).
You could create a web site with just HTML and CSS, but many web sites use code in other languages as well, like Javascript or ASP, so you need some knowledge of them.
It is possible with product like Dreamweaver to design a site without knowing much about HTML & CSS but you need to know it in case you need to go under the covers to "tweak" the HTML or CSS.
Most sites have some sort of graphics (buttons, icons, images, pictures etc) so you need a knowledge of graphics. You also need an image manipulation program (Photoshop (expensive) or Photoshop Elements (cheaper) are the favorites).
But even if you are the most knowledgeable person in the world with HTML, CSS and graphics, you could still design the worst web site in the world.
You need some ARTISTIC skills, some web design skills.
It is a bit like owning the most expensive paint brushes and paint in the world, if you have no skill in painting your pictures will be crap.
So a book like this will help:
Web Design for Dummies by Lisa Lopuck.
It talks about the design and look and feel of your site, rather than the nuts and bolts to hold it together.
If you buy the book above, plus the two books by Elizabeth Castro I menton in the append below, that is a good start.
So my five starting points would be:
Learn a web design product (Dreamweaver?)
Learn HTML
Learn CSS
Learn graphics
Learn web design
That should keep you going for a while.
Re: Web Designing
One other thing.
It is college enrolment time at the moment (this week in most places).
Most local colleges offer evening classes in web design, or Dreamweaver, or whatever.
I have just enrolled at my local college for a class that starts in 2 weeks, which is a Dreamweaver Intro (5 weeks) which cost ?30.
After Xmas they do another 5 weeks of Dreamweaver phase 2 (also ?30)
Then in the spring they do Dreamweaver phase 3 (also ?30)
Why not try your local college and see if they have anything, or try the local library who can give you details of courses.
Be quick cos most colleges are enrolling right now.
It is college enrolment time at the moment (this week in most places).
Most local colleges offer evening classes in web design, or Dreamweaver, or whatever.
I have just enrolled at my local college for a class that starts in 2 weeks, which is a Dreamweaver Intro (5 weeks) which cost ?30.
After Xmas they do another 5 weeks of Dreamweaver phase 2 (also ?30)
Then in the spring they do Dreamweaver phase 3 (also ?30)
Why not try your local college and see if they have anything, or try the local library who can give you details of courses.
Be quick cos most colleges are enrolling right now.
-
BeestonBoy
- Posts: 1250
- Joined: Fri Jul 14, 2017 2:40 am
Re: Web Designing
Hey G and Mighty "J"
Im SURE bs will have the good manners to thank you both for taking the time to reply to this post in such great depth and with such usefull advice.
But can I thank you both as well. Only had the chance to kinda glance at your posts so far but am planning on having a proper read tomorrow night.
I feel i could learn alot from your replies.
So hussars to you both
BB
Im SURE bs will have the good manners to thank you both for taking the time to reply to this post in such great depth and with such usefull advice.
But can I thank you both as well. Only had the chance to kinda glance at your posts so far but am planning on having a proper read tomorrow night.
I feel i could learn alot from your replies.
So hussars to you both
BB
'I see the usual gang of misfits and dope addicts are here'
Re: Web Designing
Just to pick up on photoshop, if you can't afford it there are two free alternatives:
The Gimp (horrible user interface) or Paint.NET
The Gimp (horrible user interface) or Paint.NET
quis custodiet ipsos custodes
Re: Web Designing
I know I have said a lot already, but can I add one more thing.
Any person with the most basic of skills could design a simple web site in a day or less (a small one of 3 or 4 pages say).
If it is for your local matchbox collectors club that will be looked at by no more than 10 people that is probably fine.
But to design a professional site for a company who may pay you thousands of pounds to design it you need a LOT of skills.
Web design it not easy. I have been looking after a small company's web site for the last 2 years (some new content but mostly maintenance) and I still feel I have LOADS to learn.
Some considerations:
* People's computer screens are different sizes, and people have their browser window at different sizes, so you need to design a site so it will work on a 15" screen as well as a 24" screen with the browser full size.
* Many people use IE, but many also use Firefox or Opera or other browsers. Does your site work in all browsers?
* There SHOULD be an industry standard for HTML and browsers, and they are working towards one, but curently a site that displays well in IE may not work in Firefox, or vice versa.
* If you design it on a PC how will it look on a MAC, or if you design it on a MAC how will it look on a PC?
* Is the font you have chosen available on everyone's computer ?
* Some people set their browser with "graphics off". How does your site look with no graphics ?
* Web sites are supposed to be easy to use for people with disabilities (poor eyesight etc). They should be able to enlarge the text, but not all sites support this.
* Some web sites are used all over the world. How does your site look for a person in China or Japan or Brazil.
* Do you want people to buy things from your site. If so you need to set up a process for taking their money. If you set this up, how do you ensure it is a secure site.
I dont wish to put you off, but dont think that spending a couple of weeks playing around with Dreamweaver will allow you to charge people ?10,000 for designing their site.
Web design is a complex business, and it is changing ALL the time.
Any person with the most basic of skills could design a simple web site in a day or less (a small one of 3 or 4 pages say).
If it is for your local matchbox collectors club that will be looked at by no more than 10 people that is probably fine.
But to design a professional site for a company who may pay you thousands of pounds to design it you need a LOT of skills.
Web design it not easy. I have been looking after a small company's web site for the last 2 years (some new content but mostly maintenance) and I still feel I have LOADS to learn.
Some considerations:
* People's computer screens are different sizes, and people have their browser window at different sizes, so you need to design a site so it will work on a 15" screen as well as a 24" screen with the browser full size.
* Many people use IE, but many also use Firefox or Opera or other browsers. Does your site work in all browsers?
* There SHOULD be an industry standard for HTML and browsers, and they are working towards one, but curently a site that displays well in IE may not work in Firefox, or vice versa.
* If you design it on a PC how will it look on a MAC, or if you design it on a MAC how will it look on a PC?
* Is the font you have chosen available on everyone's computer ?
* Some people set their browser with "graphics off". How does your site look with no graphics ?
* Web sites are supposed to be easy to use for people with disabilities (poor eyesight etc). They should be able to enlarge the text, but not all sites support this.
* Some web sites are used all over the world. How does your site look for a person in China or Japan or Brazil.
* Do you want people to buy things from your site. If so you need to set up a process for taking their money. If you set this up, how do you ensure it is a secure site.
I dont wish to put you off, but dont think that spending a couple of weeks playing around with Dreamweaver will allow you to charge people ?10,000 for designing their site.
Web design is a complex business, and it is changing ALL the time.
Re: Web Designing
I often give this site as an example of bad web design.
There is so much wrong with it I dont know where to start
Bright, gaudy colours.
Lots of different fonts.
Loads of wasted "white space"
Lots of gimmiky flashing icons
Sound on the site that you may not want
Now scroll down to find the large blocks of bright yellow and green text with text in each box. While viewing it narrow your browser window.
Did the table narrow to fit your browser window. No it did not, you now have loads of text hidden under the right side of the browser window.
This is a typical amateurs site, loads of information, but awful web design.
There is so much wrong with it I dont know where to start
Bright, gaudy colours.
Lots of different fonts.
Loads of wasted "white space"
Lots of gimmiky flashing icons
Sound on the site that you may not want
Now scroll down to find the large blocks of bright yellow and green text with text in each box. While viewing it narrow your browser window.
Did the table narrow to fit your browser window. No it did not, you now have loads of text hidden under the right side of the browser window.
This is a typical amateurs site, loads of information, but awful web design.
Re: Web Designing
Hi all,
thank you very very much for all the replies i havent had a chance to read all of it yet, but i will certainly try and take it all on board!
I understand about the charges but im not really so worried bout the money side of it, its just something ive always wanted to get the hang of but never tried it, but now i have some free time i really fancy it
thank you very very much for all the replies i havent had a chance to read all of it yet, but i will certainly try and take it all on board!
I understand about the charges but im not really so worried bout the money side of it, its just something ive always wanted to get the hang of but never tried it, but now i have some free time i really fancy it