How to get better at web design?

Post Reply New Topic

Hey.
I want to learn how to get better at web design.
Im probably the worlds worst web designer.
I make sites that look like they have came from 2003.
How can I jump out this time tunnel I have my self trapped in?
Is there any websites?
It needs to be free.
It cant be a real life class.

Then ya gotta practice.
Examine web sites you like; pull them apart to see how they work; test out your own code snippets.

See above.

That said, there are plenty of web pages around providing tutorials and samples - this, for example: http://www.templatemo.com/page/1
But you still have to have some idea of what you're doing to glue it all together and make something nice.
That bit isn't automatic, but it is free.

isn't the answer obvious?

Now I have the one from above, yes.

God is helping?

I really wish I would think before I post :/

Hehe

Nah, I'm just a facetious git.

I think that web design is like any skill. If you want to get good at it, you have to practice.

Hello,
As far as I am concerned, designing web is a skill. You must master the basic knowledge of web design and be diligent to practise. I hope you will be successful soon.

I have been designing, developing, and updating websites for four years now.

I recommend using an application called "Firebug" with is an application and extension for the Firefox web browser. You can visit websites and experiment changing the source code and seeing the results in your browser. It has been an invaluable learning tool for me. It is great for practicing.

You will need to learn the following languages to be a good designer:

-MySQL
-HTML
-CSS
-XHTML
-PHP
-JavaScript

Optional Programming languages:

-Ruby on Rails
-Java (useful but not necessary for most work)

Advice:

-Different browsers handle code different. Something that looks great in Firefox would not work in Internet Explorer for example.
-Practice makes perfect. Start by making your own personal website.

Here is a great place for learning various languages:

http://www.w3schools.com (Don't waste your time getting certified in languages. Learn them, apply them, and put them as part of your portfolio on a personal website. It speaks more than a certificate every will)

For 13 years I've worked professionally as a web designer and developer so I would consider myself a viable authority on such things. However it's hard to understand what you mean by wanting to "get better at web design." Are you referring to lack of application knowledge (like you're not really good at Photoshop), ignorance of web design paradigms (like you don't understand how web pages are laid out), or general design creativity (like you have a hard time coming up with ideas for site designs)? Which best represents you?

The idea side of things is not so much of a problem, its more of getting good enough PS skills. I suck terribly at PS.
I can program in HTML & CSS very well, so thats not too much of a problem.

This can't have too much to do with Photoshop, surely?
Do you maybe mean improving your artistic skills in producing a clean and logical page layout with well-balanced colours, whitespace and general presentation? The fine and subtle art of making a 'nice looking' web page?
It's a bit of a black art and requires study and practice, but expand what I'd said earlier to include magazine layouts too - the same principles apply; you're basically publishing something to draw in a person's interest and involvement.

Agreed. It is very tricky. The smallest things can turn people off.

@Madbones. Beware of the using too many images or large sized images to create a nice layout. It can make your website take way too long to download since images are larger file sizes than a simple CSS color command line or text.

That is why I visibly cringe when I see professional sites use solely Flash sites to sell their product (they take FOREVER to load).

Is about the best I can do.

Why not just grab one you like the look of from these sites (and there are plenty of others offering similar stuff) and play about with it?
At the very least it would give you a launchpad for other ideas.
http://www.freewebsitetemplates.com/
http://www.freewebtemplates.com/