Web Design Advice...

[emeraldknight47]

Alllllllrighty, gang.....

Still unemployed and it looks like it could be a spell before I get re-employed (although I'm dropping applications, resumes and e-mails like crazy), at least in my chosen field, that being graphic design.

So.....I need the help of those of you out there who know a good place to go to learn-----drumroll please------Web Design. I can't say it's "the wave of the future" because it's already here and I just want to learn how to ride it!!!

If any of you can suggest good books on the subject or good websites to glean information from, this camper would certainly be appreciative of it!

Thanks in advance for any help y'all can provide me!

[LadyZod]

I taught myself webdesign by visiting websites I liked and looking at their source code.

The production studio I used to work at gave me access to Macromedia's full suite, and though I enjoyed using Dreamweaver and Fireworks on the design side (stuff looked pretty), I found the source they produced was clunky (under the hood it was a mess.) I usually ended up having to hand code most of it using a text editor (never use Office docs) to clean it up.

That being said, there's a whole slew of sites out there with "how tos"... Once you have a basic understanding of the mechanics it becomes easier.

What form of you wanting to explore? Php coding? XHTML?

[megoapesnut]

The wave of the future is CMS. Content management. Everyone wants CMS sites these days and for good reason. Open source solutions like Joomla, Drupal, Concrete 5, Wordpress, etc. Sites are built using a browser as compared to an HTML editor. My advice would be to learn one or more of these. I'd recommend Concrete 5. It's easier than the rest of the crop. For general learning of most any software program, Software training online-tutorials for Adobe, Microsoft, Apple & more is a great source. I don't think they offer C5 training though. Good luck

[mego ninja]

as a basis before any things else....learn HTML and CSS. you need a foundation before you go jumping into "programming". Also what do you want to do with it, why are you wanting to learn "Web Design"?

Do you want to "code" and learn about databases, query strings, dynamic content? Or do you want to do web design that constists of mockups (working or wireframe) photoshop layouts, etc...thats a better place to start.

anyway, nice to meet a fellow Hooiser. I'm a full time web designer up in Indianapolis.

[samurainoir]

We're using Drupal these days, and finding the library of plug-in applications available can be rather useful for our clients (although getting different apps to work in concert is a pain sometimes). I personally find Word press clunky, and wouldn't recommend it for anything beyond a blog style site myself.

Mobile has opened up an entirely new world of headaches in terms of testing and compatibility. We've found the best solution is to build the site for mobile devices first and then expand your design for view on regular full screen. Make sure you communicate with your client around which devices will be guaranteed compatible... The big ones are iPhone/iPad and the top tier of Android enabled phones and tablets, but there are so many out there, and Murphy's law says that your client will inevitably have the device that makes the site look like gobbledegook. Keep in mind there is an expenditure if you are designing for this world of mobile... We've had to run out in the past year or so and buy a pile of different devices. It's no longer the world of having a PC and Mac loaded up with all the top browsers.

Another thing to consider... Investing in the Iphone or Android developer kit for Apps. Everyone and their mother is a "web designer" these days... Plus template sites and crowd sourcing are devaluing that skillset on the lower end if you are selling yourself as a lone hired gun. The growth market is mobile apps, and I'd say do your research into that area.

One more thing to think about, the web is the biggest piece of it, but I think most people are incredibly short sighted when it comes to the fact that it's actually a part of a field that was originally called "interactive media design" in the old days. This field is incredibly fluid and is essentially all about media convergence in any number of platforms and applications. If you can create a network for yourself of skilled video producers, graphic designers, programmers, database experts, photographers, animators (2-D and 3-D) etc. There really is no project that is beyond your reach to pitch and produce on a job by job basis as your own little Ocean's 11. go out there and be agile and dynamic, because in my experience, it makes you much more valuable than an organization that behaves and moves like a lumbering dinosaur.