learn web design

creative, and puzzle-solving and fun and potentially profitable all at once. First the basics…

I think I may have found two good, new solutions to it, but I don’t get the impression they’re well-known or much in use!

I’m back at it – and it’s going well, I think. I’m testing some of the basics here, and have reserved a much-recommended book on graphic design from the library that I’ll pick up as soon as it’s available.

Web design is still enormously frustrating – I think the technologies are still in their infancy, and while when CSS works intuitively and makes sense, it’s beautifully elegant, when it doesn’t… I spent about two hours yesterday just trying to work past this problem, which seemed like it should have been doable, but just wasn’t – for no real obvious rhyme or reason.

But I’m still going to continue learning it and working with it because there are a few web projects that I dream of building at some point in the future – and because the graphic design skills I pick up will be very useful for other creative things I want to do. But I’m not sure how long it’ll take for me to get good at it.

So I’ve also started learning Python – which is more traditional programming that also has use in web applications I understand. I have a little experience with C++ from my early teenage years, so am getting through Dive Into Python pretty quickly. I aim to learn it quickly – I hear it’s a great language – and try out Django, a web framework for it. These things are for both personal creative interests and, if I can become competent at them, will help me a lot in finding good and decent-paying jobs.

I’ll start updating this goal more often with useful links on web design and web programming that I want to share – here’s a great way of comparing fonts at a glance:

http://flippingtypical.com/

:)

I’ve been interested in web design ever since I was 12. Been using templates then… and web was totally different compared to now.

I created my portfolio site, http://ami.wookypooky.com/
Learned them by surfing the net endlessly, viewing codes and reading tutorials… there’s still very much to learn.
I hope to be able to master Joomla next and write my own templates.

I have a DVD learning program. Just need to spend time with it.

I’m reading my third book on Web Design. The first one was Learning Web Design and second one was on DreamWeaver. This one is on CSS. I have a descent knowledge of HTML and CSS now, a great software (DreamWeaver) to get started, and a pretty good eye for design. Somehow, I’m still nervous to jump in and build my first template for a web site. Partly, it’s my lack of graphics skills. The next goal is to get more familiar with Photoshop. I’ll play around and see if I can come up with a simple design for my future blog.

It’s really not the best written book – he frequently leaves you trying to guess at what he means. And it’s not a beginner’s book, and often assumes knowledge that was never mentioned as a prerequisite – fortunately I’m just about at the right level of not-quite-beginner-with-a-little-knowledge-here-and-there to get it (it’s an under-catered-for demographic! _{Hmm – am I using the word demographic correctly here?}) But, it’s 500 pages full of useful information – there’s so much to learn with web design, and a lot of it is here. So it’s all-in-all a pretty good book to start me off with.

I have realised though that I need to practise what I’m learning – otherwise there’s no way I’m remembering all the strange and arbitrary quirks of web design languages and browsers. So I need to build a website for myself. I just need to decide what to put on it, and lay it out on paper. And then get started. :)

this got put on the back burner before i was really able to dig in (due to time spent on trying to start my own business…which also went under :-( ). Hope to email one of my managers today to see what i could do to have the company i work for pay for some training, maybe on lynda.com or something.

i really should open up those books i purchased a while back though.

Dreamweaver and Flash…. home to learn some actual coding at some point…. its on the to do list!!!

The Essential Guide to CSS and HTML Web Design by Craig Grannell – while the internet is full of free learning resources, the sheer amount you have to sort through is a little overwhelming. Plus, I find it much easier to learn from a book than off the monitor screen – better for your eyes. (I need to get a printer really, at some point.) So I did some research, and this book is supposed to be good. I’m quite excited actually, because now I may actually be able to speed through it – I learn much better from a book. I was getting frustrating with how unorganised, scattered and overlapping the free stuff on the internet were. The book means I can study when I can’t be at the computer too. All good. :)