How do I get started in graphics design side of web design?

Question

In past years I have learned the most important languages for web development (CSS, HTML, JS, PHP) and I can create good-structured sites.

But an important part of web design is the images used for buttons, backgrounds, text, gradients... Also the main logo is a very important element in the layout of a website.

However, I dont know how to get started in that side of web design for developing good looking websites.

What tools should use for that purposes? Do you know good guides?

I have read one books and some guides about photoshop, but they are about graphics design in general and I am looking for a guide/books focused on web graphic design and also (if posible), focused on how to place these images correctly using css and xhtml.

PD: Sorry for the bad English.

Thanks!

Answer 1

believing that knowing how to use photoshop is enough to tell people you can design websites is wrong. Tools can definitely make the difference but that doesn't replace a person's real talent and skill that gives the design a unique edge.

my 2 cents.

Answer 2

I'm certainly no pro, and probably not even very good myself, but I think one good way is to just do it. The more you practice, the more you learn and improve, and your designs will get better and better.

As you are building sites, you'll run into "problems" which you can then find answers to on the internet or on sites like stack overflow. It's also useful to look at designs from other sites and try to see how they did it.

In terms of tools, you probably don't need anything really fancy to get started. I mostly only use Paint.NET and InkScape. I try to use few images if I can.

Answer 3

Here is the web designing tutorials.

http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/40-greatest-web-interface-design-tutorials-photoshop-tutorial/

http://www.pegaweb.com/

http://www.webdesign.org/photoshop/tutorials/page-1.html

http://sixrevisions.com/photoshop/25-photoshop-tutorials-for-web-designers/

Answer 4

Hi NeDark,

You can follow the approch like create a template using Photoshop or Gimph. If you are creating a site for client create a 2-3 templates with different layouts and show them to client. If they are good and approved, create a HTML templates for those and after that embed server side.

After a practice can design a better site.

Answer 5

Ever since I started learning web design & development what I find most effective for learning is looking at other web sites. In looking at other web sites it is advisable to look at examples of both good and bad design, just so you're aware of the difference.

Learning by example is, for me, the best way to learn because you really see how design concepts and ideas are applied. When you finally have an idea on the look and feel that you want to apply to your web site then you can start researching on the technicalities of creating them (e.g. Google 'how to paint shop pro web 2.0-style buttons' or 'how to photoshop gradient web buttons'). It's really up to you on which tool you want to use because it depends on what you're comfortable with using. An upside of using Photoshop, I think, is that there are a lot of tutorials that you can just Google for online.

I recommend going to http://www.alistapart.com/ for guides, articles & tutorials on web design.