Starting out advice needed

Range · 7 Mar 2010 at 14:06

Heya OCUK.

I've had a long goal now for months to learn programming and graphics design. I'd love to be doing something with computers, not an office job more of a design job working for Apple/Windows them sort of jot I want to get into programming so by time I'm 18-19 I've got a fall-back career in case my sports physiology fails.

I've attempted a number of times, but I'd like some advice from any one.

What resources do you use?
What programs do i need?
How many hours per week shall i learn this?
Is it worth it?

Also does anyone have any motivation advice?

Many thanks

Range · 7 Mar 2010 at 14:12

Also what would you suggest learning first.

unwashed potato! · 7 Mar 2010 at 14:15

Range said:
Heya OCUK.

What resources do you use?
What programs do i need?
How many hours per week shall i learn this?
Is it worth it?

1. i used w3schools, this forum, and of course google. is all you need tbh if you want to learn a new language. start with the basics, don't rush in and you'll be fine. if you don't understand something go back and look into it.
2. notepad/photoshop, firefox, fireftp. pretty much all i use. don't use dreamweaver if you're serious about doing this as a career.
3. all you have spare
4. if you enjoy it of course, and if you work hard you'll get good results. just have to be patient as you're going into an industry which has already boomed so less likely to see immediate money running in, but eventually after years of hard work you'll get rewarded for your effort.

hope this helps.

unwashed potato! · 7 Mar 2010 at 14:16

Range said:
Also what would you suggest learning first.

depends what you want to do. website? html and css.

anything else? you'll have to wait for someone else to recommend a language

Range · 7 Mar 2010 at 14:23

Html and css? I have no knowledge at all so I'd have to go with the basic one, but the one thats needed as a main.

Tripnologist · 7 Mar 2010 at 14:27

Range said:
Html and css? I have no knowledge at all so I'd have to go with the basic one, but the one thats needed as a main.

Learn html and css. Then move on to javascript (jquery in particular) and then once you have that down, decide on a backend language such as php or .net (C#).

Depending on where you want to go with this will dictate how much to learn. I'm a front end/creative guy so I only go as far as html, css and jquery. I leave the backend stuff to our devs.

Mammalian said:
don't use dreamweaver if you're serious about doing this as a career.

This would depend on how you're using it. I think it's a top notch text editor and only use it as such. Open a file and it automatically opens all the linked files. Built in snippets library as well saves time.
I agree though if it's being used WYSIWYG.

Range · 7 Mar 2010 at 14:29

Ah okay, so start on HTML.

Sounds good, does programming/dev jobs pay well?

Tripnologist · 7 Mar 2010 at 14:33

Range said:
Ah okay, so start on HTML.
Sounds good, does programming/dev jobs pay well?

How long is a piece of string?
By that, I mean it entirely depends on what you're doing and who you're doing it for. It can pay really well, and it can be really horrible. Depends on so much and how much work you're willing to put in.

I've spent the last 2 years working 8-16+ hours a day almost 7 days a week for a pittance of a salary. Bit of a gamble really but it's finally starting to pay off and I should be sitting quite pretty within a year. My situation isn't quite normal though as my low salary was in exchange for purchasing part of the company.

unwashed potato! · 7 Mar 2010 at 14:36

are you wanting to program websites? i guess so as you said graphics, but i haven't seen you say any where that websites are what you want to program, as you could instead want to learn to make games. learning html will then be useless for games, although perhaps a good introduction to light programming which will help later. i'm not qualified enough though to give a great opinion on this.

with any industry i'd say it pays well if you work at it hard enough and long enough. you could be on £6 per hour when you first get a job, but then £600 an hour after a few years, and then £600k a minute like facebook owner etc.

Range · 7 Mar 2010 at 15:07

i'd love to be a game developer or a web designer basically.

Tripnologist · 7 Mar 2010 at 15:31

There is quite the difference there. Kind of like, I'd like to be a policeman or fireman.

steve-h · 7 Mar 2010 at 16:52

web design:
learn html,
get photoshop, follow as many tutorials as you can find,
learn css.

look into javascript after these ^, but only after.

web dev:
after completing the above steps learn php + mysql

game dev... huge subject, start with web design tbh, if you're still interested look into it at a later date when you have more knowledge

DTWD · 7 Mar 2010 at 17:44

I notice a few people mentioning photoshop. It's ok you can use it, but I prefer to use Illustrator to construct my designs and Photoshop to do elements to go into those designs.

Illustrator is vector based and 9/10 none destructive. You can do a lot more in PS, but it's a very destructive enviroment and not helpful if you change your mind a lot.

(before anyone says anything I am aware of PS's adjustment layers, I am talking generally here).

The biggest thing for me though is the fact you can re-size it, swap and change elements and re-use them in different projects. For instance a website page is only a few moments away from being a brochure page. Saving you time and increasing your profit margins for those kind of jobs.

Range · 7 Mar 2010 at 17:59

Yeah thanks for that DTWD.

And Steve-h cheers also. I'll start of with HTML tommorow.

Thanks for the comments.

altich88 · 7 Mar 2010 at 18:28

Hi Range,
I'm currently studying computer graphics at uni. If you're interesting in programming I'd suggest you perhaps have a look at Java. It's a nice language to introduce you to programming in high level languages, and you can transfer a lot of the concepts you learn to others like C++, which is often used in games development.

As far as resources, you can download netbeans for free, which is a great program for helping you write Java programs.
http://netbeans.org/

You could always try a few tutorials and miniprojects on the internet to see if you like the idea, then perhaps buy a textbook later if you get really into it.
>> Java Software Solutions - foundations of program design
is a very easy to read book for starting out.

As far as motivation goes, I have to say it's very satisfying to write your own programs and to see the results. If you enjoy problem solving then this will help you a lot too.

As the guys above say web design would also be a cool thing to look at too, although as said it is a very different area.

simisker · 8 Mar 2010 at 00:01

Range said:
[...] I've had a long goal now for months to learn programming and graphics design. I'd love to be doing something with computers, not an office job more of a design job working for Apple/Windows them sort of jobs. [...]

Ah, the ambition of youth! I admire and envy it

[Graphic] design, eh? Have a read of this:

http://www.andyrutledge.com/the-employable-web-designer.php

... and see how that aligns with your perceptions of working as a web designer.

It's not easy. It's not just about knowing Photoshop or HTML. Being a designer is arguably a way of life; an attitude. You need to be constantly curious, asking questions of the world and coming up with stronger answers than other people have done. You need to be able to solve problems, communicate with people and do lots of research; it's not just about making things shiny and colourful.

Good luck

suarve · 8 Mar 2010 at 00:24

Whatever you do, don't do it for the sake of it. Make sure you're genuinly interested in the area and enjoy it. If learning various areas become a choir and boring to you.

suarve · 8 Mar 2010 at 00:25

simisker said:
Ah, the ambition of youth! I admire and envy it

[Graphic] design, eh? Have a read of this:

http://www.andyrutledge.com/the-employable-web-designer.php

... and see how that aligns with your perceptions of working as a web designer.

It's not easy. It's not just about knowing Photoshop or HTML. Being a designer is arguably a way of life; an attitude. You need to be constantly curious, asking questions of the world and coming up with stronger answers than other people have done. You need to be able to solve problems, communicate with people and do lots of research; it's not just about making things shiny and colourful.

Good luck

These students are worried that they’ll emerge from school without marketable skills, unprepared for what agencies and clients will expect or demand of them. Unfortunately, I think most of them are right to be worried.

Sums up going university tbh

BFCTom · 8 Mar 2010 at 00:38

University was a waste of time for me. In terms of my career path anyway (I loved the social life).

I've learnt more during the months since I graduated actually networking with people, dealing with clients and getting sites up than I did in my whole time at Uni.

The jump in what I know now to what I knew in November when I finished my degree is massive. If I could have my time again I'd have gone straight into freelancing when I left college, instead of wasting another 4 years.

simisker · 8 Mar 2010 at 00:56

Tom: was your chosen course specifically a graphic design course, or was it something more broad?

I ask because I would have assumed that graphical design fundamentals - composition, typography, colours etc - would have been taught, and given you a valuable advantage over those unschooled and unaware.