getting into website designing - any advice?

Master Skooter

Master Skooter

Master Skooter

Soldato
Joined
19 Oct 2002
Posts
3,464
Location
Somerset
Hi

Would like to try my hand at website design, but not really sure where to start. What software do people commonly use nowadays?

Also any recommendations on good literature greatly appriciated. I've looked about for books teaching the basics, but not sure which ones are best for the total n00b.
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Thanks in advance
Scott
 
I too are also trying to create my first website, the software I have been trying out is Dreamweaver 8 it looks quite good but I need graphics to put onto my site such as banners etc, where do people get professional looking graphics from for there site ?
 
Regarding images etc you will be best to get your hands on Adobe Photoshop CS2. It's a pretty complicated program but theres plenty of support for it on the net.
 
Master Skooter said:
Thanks mate, that seems like a great site.....will have a proper look when i get home later. Nice one :)
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Let me know how u get on as I am in the same baot mate
 
wiggyuk said:
Let me know how u get on as I am in the same baot mate
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OK will do :)

Edit: Just bought this book:



I'm just one of those people that like to read where & when I choose (on the bog mainly! :p ) & cannot do that with my PC :D
 
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Master Skooter said:
OK will do :)

Edit: Just bought this book:



I'm just one of those people that like to read where & when I choose (on the bog mainly! :p ) & cannot do that with my PC :D
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My friend had a DVD tutorial, which he brought from lynda
 
Get yourself a HTML book and learn it from the basics upwards with notepad as your app to use :) 'Teach yourself HTML in 24hrs' is a really good book. That and Photoshop for gfx and yer away.

I think it's best to have knowledge of HTML before using apps like Dreamweaver etc so you know what's going on as sometimes you'll be going behind the WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) screen to add or adjust your own code.

I still despise Dreamweaver and such and just stick with notepad. Notepad is one of the best apps ever! :)
 
If you're serious about getting into web design, learning how to code is the way to go. Programs like Dreamweaver have certainly advanced a lot in recent years, but they're still no substitute for someone with a text editor, some good programming knowledge and a bit of common sense!

Learning (X)HTML and CSS is easy with websites such as w3schools. Grab yourself a text editor with syntax highlighting (notepad2 is a great freeware example, Dreamweaver has some helpful aids in code view), check out some of the many standards gallery sites for inspiration and get down to work!

Whatever happens, just don't get sucked into making table-based, flash-filled uncompliant websites! :p
 
Al Vallario said:
If you're serious about getting into web design, learning how to code is the way to go. Programs like Dreamweaver have certainly advanced a lot in recent years, but they're still no substitute for someone with a text editor, some good programming knowledge and a bit of common sense!

Learning (X)HTML and CSS is easy with websites such as w3schools. Grab yourself a text editor with syntax highlighting (notepad2 is a great freeware example, Dreamweaver has some helpful aids in code view), check out some of the many standards gallery sites for inspiration and get down to work!

Whatever happens, just don't get sucked into making table-based, flash-filled uncompliant websites! :p
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QFE :)

Couldn't agree more, standards compliance is becoming more and more important. i use fireworks for my graphics work but i'm no expert, you can still make some nice vector based graphics and drawings with it.

nin9abadga
 
cant agree more on the Flash comment! I think a small .swf file for a small animated image is fine as it looks better and is smoother than an animated gif (depending on purpose) but yeah over use of Flash is awful!
 
i knew nothing but have taught myself html/css. I used w3c schools a little, it's a good intro, but gets boring pretty soon. Once I'd got a little knowledge I started writing a few things, which were crap, but I learned. Then I had a look a the OCUk members' websites, some that I liked and weren't too complicated I dissected and found out how to do things.

I use dreamweaver code view, I really like it. Helps me a lot and saves time.

People say that dreamweaver design view gives bloated code and maybe they're right.Once you've got the gist of coding it it's quite straightforward and gives nice-fast websites.
 
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