how do freelance web developers work with limited graphical abilities?

unwashed potato! · 11 Apr 2010 at 13:39

i often find myself very limited when building sites as i am not a very creative person with graphics which quickly becomes annoying as i can have some big ideas, just unable to put them into action.

i was wondering if anyone on here has/had this problem, and how to deal with it? do people outsource that to another company? work in partnership with a graphic designer etc?

BFCTom · 11 Apr 2010 at 13:44

I'd try and find someone to work alongside who can do the graphical work.

IE, your "partner" mocks up a web design in photoshop, then you XHTML/CSS/CMS it.

I used to only be able to design, but through experience and a bit of hard work I learned to develop also.

I'm not sure this is as easy the other way round as a lot of people think you can't "learn" design - you either have it or you don't.

meghatronic · 11 Apr 2010 at 16:20

BFCTom said:
I'd try and find someone to work alongside who can do the graphical work.

IE, your "partner" mocks up a web design in photoshop, then you XHTML/CSS/CMS it.

I'm not sure this is as easy the other way round as a lot of people think you can't "learn" design - you either have it or you don't.

I agree on all points.

Find someone on WHT?

unwashed potato! · 11 Apr 2010 at 16:52

logix42p · 11 Apr 2010 at 16:53

webhosting talk prehaps?

Randomface74 · 11 Apr 2010 at 16:55

I used to do a bit of freelancing while I was at uni. I used to take photos and then crop bits out them to make designs. Take a photo, Photoshop it loads so it doesn't really look like a photo anymore, then make a site out of it.

Draeger · 11 Apr 2010 at 19:54

Having access to the right software, progs and apps helps hugely. :cool:

meghatronic · 11 Apr 2010 at 21:50

logix42p said:
webhosting talk prehaps?

Yes. Sorry.

stoke1863 · 11 Apr 2010 at 21:51

Either learn or find someone who is a designer to work with.

A bloke at work is a great programmer but has the artistic flair of a donkey. So he sometimes asks me to help

topbanana · 12 Apr 2010 at 09:45

I normally try to design the pages using a sensible XHTML structure that will allow the designer to hook his or her CSS into it. I often have to tweak things at their request, but it gets you 80% of the way there. I don't bother designing any layout at all, it just looks like a flat file until the designer gets involved.

PaulM · 12 Apr 2010 at 10:00

If you don't have the time to learn/practice I'd definitely try to find a designer partner to work with you.

I strongly disagree with the notion that "design can't be learned" I've worked in web design and game design and met several people who used to be "bad" at design, and get told by snobby designers that design "can't be learned" yet now after practice they're great designers/artists.

K@rl · 12 Apr 2010 at 11:44

Best thing to do in my experience is get involved with a design company that does not have their own website builder. Most of my work is building sites from their designs.

It also helps develop you own design skills too. With practice and some knowledge of the Adobe products you can soon get quite good.