I was wondering if I could get some input on where I should look to learn how to design if I did not specifically want to go to school to learn? I know there are tutorials online etc. But is there a good place to start to learn from the basics?
There are quite a few forum entries which cover what you are after. If you do a quick search you will get lots of sites but personally I would recommend the Sitepoint books and courses (I don't work for Sitepoint). They tend to go through the basics to make sure you have the foundations to learn quicker. I would also suggest looking at abduzeedo, multiple daily posts covering all areas of design, web design and architecture.
The youtube idea is a great one, I tend to go there when I get stuck on anything because chances are someone has a video posted to help. I would also type in graphic design tutorial and see what comes up. Good luck!
Tutorials will teach you how to use a program, but the program is just a tool. If you want to really get good i recommend some books on design, logos and diffrent kind of type. If you just starting out and want to just learn how to use photoshop or corel visit one of better forums on the subject. ( I hope this is the design you talking about and not industrial ) Good Luck Luke
tabsolutions, I would definitely recommend trying to go to a good college to study design, if at all possible. I'm currently in my second year at the Savannah College of Art and Design and I've learned much more than I thought I would in this period of time. The skills I've learned from this establishment will be with me for the rest of my design career, and I've definitely benefited from everything I've learned. It is possible to teach yourself design without an education though, but it's going to take time and money, just like school would. Don't get sucked into basic photoshop tutorials that you see scattered around online. Invest your time into reading articles from top designers and take online courses that show you how to design. Some will be free and some will cost money. Sounds like school right? Make sure you invest in only the highest quality of learning material to ensure that you get the best information about becoming a professional designer. Try to take advantage of all the great free information that's out there though. It's also going to be important to learn all the software that's out there right now in the design field, and for that I'd recommend grabbing a Lynda.com subscription. I think it's around $25 a month to access all the tutorial videos, but I get it for free through my college. Anyway, it's definitely worth it because it has very thorough step-by-step videos that show you how to use all the current design software, and that's definitely something you're going to want to familiarize yourself with if you're serious about learning design. Best of luck with everything my friend.
you can learn anywhere online just like i did. im still in the basics, but i finally created my first website.
please buy book about your theme in bookstore. I think you can be motivated to learn about design with book, because you have bought book about design with your money.... and certainly you won't make yourself disappoint with bought book then you never read it
http://psd.tutsplus.com/ is always good, theres some good stuff on there, and the rest of their network is pretty good, like CG tuts, NET tuts etc...
lynda, youtube & many other sites to learn at the begning..........Video tutorials is the best way to learn easily
Hmm, I'd have to say there probably are a lot of youtube tutorials online you can search that should get the job done
tabsolutions, There are a ton of resources out there for new designers and I'll show you what you need to get started step by step. 1. Visit popular design blogs. They're written by professionals that have a lot of experience in the field and you'll not only learn how to design, but what designs work and what designs don't. These blogs cover a ton of really helpful information, so pick a few you like such as Melting Waves (haha) Web Designer Depot or You The Designer and get started. 2. Visit tutorial websites. Keep in mind that there are a ton of terrible tutorials out there, but there are also a lot of good ones that really take you by the hand and guide you through the process of creating an awesome design. Build your own method of sorting the good from the bad and every so often you should do a tutorial or two and see what new skills you pick up from them. 3. Participate in design forums. You're off to a good start participating in this one because Digital Point has a great design section. Forums are one of the best places to go if you're interested in learning how to design and you'll get a ton of advice from professionals who have boatloads of experience. If you're interested, I offer an eCourse that teaches designers how to make money by building a profitable blog. If you're new I think it can be a great tool to take with you along your path to design greatness. It's free, so here's the link if you're interested in checking it out. LINK Good luck with everything!
Alongside reading tutorials which may help with learning specific programs, you should just look at finished designs around you; websites, packaging, magazines etc. Observe what fonts are used, how much spacing is used, and why you prefer one design to another. You will soon start to notice which elements and which compositions go together to make something look more professional or more finished than something else, then apply it to your own designs.
Hey Friend if u want know there are tutorials online u check out lynda.com website , which has many good tutorials online.