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From Zero to Super Website Designer in 2 Steps

Discussion in 'HTML & Website Design' started by Las Vegas DUI Lawyer, Aug 30, 2011.

  1. #1
    From Zero to Super Website Designer in 2 Steps

    I wish someone would have told me this 3 years ago when I lost my corporate job and thought that I could go it alone on the web. I bought hosting and a name for a website, and did not have anything up on the page for about 3 weeks. The first day I literally cried, because I was scared about trying to make it on the web by my own sweat and knowledge. I could build 500 computers in a month, but I didn't know jack about webdesign or websites. I now consider myself to have mastered HTML and CSS. [at least][i am still learning php and the rest]

    If I could have had someone tell me these 2 things [and this is EXACTLY what I was looking for] I could have dried my eyes and gone about good work.

    Step 1

    http://www.w3schools.com/

    HTML is very easy to learn. Once you have the syntax down, which takes all of 5 minutes to understand, you're basically done with the language part of it. You then just need to learn all the tags. The same can be said for CSS, ALMOST. CSS has the same ease of syntax, as HTML does. Once you have learned the syntax, you simply have to learn all of the tags. However, this is where the creativity comes in and you have to learn how to marry your creativity with the language.

    then when you have gone through all of the HTML AND CSS, then you're ready for this guy

    Step 2

    http://www.youtube.com/user/createthenet/

    Go through all of his tutorials and you'll be better than 90% of the people on this board. And, I'm being serious. W3schools is no joke, they are the standard. And, that guy does the application to the 3rd degree. There are so many bozos on youtube that do absolutely nothing or tell you 1 thing. This guy goes step by step and you make about 7 websites while you follow along. And those websites, you can keep as templates to start your career. The beauty is, the websites he has you make cover nearly eveyr facet of web design you'll ever encounter. And, to top it all off he goes extremely slow and explains EVERYTHING. He also breaks down parts into separate videos, just to go over the nuances of the code with you. He is selling some of the stuff he goes over, but he puts everything in the video. Buying the code is optional and not terribly necessary. But, it is very convenient. So basically, you're getting paid for content, for free. Someone who is selling that level of content is always better than someone doing it for free.

    So after step 1 and step 2, you can officially hang your shingle out and call yourself a web designer. And, don't let anyone tell you differently. Sure there are lots of things you might still need to learn, but people in the business 15 years can also say that.

    But, as I say in the title, you will be a super website designer after just those 2 steps. After finding step 2, my design has taken off and I can literally code from scratch and know what it will look like in my head. Now if i could just focus and not get so distracted so eas... OOOOH SHINY!!! :eek:
     
    Las Vegas DUI Lawyer, Aug 30, 2011 IP
    weaver01 likes this.
  2. vampiro

    vampiro Peon

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    #2
    Thanks for the share buddy. I have bookmarked this post. Looking forward to see myself an expert in web design after following the methods.
     
    vampiro, Aug 30, 2011 IP
  3. Rukbat

    Rukbat Well-Known Member

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    #3
    First, one has to learn the difference between web designer (the artist who designs the look of a site) and web developer (the programmer who writes the code that makes the site work).

    Then one has to understand that most human beings are either artistic (designers) or analytical (programmers). An analytical person can't design a tissue and an artist can't program a sneeze. Anyone who tells you that you can "learn" to design and develop websites is either trying to sell you something or is ignorant of reality.

    And a site that has a great look and terrible code, or great code but a terrible look, is worthless. Oh, you can sell almost anything to someone, but writing sites that don't work the same in all the major browsers - right from the start - isn't the mark of a "super website designer", it's the mark of a beginner who still has a few years of learning to go.
     
    Rukbat, Aug 31, 2011 IP
  4. ab420

    ab420 Well-Known Member

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    #4
    I disagree, I have worked in graphic design and web development for over 10 years and can build and design a site from the ground up. To say that no one can do both things, is ignorant.
     
    ab420, Aug 31, 2011 IP
  5. CptnKrunch

    CptnKrunch Guest

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    #5
    Designers are still the ones who use HTML/CSS. Neither of those are programming, just a simple markup. I, myself, am the aritst, and can't program worth anything, but I can do HTML and CSS, because they seem to have been made specifically for the artist in mind.
     
    CptnKrunch, Sep 1, 2011 IP
  6. SOLOWPOET

    SOLOWPOET Active Member

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    #6
    Thanks for the Share I've dabbled a bit With web design But I've always wanted to look more Into the programming end as well.
     
    SOLOWPOET, Sep 1, 2011 IP
  7. ApocalypseXL

    ApocalypseXL Notable Member

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    #7
    There are far easier steps .

    Step 1 : Get on top of tall building .

    Step 2 : Jump
     
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2011
    ApocalypseXL, Sep 2, 2011 IP
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  8. Las Vegas DUI Lawyer

    Las Vegas DUI Lawyer Peon

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    #8
    Notice, I did not say easy. And, yes, I believe artists are not born, at least not for web purposes. There are of course ARTISTES and then there are designers. A designer is going to design you a spectacular website that people will both love and be able to navigate through with ease. Remember designer does not mean those fru fru guys that speak with lisps.

    Secondly, a designer is not an artist. He can be an artist too, but most people would not hire an artist. My opinion of an artist are those people that make a big splash screen the looks either:
    - too complicated for me to even know where the navigation menu is
    - too simple for me to see where the navigation menu is
    - too artistic for me to nice the hand, left ear and box of choclates on the table of the spaghetti monster are the navigation menu

    They are just too artistic to be useful. Go make the background pic for a brochure and leave the web alone.

    But yes, my 2 steps are not for the feint of heart, nor are they easy. It's the same thing as p90x. If you keep doing it, you'll come out looking amazing, but you gotta keep pushing that button. Same thing with my 2 steps. Keep pushing the link to the next HTML / CSS topic. Keep pushing the link to the next tutorial video.

    [ PLEASE NOTE ]

    I am not the guy in the video, nor am i in any shape form or fashion affiliated with him. I am just passing on the information because this is the p90x of design. There is so much garbage on the net that says they're going to teach you and you end up frustrated and not any more learned than when you started watching their garbage. This guy holds your hand and walks you through real web designs. W3CSCHOOLS walks you through real HTML / CSS and even other things. If you do both steps, you will end up with a portfolio [ which is exactly the largest benefit you get from going to school for web design ] [ practically the only benefit in my opinion ]

    Also note: I get nothing out of this post, other than a warm fuzzy feeling of knowing i passed on good information to you. I wish there was a post like this, when i started out. No you don't need to go to school for design.

    I am not sure, you may need to go to school for programming. I have not mastered programming yet, so i'll get back to you when i do and tell you either way.
     
    Las Vegas DUI Lawyer, Sep 3, 2011 IP
  9. ApocalypseXL

    ApocalypseXL Notable Member

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    #9
    The only school skill you need for programing is mathematical analysis and lots of it . When it comes to design things are different since you need a load of creativity to be the best . I find that the best designers are those that can wield a real pen , brush and sculptor chisel . Those that learn to design just on PC tend to produce a lot of horrid things and lack creativity .
     
    ApocalypseXL, Sep 3, 2011 IP
  10. Rukbat

    Rukbat Well-Known Member

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    #10
    Web design is art, web development is programming. Redefining words may sound cute to the unwashed, but it's not a cogent argument.
     
    Rukbat, Sep 3, 2011 IP
  11. Las Vegas DUI Lawyer

    Las Vegas DUI Lawyer Peon

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    #11
    Design is a modern word to begin with, while artist is an ancient word, since we're going there. You can have an artist who has learned the tools for design, but I find them to 100% be overkill and "over-design" projects.

    I think with a bit of study on:
    1. - the effect that color has on human emotion
    2. - the effect of shapes and geometry on human emotion
    3. - the left to right / right to left eye pattern as it falls on the page
    4. - target market of whatever is being designed: gender, age, collective experience
    5. - the focus or END RESULT the client is expecting

    One would be a far superior "designer" than an artist.

    Could an artist study this too? Yes, BUT i think studying design for an artist is counterintuitive to the way his brain works. He wants to explode on a page, when #5 dictates otherwise. He might feel that women love pink, but the target market is butch lesbian construction worker, that market research reveals light brown is their major color choice.

    It is literally like the difference between a ballet dancer and a Saturday night fever disco dancer. Sure the disco dancer is stylish, but if he tried to make a living at it the trained ballet dancer would beat him, overall, every time. There may be trained artists out there, but the main fare of artists are not "trained", which is almost the definition of an artist.

    But my original point was that, with the two tools I presented, you could literally become the trained technical ballet dancer and execute on anything that you or a client thinks of.
     
    Las Vegas DUI Lawyer, Sep 4, 2011 IP
  12. ApocalypseXL

    ApocalypseXL Notable Member

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    #12
    Sorry to inform you but number 1 , 2 and 3 are things that are hammer in for ages in art school as for number for that's one of the fundamentals of design .

    IMHO you're confusing the real designer with the legions of cretins that get their hands on a pirated copy of photoshop and start churning out mass amounts of absolute crap . Since crap is of almost no value legions of soon-to-be bankrupted webmasters buy it and shovel it all over the web resulting in the sorry state of the web . This never ending cycle has resulted in a general hatred from the consumer community towards the webmaster community .
     
    ApocalypseXL, Sep 4, 2011 IP
  13. hotnoob

    hotnoob Member

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    #13
    WTH!

    Web designers are truly artists!
    An amazing webdesigner will make you have an orgasm when you see their work!
    Just as how an amazing artist will make you drool at it in utter boredom... errr envy? amazement?

    Art is exactly like webdesigning...
    if it's a poorly designed website, it will make someone think, "OMG! WTF! Why am i even LOOKING At THis Page? Oh wait! i'm on a computer... *click*"
    where as with a junky piece of artwork, its more like,
    "Uhhh, why are we staring at a blank piece of paper?"
    "I donno dood, maybe it's cause were on a field trip"
    "Waaht?"
    "Ya no? were here cause the stupid school made us come here..."
    "ohh right... HEY!!! Do you see those pretty colours? uhhuhuh ehheehe"
    "all i see is a blank piece of paper... hey are you stoned?"
    "uhhhh... noooooo..."
    "Hey what's that in ur pocket? IS THAT WEED?"
    "Its grasss... i uh... was picking it up for my girlfriend..."
    "what girlfriend?"

    lol, sorry got carried away lol, but you get my point, if its bad art, it's not gonna make you feel diddly squat.
     
    hotnoob, Sep 4, 2011 IP
  14. Cogitationalist

    Cogitationalist Peon

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    #14
    3 things.

    1. Web design has always been a daunting task for me, something that's looked very confusing and offputting but as time passes I realize it may not be a scary monster. I'm gonna look into these two steps as my first real attempt to get crackin.
    2. Las Vegas DUI Lawyer? You must both be perpetually working and have one of most cunning of tongues.
    3. "Design is a modern word to begin with, while artist is an ancient word" - I think it's quite the contrary. People have always been designing, since the first tools. Since the first rock with 1 blunt side and 1 sharp side, meant to fit in your hand with a point facing the obvious cutting direction, we've been designing without knowing it since long before anything was made for artistic values. Just think of it this way, the first cave paintings needed to have materials designed for use before painting, right?
     
    Cogitationalist, Sep 4, 2011 IP
  15. SOLOWPOET

    SOLOWPOET Active Member

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    #15
    Very eloquently put My friend...you are absolutely correct.
     
    SOLOWPOET, Sep 4, 2011 IP
  16. hotnoob

    hotnoob Member

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    #16
    Ha! I GOT IT!

    architects DESIGN Buildings!
    Yet some buildings are often considered to be ART!
    beat that :p
     
    hotnoob, Sep 4, 2011 IP
  17. Cogitationalist

    Cogitationalist Peon

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    #17
    Personally, I think Architects are neither; they are architects. They kinda take design and art into account, but their job is to build something that's structurally intact, not necessarily pretty or innovating. A good architect will take both of those things into account; but I wouldn't call them either, really.

    The Leaning Tower of Pisa isn't really ever called 'a work of art' or a 'building' - it's often referred to as a landmark. I guess defining what makes a landmark a landmark..is the key there.
     
    Cogitationalist, Sep 4, 2011 IP
  18. weaver01

    weaver01 Peon

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    #18

    Well then by that argument websites aren't considered pieces of art either. They are things that take technicality and art into account, but they aren't considered art.
     
    weaver01, Sep 4, 2011 IP
  19. sarahk

    sarahk iTamer Staff

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    #19
    But most can't - shortcuts are taken one way or the other. Be proud that you are the exception. I've seen too many pretty sites with appalling templates to assume a designer can code.

    Web design is commercial art, perhaps.

    A designer has to be much more than proficient with graphics tools. They have to be able to talk to the client about their business, the customers, the business objectives so that the design matches the brief.

    Oh dear, I feel like I'm repeating myself
     
    sarahk, Sep 4, 2011 IP
  20. weaver01

    weaver01 Peon

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    #20
    sarahk,

    A couple of Berkeley Electrical Engineering students taught a course on web design. I can't post any links because I just joined but the work that they've done is great. Just look up Web Design Decal on Google and click on the first result and go through some of the lecture pdfs. The first lecture pdf has links to sites made by 'Alex', very good ones.

    No offense but I find it laughable how you use as an example someone who can be good at design but probably wouldn't be able to create a site with basic functions such as a customer being able to "find your phone number". (LOL) I mean, cmon, really?

    And web design is only factored so much into the market. A site can have all the clicks and whistles but it's not going to generate a lot of traffic solely because it looks pretty.

    OP keep doing what you've got, I think some people did not like the fact that you posted a method that would put you or others at an advantage over 90% of most people who have been doing this stuff for years. To be ahead of the curve you have to work smarter (or learn smarter in this case ;)), not work harder. Notice how Rubbak has only been counterproductive and spoken with a negative tone throughout all of his posts, lol.


    But let's be clear: Artistic ability and Technical ability only add SO MUCH to FUNCTIONALITY. To make a site that generates traffic it has to have something else: value. Things that consumers demand (the right information and content). And that value comes from entrepreneurship, and in order to be a good entrepreneur one needs to be well rounded. Which of course, not everyone is which is why most people don't make money online.

    But OP, it seems like you've found something that works, so stick to it!
     
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2011
    weaver01, Sep 4, 2011 IP