Web Design Tips
Trap 1. Re-inventing the layout is a waste of time.
New web designers often try to “re-invent the wheel” when working on a page layout. Because these designers have little actual experience developing the sites they have designed, they are less likely to build a functional design that works as it should.
Another common newbie approach is to try inventing a revolutionary solution to all the web's problems. Although striving for efficiency is important, learning to base new solutions on the working, existing architecture will take advantage of the decades of development that have come before!
Web surfers have come to expect certain design themes that most sites have in common, such as navigation buttons, fixed content columns, and footers with information and expected links. Starting a design with these elements gives you the foundation with which to start. Your creativity can begin from there, while giving your viewer a familiar way to navigate the site.
Once you have started on an easily-understood foundation, you can begin to let the creative juices flow. An important lesson to learn while designing is when to introduce your innovative and exciting ideas. Your web design must be functional, above all, or the site will fail. Introduce your interesting visuals, but make sure the practicality of the site is foremost in your mind.
Here are tips to keep your website design fun and functional:
First, do some exploring. What are your favourite five sites? What is similar about them? What is different? What do you like and dislike about each?
Next, don't start from scratch. Take advantage of the wealth of information you have on the net by seeing how other designers have laid out sites similar to yours. Even common layouts will work for you, so don't discount one completely just because you see it often.
Begin to build your site with basic colours and standard fonts once you decide on your layout. Again, function is the first goal. There are a limited number of functional web layouts; if yours looks completely different from any of them, chances are you're designing a site that no one will know how to navigate. Learning these lessons early will help you better understand the function of layout. Once you have a good grasp of these concepts, you can begin to introduce creativity and innovation. As the famous saying goes, you have to crawl before you can walk!
Click on some layout tutorials below to get started:
Trap 2. Don’t Let Design Lead You Off the Path
The next of the 5 traps to avoid for new web designers is one that is common with creative folks. Many new designers find that design leads them off the practical path. Beware this shiny idea, because it's extremely difficult to find the way back to function! You'll find unlimited gimmicks on the internet, just calling to you.
Many new designers look at vector graphics, unusual fonts, different brushes in Photoshop, and stock photos to be cheating. However, intermediate and skilled designers know that if used sparingly, these tools can enhance your site. New designers often find themselves depending on these techniques too often to make themselves look more experienced. Sometimes, this works; too often, the designer uses these elements too often and the site begins to look gimmicky.
How can you avoid add-on addiction when beginning new web design?
Simple... don't use them! Find other ways of building your site. Learn how to build your own web 2.0 buttons from PSDTUTS instead of downloading pre-made graphics. It's alright to be average in the beginning. You don't need the big flashy graphic at the top of your page at first. Clever typography can make your site impressive and understated.
Make sure that you're using plug-ins and brushes that are exactly what you want, if you have to use them at all. Use proven vendors when you are searching for plug-ins or Photoshop brushes such Codecanyon Graphic River, and so on. Downloading random items and tools online can lead to computer problems and make your site look just, well, silly.
Purging or cleaning out your plug-in and font libraries every year can help you learn what you don't need. Letting them build up over years makes searching for the one you want a long, arduous process, and takes up valuable hard drive space.
Check out these safe resources for plug-ins and content:
Trap 3. Unrealistic Goals
It takes ambition to be a modern web designer. Much of your learning will be done on your own time and through experimentation. You must have patience, creativity, and a drive to keep up with new methods, services, and technologies. Even while you're staying current with these aspects of your job, you'll need to keep in mind that your goals must be realistic.
Ambition is a fantastic trait. However, keeping ambition and style in balance is important. It's easy to sit down over your new project and find all sorts of things you want to add. Adding is not always the best solution when you're making a new website design.
You may have some ideas for motion, image sliders, and videos that sound great in your head, but do you know how to make these things actually happen? New designers may spend a lot of time picturing what they'd like to do with a site while neglecting to take the time to learn how to actually execute!
So how do you avoid unrealistic goals?
For each project you undertake, set one “reach” goal. Start simply if you're building your portfolio site. Pick one thing you don't know how to do, and learn how to do it before you finish your site. Over time, you'll learn more and more until you become an advanced designer. The goal is to start on a solid foundation, and build your skills higher as you learn more.
This one should go without saying... ask questions! Take a quick jaunt to a message board to find out if your idea is even possible. You'll not only get an answer, but some nice person may even give you a link to a tutorial that walks you through the actions to get the effect you need.
Trap 4. Stocking Your Design Toolbox
Web design is very repetitive. Your sites will usually start out with the same steps, and you'll probably be using the same techniques over and over between sites. This is necessary to learning new website design. Start by building your own library of techniques and solutions that can be customized for your projects. Your toolbox will get bigger over time, and you'll find yourself becoming faster and better at using your knowledge to get you through your projects.
One technique that is very useful is to create a folder on your computer that details your work. If you've learned how to use a special CSS effect for this project, write up a file explaining how you did it! There's no use wasting time on the next project looking up the same process on Google. Customizing a current solution is much easier than restarting your process from scratch over and over. You will find that finding full customization may become necessary at some point, but most of your projects can be built on the same foundation.
As you become faster and more skilled, your confidence in yourself as a designer will grow and you'll become better at recognizing the 5 traps to avoid for new web designers. The goal of your design should be that you can accomplish everything on your own, without needing to ask questions at some point. Ask now so you don't have to ask later!
How should I maintain my learning resources?
The folders and files you keep on your techniques should be kept in easy-to-find folders on your hard-drive. They should contain complete sites, plug-ins, browser fixes, tutorials, and anything else you used to build the site. Always pay close attention to the answers to your questions. For instance, if you find that everything you've done looking and working incorrectly on Internet Explorer 6, make a document of your technique, so you don't have to worry about the problem again on your next project.
Be sure to record and make comments on all your coding and methods for new website design. This can save you time and effort on future projects and help maintain a useful database for your own use. Perhaps you'll even come up with your own 5 traps to avoid for new web designers!
Trap 5. Avoiding the Benefits of Professional Social Networking
Then you think of Social Networking, you may write it off as something to do for fun and in your spare time. However, this can be a great way to meet other coders learn new tips for website designers and set you up with potential clients. Networking can set you up with a web of people that can extend and maintain your career.
As an expert in new website design, make sure you're taking advantage of the social networking sites to help you gain access to people and services that are going to help advance your career. Facebook and MySpace are two of the largest sites for making new friends and keeping in contact with your friends lists. Twitter can also be used to find tips for website designers, and you can get the knowledge for free. You will find that any site that offers design training and tutorials will also offer a Twitter Account. If you follow people who specialize in new website design, you'll have a constant supply of tips for website designers, tutorials, round ups, and updates. Other sites offer great feedback and website reviews, such as Freelance Switch Message Boards or Creattica. The information is out there, you just have to find it!
Tips for Successful Networking
If you are not thrilled about sharing your methods and ideas online, joining these types of networks is still crucial for keeping up creative new website design. You don't need to do a lot of back-and-forth communication to receive a lot of information from Twitter. You can take in all the information anonymously without anyone even noticing you're there.
However, putting your own work out there is a great way to find recognition. The loud hinge gets the grease, right? You can put your work online for others to see and review, which will give you feedback to hone your craft. Many individuals in the field are willing to give tips for website designers, you just have to ask. Try Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn as a parade ground and see what people think.
A lot of people are afraid that posting a portfolio or resume should wait until your work is perfect. That's not the case! Putting up your work as it progresses will allow you to befriend others in the field. You may even be able to give a few tips yourself to those who are looking at new website design. We are often convinced that the only person in the room who has the answers is the teacher, when all the while the student sitting next to use either has the same question or knows how to solve your issue. You'll never know unless you ask around. This will give you more time to work and less time waiting for someone to answer your question.
Conclution
Keep in mind that almost everyone begins their new website design careers in the same place, so we know what it's like to be a beginner. Learning is progressive, and there's nothing wrong with not knowing all the details of every design. If you use this article to help you find the 5 traps to avoid for new web designers, and use the information, you'll find that you'll succeed more quickly. Just keep practicing, learning, and trying new methods and techniques. This kind of list can be helpful for avoiding bad habits from the beginning, but nothing will teach you like immersing yourself in the web design industry, communicate with other designers, and working on your own personal style and methods of design.
