Ask HN: Getting started with graphic design for the web | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Getting started with graphic design for the web

14 pointshumblepatience9 comments

So I'm still looking up ways to do a self-study in graphic design for the web (and iphone apps, etc).

This could be an online study course that's basically just a website where you move sequentially through the site.

Here's kind of what I want, but not really.

http://psd.tutsplus.com/articles/inspiration/teach-yourself-graphic-design-a-self-study-course-outline/

Here's basically want I want:

1. Principles of Design (contrast, etc)

2. Typography - what you can do with just fonts in an entirely colorless design.

3. Color Theory (what do colors mean? picking color schemes? what background colors are readable with fonts and how does that influence choosing a color scheme for a mildly text-heavy page? Lots of examples

4. Layouts and grids - how to use a grid layout, where to put the color, box model. Lots of examples

5. Logos

6. Quick photoshop tutorial

7. Photoshop workbook i.e. do it yourself, possibly with pre-supplied images i.e. here some images, make this poster with the end result shown to you.

8. Now revise the end result to do something that you think looks better.

9. Post revision for peer review

10. Assignment where you have to come up with your own photoshop re-design of a shitty website.

11. Post design for peer review.

12. Quick html/css tutorial

13. Take this photoshop mockup and turn it into html/css. Html/css made available if you have trouble.

14. Revise design straight in html/css and post for peer review.

I asked a very similar question to this on MetaFilter a few weeks ago. To summarize, I think you're actually conflating three things: design, graphic design, and graphic design for the web.

As far as I can tell as a non-designer, there seem to be (essentially) two phases to graphic design for the web: wireframes and final design. The first phase is sort of a high volatility phase where one tries out many different approaches, mocking them up with extremely basic wireframes (in something like Balsamiq or even on paper for the best designers), figuring out what the client really wants (they don't know) and figuring out what you want. The second phase is making something nice looking based on the wireframes and other details from the first phase.

These two phases are completely different. They can, and often are, done by completely different people. To be good at either, you need to have spent years developing a good sense of design. However, other than that the skills seem quite different. For the first phase, one might need layout and communication skills. For the second, one might need to know about typography and color theory, maybe be able to draw proficiently, and so on. Often, the second phase includes turning the design into HTML and CSS, but this is rarely a good use of the designer's time, and can be delegated to specialty providers like psd2html.

Without more knowledge about what your background is, and why you want to study graphic design for the web, I think it is difficult for anyone to suggest what you need to study first. However, given how little of the above was really specific to web design, I think you might be better served by a more general design program, which might also be easier to find.

Read "the Non-Designers Design Book" (http://www.amazon.com/Non-Designers-Design-Book-Robin-Willia...)

It covers the basics of design, color theory and typography. It's a great start.

The Smashing Book is very complete. However I wouldnt expect to become a designer by reading a book or taking an online course, as I wouldnt expect someone to become a programmer that way.

so you're saying that you don't learn how to do things by reading books or taking courses or doing exercise?

fuck, that sucks man.

Am I? If you dont have a path you will be going to nowhere. You might learn things but the hard way. If you want to become serious you should try with a teacher or a career.

Learning to do all of this properly would take a few years at least... Why don't you focus on one aspect (say, getting great at photoshop) and master that first?

There's a pretty good course here:

http://www.microsoft.com/design/toolbox/

thanks teyc, thats just the kind of thing i was thinking of, 'cept that's for silverlight

There are blog posts, articles, tutorials, websites, forums and books that cover all these topics and more. Why not just design your own program?

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