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Comment by huhtenberg | Hacker News Reader

> Not a designer? Here’s how to make your web apps look awesome -

Hire a designer :)

I am saying this only half-jokingly. There's always a trade-off. Pre-made themes are great, but

(a) they are shared and have a mass-production stigma attached to them

(b) they are designed first and spec'd second, which is the opposite of the normal process whereby the design follows from what it is that needs to be achieved with it.

The title should really be "great looking designs on a budget" rather than focusing on the lack of the designer skills. Because if there are funds available, then contracting out the design and getting exactly what you want beats the hell out of purchasing a theme.

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I am in the very early stages of bootstrapping a business[1], I have no problems using Photoshop or Illustrator from a technical stand point but my design skills are rather lacking (see link). My plan is to take an awesome premium theme that has the PSDs and use it as a framework from which to build a design if not original with be distinguishable as my own.

I wish I could afford the time of one of my designer friends, I know some kick ass designers but even at mate rates my current budget isn't enough. That said I am planning on bribing a couple of them with booze and a home cooked meal to get some advice.

[1] http://www.relishment.com

Hiring a designer, or reading a bunch of design books (as stating in another comment on this link), can be a significant investment.

When reading these blog pieces, it never hurts to look at the perspective of the author (this is especially true for blogs like 37signals). In this case, the author had just written two articles on building a webapp that could produce a couple hundred dollars a month in revenue. He had also written about how he was having difficulty generating sales (meaning that little money was coming in). At that point, does it make more sense to throw additional money at the site to get a better design that might be a B+ design, or does it make more sense to spend a relatively low amount of money and get a B- design?

You can go to D for B- for $20 bucks, or go from D to B+ for several hundred (we'll assume D to A+ is several thousand+). I think it's a perfectly acceptable choice to close most of the gap fro $20 than to spend the couple hundred. If sales improve, you can always reinvest the profits.

Agreed. Or partner with one. Design is so critical to a successful application that it should be an initial consideration, not an afterthought. As with any other venture, if you have a great idea you should be able to attract either the talent or the money to procure the talent.

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