[jennbohm]

Hi, I'm new here, so I hope I'm posting in the right place. Didn't see an existing thread that was quite right, and didn't want to hijack anyone else's.
So, I have a good background in web development (2 years experience with ASP.NET, just beginning to dabble in PHP), and I'm fairly comfortable with the mechanics of XHTML/CSS/Javascript, but no real design experience.
I'm ready for a career shift, and would like to get into web design on a freelance basis. Obviously, I can't just go hire myself out with my lack of experience, as it would not be reasonable to expect someone to pay me to learn. I need to gain experience, and start building a portfolio. There are so many different things I think might help, but I'm having trouble deciding what's the best thing to focus on.
In a couple weeks, I start a couple classes at the community college in web publishing and web graphics (Photoshop/Flash). Besides the school projects, what is the best thing I can do for experience? My best ideas so far have been to try making some DotNetNuke skins or Wordpress themes. Am I on the right track? What is your best advice?

[Allie]

I just started at Photoshop myself and I'm self taught since my high school doesn't offer web designing or graphics designing programs. What I did was basically follow some web designing tutorials and reconstruct them. The tutorials ranged from content focused to grunge type designs. I also edited them to different versions and such to my liking. Through this, I learned to identify blending options between each element with ease. I also learned to use the right tool for what and when to use it (sorry if this sentence didn't make much sense).

[jennbohm]

Thanks Allie
Yes, your sentence made perfect sense. So Photoshop will definitely be a boost in the right direction.

[great6]

You have good experience U must do something different like many people do ..?

[scrooble]

Great6 you cunting spunk bubble get to fuck you twat bollock.

[JamesButabi]

Sounds like you are headed in the right direction. Use the classes, and dedicate some time online looking at the resources. Theres so much stuff for free out there.

[jcorradino]

Originally Posted by jennbohm

So, I have a good background in web development (2 years experience with ASP.NET, just beginning to dabble in PHP), and I'm fairly comfortable with the mechanics of XHTML/CSS/Javascript, but no real design experience.
I'm ready for a career shift

More money in web development than web design if you stick with it. Just letting you know.

[altwebdesign]

stick to either programming or design, dont become a "jack of all trades" a sit were

[afeuer]

If you can use Fireworks instead of Photoshop you will end up saving lots of time.

Fireworks is design program made especially for web design work

Aviel

[jcorradino]

Originally Posted by afeuer

If you can use Fireworks instead of Photoshop you will end up saving lots of time.

Fireworks is design program made especially for web design work

Aviel

seriously....... no

Photoshop handles so many things SO much better than Fireworks

[Klang]

Originally Posted by jcorradino

seriously....... no

Photoshop handles so many things SO much better than Fireworks

I don't know why you even bothered responding to that, the guy has a portfolio made from tables.

[Chris_G]

Hi there in St. Louis. Sounds like you're really studying hard.

You're young, experiment with programming and design. Figure out which one you enjoy more and which you most excel at, then decide to specialize in one or the other. Once you're in the job market there is more division of labor, especially at larger firms. You will ultimately be pushed down one path or the other.

If you ultimately pursue a technical development path, you will have a better working understanding of your counterparts in the design department, and vice-versa if you choose a design path.

PhotoShop can be a very fun application. Compared to what many people have to do to earn a living, I quite enjoy spending much of my day buried in PhotoShop.

Keep working hard, keep your grades up.

Also, a little business advice -- make a point to stay in contact with others as you move on from school and your course work. Especially those peers who's work and work ethic you admire/respect. When you're older and you look back on things, these will likely turn out to be the nucleus of the business relationships you build throughout the lifetime of your career.

[Aibrean]

I would seriously getting supplementary education on the basics of design (rather than it being specific to web). Being self taught on CSS/HTML is one thing, design is a completely different beast. You have to have a bit of natural talent, common sense, feel for aesthetics, a critical eye, etc.

The class you described has me worried. Flash isn't a "design" tool. It's more for implementation. What is the description of the course you are taking?

[bcee]

Originally Posted by jcorradino

seriously....... no

Photoshop handles so many things SO much better than Fireworks

Agreed. I tried to get into FW, PS just offers a lot more IMO.