Self-learning web design without leaving home. Web design: where to start learning for a beginner? Are web designers needed?

From the author: The path of a web designer is thorny and difficult. Success here can only be achieved through perseverance and diligence. Before embarking on this path, most beginners have a lot of questions: what knowledge do you need to have, will self-study web design help and how long will it take, where to acquire professional skills, what programs do you need to master, etc. These and other pressing questions I will try to answer in this article.

Web design from the basics is difficult to master, but not impossible, and the knowledge gained will be useful to you in many areas of life and career. Web designers are always in demand, there are not enough good specialists, so web design is not only an opportunity for self-realization, but also a way to increase your income.

What is web design?

Modern web design is not just creating the appearance of the site, but also its layout using CSS and HTML. The finished site layout must not only meet certain requirements, but also be correctly processed by all known browsers.

In literal translation, web-design means "network design". The process of creating websites includes both creative and technical components:

the stage of technical development, which determines the purpose of the site, its functions, etc.;

creating a logical structure and choosing the forms by which information will be presented to the user;

graphic design - site layout layout using a graphic editor;

site layout - converting the graphical component of the site into code, taking into account the correct display of the site by various browsers;

webmastering - the site is hosted, optimized for search engines and promoted over the network.

If you are thinking of becoming a web designer on your own, training can be done using:

independent repetition of lessons and video lessons from thematic sites;

reading literature on web design (books, magazines, blogs);

developing a sense of taste through the analysis of beautiful, functional, talentedly designed sites;

improving the professional level and speed of work through regular practice;

developing communication skills with potential customers and employers.

I can confidently say that anyone can master web design, and so can you. To do this, it is enough to have a strong desire, make a certain amount of effort and devote most of the time to self-study.

Formula for success

If you are still looking for an effective formula for how to learn web design on your own, here is a ready-made sequence of actions for you.

Learn to work with graphic editors up to the middle level. Moreover, we are talking about both vector and raster graphics. The most common graphics programs are Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and CorelDRAW. This does not mean that you have to know absolutely all the instruments by heart. This means being able to complete the tasks facing you as a web designer in the shortest possible time.

You understand the basic concepts of web design: balance, composition, site layout, color palette, contrast, modular grid, texture, typography, etc. In general, you understand everything that is related to creating a decent website design.

Find a studio and go to work there, or register on a freelance exchange and start practicing, first completing all orders in a row, just to gain experience and reputation. Working on real orders is a great way to learn web design on your own.

Don't forget to study, study and study again. At first, your level will be at the level of drawing scribbles in Photoshop (some “unfortunate designers” remain at this level), then you will have regular customers and good earnings, then you can become, for example, the director of an art studio and so on - this way of self-improvement is endless.

How to keep yourself in good shape?

To take a reliable position in the “higher caste” of web designers, you need to work long and hard, practice, critically approach your design skills, be inspired and learn from your “colleagues in the shop”, receive additional education in offline and online courses, with web design tutorials.

After you get the basic skills in creating website design, gradually expand your technical and artistic arsenal. Follow all the innovations and trends in the industry, introduce new features into your work, learn new programs, techniques and tools, improve your communication skills with clients.

This will make you and your designs more relevant, original and competitive, and will also contribute to your professional growth.

How long does it take to master web design?

I recently saw a post on the forum that reads:

Now you understand why there are still not enough good specialists among the crowds of self-proclaimed web designers? Web design is not just a pretty picture or the ability to deliver a quality step-by-step video tutorial.

I'll tell you a secret: a real designer should behave like an engineer, for whom the effectiveness of the site is in the first place, and not its beauty. Each element on the page should fulfill the role assigned to it and correspond to the main purpose of the site. What purpose do you think most sites serve? That's right, nailing the dough to make a profit!

Therefore, if after a couple of months of trying to learn web design on your own and doing Photoshop, you have an idea: “That's it, I'm a web designer and I can make websites,” mark it in the most merciless way. Look with a magnifying glass at the sites of famous designers or just the sites you like. Would you like to quit everything and go to work as a loader? That's it!

Your task as a web designer is to create an image that will evoke certain emotions in the site visitor and push him to take actions, for example, register, subscribe to a newsletter, buy a certain product, etc. And for this you need to learn not only Photoshop, but and marketing techniques, branding and positioning, the basics of layout, HTML and CSS, the principles of usability, copywriting and information architecture.

This is where I will end my lesson. Finally, I want to note: if you are looking for an easy way to become a web designer yourself, then you should not wait for mountains of gold. If you are hardworking, responsible, love what you do, and believe in your own strength, then everything will definitely work out for you.

Good luck and good mood everyone! Subscribe to our updates and get the latest web design articles first!

Today we are going to tell you about a set of web design tools that you will need to get started with.

But before that, let's quickly define the difference between web design and web development. These are two terms that are often used in the same context, but they are completely different:

WEB DESIGN AND WEB DEVELOPMENT:

Web design- this is the artistic design of the visual part of the site. Pages, their structures, forms, etc. It includes every aspect appearance and functionality of the website, and requires the implementation of the principles of visual design and consideration of user experience. Thus, the web designer creates a design that is both visually appealing and at the same time user-friendly.

Web development, is the process of creating the site itself. This process includes programming (writing code and scripts), and page layout, for future web design and information content. The developer must have programming experience and skills to make the basis of the site, so that the web designer has a place to create.

WEB DESIGN TOOLS:

Now that we have an idea of what Web design is, let's move on to the tools needed to make it work.

Sketches and drawing tools:

As in any kind of Design, web design begins with a sketch (idea). You can draw it on paper or use a graphics tablet.

Tablet: If you like digital inventions, you can use a graphics tablet to jot down your design ideas on it. They can install Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, and this will help you quickly create a digital sketch.

Pencil + notepad: the traditional method is to do a freehand sketch, and it's a good and easy way.

TYPOGRAPHY:

It is very important to choose the right type for your website design idea. And no one will give you good advice about it, except for yourself! Because it depends on your personal "tastes" and "visions". Here are some resources to find the best type for your web design project.

Google Fonts is one of the first places to look for fonts. They are free and you can easily transfer them to Blogger, WordPress or Squarespace.

oert.org is a great platform that you can use to explore different styles of typography, learn more about types and experiment with them.

COLORS:

You can spend hours creating color palettes, exploring how colors interact with each other - it's simple and so beautiful! But choosing from a color palette can be tricky at first. Over time, you'll start to quickly create the perfect color palette for your projects. Here are some resources that might help you.

coolors.co- beautiful, simple and easy interface for quickly creating color palettes.

color.adobe.com- Adobe palette. The cooler has a ton of extra features if you want to mix and match colors and create your own palettes. They also have a huge library of pre-made color palettes for your inspiration.

I think many have heard about the profession of a web designer, but not everyone knows where it is taught and whether it is worth mastering this Internet profession. This material presents an interview with aspiring designer Irina, who used to work in an office, but decided to change direction and try to change her life.

How to become a web designer from scratch? Where to begin? How did you get into this craft?

Since childhood, I loved to draw, went to different drawing circles, but this did not become a profession. After school, I learned to think “in an adult way” and applied to the institute for an economist. Then for several years she worked in the banking sector, in the department.

But office life is very peculiar: there are many plans, instructions, special instructions (which are not) needed to survive in office madness. You can’t go to the hospital, otherwise they remind you that there is a crowd on the street who wants to take your place. In general, one day it all reached a boiling point, and I began to look for ways to get rid of this hell.

How to get started in web design - video

The plan was simple: to find out how people find work, but at the same time do not remain "captive" to the employer. By chance, I came across a video from the Internet, watched it and decided to try it, because I had nothing to lose.

I had to learn web design from scratch because I didn't know how to work in Photoshop. I had no doubts about the choice of direction, because I always loved to draw, and I also won prizes in the drawing competition. If with the help of drawing you can not only have fun, but also earn money, then this is even better.

Web designer: who is he and what does he do

The profession of a web designer is in great demand in the advertising services market and in the Internet. This specialist creates beautiful images for advertising, booklets, designs websites and landing pages. This is a specialist who draws and implements various graphic solutions - be it website graphics, booklets, one-page sites, etc. First of all, he is a creator who has the taste and skill of an artist, as well as the skills and knowledge of special technical programs. In fact, everything is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance.

What should a web designer be able to do?

He must be able to present the idea of the customer colorfully and convincingly. Sometimes clients themselves do not know how their website or landing page should look like. In this case, you still need to determine by what criteria he will evaluate the work, because there are customers who will change something all the time. So you will never get paid. You need to negotiate right away - if the customer does not know what he wants, then the designer himself must be able to determine his terms of reference and coordinate it with the client.

Should a web designer be able to draw?

This is optional, since you draw in the program, but it does not hurt. If a person has a creative mindset, then he can draw pictures in Photoshop with the pen tool. Although you can still do without this skill.

The most important thing that a design specialist should be able to do is create a user-friendly and understandable design that users will remember for a long time. If the picture of the site, for example, is beautiful, but the navigation itself is difficult for users, then this will cause dissatisfaction, and therefore the design itself will already be perceived differently. For this reason, first of all, you need to think about the convenience of the user and how to bring him joy.

It is easy to do a trial test - call someone from home and ask what is drawn. If they don’t understand your work within five minutes, then there is probably something to improve.

Learning web design from scratch: where to start

Where to start for a newbie? How to become a web designer from scratch? There are many options here. Some people try to master Photoshop on their own by intuition. Some succeed, I am familiar with such designers. But it is worth noting that they still continued their education under the guidance of experienced mentors, since the advice of a practitioner will never be superfluous.

Buying a book and mastering the work in the program according to the book is also an option, but it is for the most patient and diligent. Many will not even reach the middle of the allowance - they will get bored. The easiest way to learn Photoshop without knowing how to draw is to go to design courses.

The challenges of web design

There will be many difficulties here, especially for people without education in the field of computer programs. Of course, the courses will tell you how to become a web designer, but you need to be prepared for the fact that:

You have to study a lot;
Often will not work;
I want to quit everything;
Relatives will dissuade and not understand your inspiration;
It will take a lot of patience, especially when it comes time to look for a customer or employer;
After graduation, you need to continue learning.

How can these difficulties be avoided?

The presence of a teacher does not at all mean that he will now tell, show, and everything will work out right away. You need the personal active participation of the student himself, because there may be questions, and sometimes difficulties in completing the task. In this case, we must remember that not everything works out the first time, but in fact everything can be solved.

A master, as the well-known Latin phrase says, "is developed by practice." Of course, when the results of the work do not inspire and you want to send them with a roar to the trash, there is no need to talk about inspiration. But this is a normal process.

After all, children, when they try to learn how to ride a two-wheeled bicycle, constantly fall, rip off their knees in the blood, but they do not give up. In the process of mastering design, the same principle - you need to practice!

The desire to quit everything and not learn anything is natural in any business. This is where motivation comes in handy. Just answer yourself the question: why do you need design? If, as for me, to leave work and start doing what you like, then questions should not arise. You probably have a different goal to help overcome difficulties in mastering the profession.

Sometimes loved ones do not understand your hobbies, but this is normal. There are several options here. For example, you can open a job search website and show them the demand for a profession and salary. Or you can be patient until the first money, and then proudly show your own.

Aspiring designers may find it difficult to find an employer. How to become a web designer from scratch and get a job? You need to believe in yourself, but also practice and make yourself a good portfolio, because designers are accepted for
work on their work. If the design of your work impressed the customer, then there is a high probability of receiving an order from him.

When the courses are completed, I want to stretch and relax. In fact, for a beginner, everything is just beginning - you need to watch additional master classes, read books, get acquainted with the work of colleagues in the shop. This will raise the level of skill, which means
improve the quality of your work. How better work, the more designer orders!

Web design: the pros and cons of the profession

The advantages are obvious: with remote employment, there is more free time, the opportunity for self-expression and pleasant work, there is no salary cap if you really decide to become a good specialist.

The disadvantages include that you have to work a lot, but usually you want the result immediately after mastering the program.

Another disadvantage if the designer chose freelance is the constant search for customers, since they earn money on one-time orders.

There is competition, so you need to try to make your work more visible, but this is also a plus.

web designer earnings

Salary depends on which way of earning you choose. For example, on freelance, these can be orders from 100 rubles to 30,000 rubles. for one order. This figure is influenced by work experience, as well as the platform where you are looking for a customer. Everyone's prices are different.

If you decide to get a permanent job, then there, too, the price tag can fluctuate around 35,000 to 300,000 rubles. It depends on the employer, his requirements, the experience of the designer. A beginner will first earn in the region of 35,000 - 40,000 rubles.

For example, on the website hh.ru you can see offers for finding employees in this price range:

Or you can open your own design studio, here you can make bigger profits.

Why learn web design and how to do it better

If a person wants to improve and harmonize his life, he will look for a comfortable job. A designer just belongs to such professions, since it is possible to work from home.

I think that it is still better to master this direction in the courses. The profession of a web designer is in demand, they offer good salaries to specialists. Where to study as a web designer, of course, everyone decides for himself. When I was looking for where they teach to become a web designer, I came to staff-online courses.

Web design lessons from scratch: why Staff Online - there are a lot of offers on the market?

AT online school Staff Online tell how to become a web designer from scratch and find a remote employer. That is, already during the study, you can get the first orders. Here they help to create their portfolio, which will come in handy when looking for an employer. Another plus is working with a mentor. During training, many questions arise, the curator helps to successfully complete all tasks and helps with advice.

The training period is short - after a month of study, you can earn the first money. At first it may be a hundred rubles, but still nice.

Sites and services for web designers to find customers

It is easy for a web designer to understand how to search for customers. On job search sites or on freelance exchanges, you should look for orders:

kwork.ru- for one order you can earn from 500 rubles;
freelance.ru- here the cost of the order will be higher;
fl.ru- you can get orders for good amounts.

The demand for the profession of a web designer allows everyone to earn good money, but skill and the desire to please people with their work are still decisive in this profession.

Practice, believe in yourself and you will succeed!

Text- Korolkevich Nina (c) especially for

In contact with

And today I am writing one like it. Similar articles, but far from professions. The fact is that a web designer is a person who has every right not to understand the code at all, although it’s good for him to have at least a basic idea of how the site is transferred from the layout to the real Internet.

How to become a web designer from scratch and what does it take?

By analogy with the last article, I will first list what exactly you need to master this profession:

Learn how to work in PhotoShop or any other program where working with layers is possible. At the same time, you do not need to know Photoshop inside and out. According to statistics, web designers use only 10-15% of the program's capabilities.
Know how to design a website. That is, before drawing a layout, you should draw up at least an approximate drawing of the future project, this is a good practice among web designers, this is how the pros do it, which means you should learn.
Learn about the different types of website designs. For example, what is tech. design or flat design.
Be able to draw layouts with adaptive design. This means that you are drawing how the site will change on different screen resolutions. Today, this is almost a requirement because everyone wants to have a mobile-friendly website.
Understand the types of sites. Understand that what is suitable for a one-pager is absolutely not suitable for an information portal.
Find and use useful tools at work. The designer must learn how to use various auxiliary services that will simplify his work. For example, there are good services for website design, color matching, etc.

As you can see, you need to be able to do a lot of things, but mastering everything is not so difficult. Next, I will share with you useful links and recommendations on how to learn and become a web designer in the shortest possible time.

Where to learn a profession

Geekbrains - These guys have a 5 month training program that will take you completely from scratch to web design and create your first mockups. Geekbrains This is a super educational platform, the quality of education here is at the highest level.

Netology is an alternative. In terms of coolness, I don’t even know who is better: Geekbrains or Netology? The fact is that both sites have proven themselves very positively, thousands of people have already studied there and do not regret it. Yes, the prices for both are not the smallest, but in return you get training from the pros. And you can become a pro only if you are taught by a pro. The next web design education program starts here on May 20th. Both companies actively help their students find jobs after they graduate.

Webformyself - free web design lessons for those who want to try it without investing money. Also on the company's website there are a couple of very good paid courses for beginner designers.

Magisters.org/ - Finally, I found another site here, which, by the way, has a lot of free lessons on web technologies. There is also a course on Photoshop and drawing your first website layout. Since the course is objectively cooler than the others presented on the site, it is paid, but it costs only 1,500 rubles. Compared to training in Netology, this is 10-12 times less, but you also get less, but still the information is still of high quality and if you watch the lessons, you can really draw your own layout.

Well, on this I will probably end this post, I gave the main links, you just have to learn the profession, improve your skills and start making money on web design. Of course, the profession is not suitable for every person, so I recommend that you first decide whether this is what you would like to do in your life.

How to become a web designer from scratch is an urgent question for those who dream of building a successful career, earning money on the Internet or creating their own successful business. What are the features of this profession, what are the prospects for earning, where to look for customers, how much you can really earn - you will find answers to all these questions in this article.

The specialty of a web designer combines the creative abilities of an artist, the skills of an Internet marketer, and the technical knowledge of a programmer. A true professional must take into account hundreds technical requirements and nuances, to show creativity, resourcefulness and to be well versed in different areas, to be able to simultaneously solve several problems. A web designer has to take into account the features of HTML layout, the nuances search promotion sites, Internet sales technologies, find non-standard solutions that can make the site original and memorable.

Features of making money on web design

To make money on web design, you must not only master Photoshop and other graphic editors, but also be able to profitably present your services, find “fat” clients. The main customers for the "creator" are private webmasters, advertising agencies, web studios.

What does a web designer do?

The day of a web designer is very busy and scheduled literally by the minute. To achieve significant results in this area, you must have the following skills:

Proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, CorelDraw and other programs;
knowledge of HTML;
knowledge of Internet marketing, the basics of usability;
good sense of taste;
spatial and creative thinking;
experience in website development.

web designer salary

How much does a web designer earn and is it worth learning this profession? The salary of specialists depends on the experience in this field, the level of skill and professionalism, the ability to find customers and correctly set prices.

The average specialist earns from 50,000 to 200,000 per month of work. The best pros earn many times more. The minimum cost of one project is from 3000-4000 rubles. Optimal prices are 10-15 thousand rubles for 1 website.

Where to study as a web designer?

High-quality training is the basis for an easy start and a quick exit to a stable income. To become a web designer from scratch, you can get training in one of the following ways:

admission to the University;
registration for online courses and trainings;
self-education (reading books, watching video lessons, tutorials, videos on Youtube).

How to become a web designer in 8 steps?

To acquire theoretical knowledge, beginners must adhere to the following scheme:

Read 1-2 books on the basics of web design.
Master Photoshop to the level of an advanced user. Already at this stage, you can start earning your first money by custom-drawing banners, logos, infographic elements for websites, pictures for advertising posts on social networks, designing accounts, intros for videos for YouTube channels, on photo stocks, photo processing.
Learn the basics of HTML, CSS, layout principles, WordPress (it is on this platform that most of the web resources in Runet are built), get basic knowledge of web programming. This knowledge will help you understand the essence of website building, find a common language with customers and understand their requests, help you avoid possible errors site is still at the design stage.
Try to break down the structure of websites you like and replicate their designs for educational purposes.
Develop 3-5 website projects and make a detailed portfolio, effectively presenting yourself and your services (for this purpose, you can order a selling text from copywriters). A portfolio is a visiting card for a professional, by which customers evaluate you, so it is advisable to include your best work there.
Consider the prices for your services (it is advisable for novice webmasters not to overcharge and set a price tag 10-20% below the average market prices).
Get a WebMoney wallet to receive payments from customers.
Post your resume on all available sites to receive the first orders (freelance exchanges work-zilla.com, Fl.ru, freelance.ru, kwork.ru, bulletin boards, HR services, social networks). To get the first experience, it is important to choose.

In the process of interacting with the customer, do not be afraid to ask questions, after receiving the TOR, try to thoroughly find out what your client wants, ask to see those Internet pages that he likes and which does not.

Where to find vacancies and get the first orders for a web designer?

To search for orders, any methods are suitable:

Own site.
View vacancies on job boards and post your resume.
Freelance exchanges (freelance.ru, Fl.ru, Workzilla, Kwork) and remote work services.
Sending commercial offers to web studios, advertising agencies.
Forums for programmers, SEOs (communication with specialists from related professions will allow you to exchange clients).
Free constructors (for example, Insales, Wix and other services where design services may be required).