I have learned HTML, CSS and CSS3, but I am unable to design a complete webpage. What should I do to learn to use them to build a website?
You have to be aware that HTML/CSS/CSS3 is a Front-end development skill and not web design. Though It's a practical skill to have if you're a web designer because one, you can easily implement your design from your mock-ups/wireframe and two, you know the best practices and limitations of the web.
Like you, I learned HTML right away before learning web design. I also struggled when completing designs so I did my research and found out that I have to start from its very foundation. Graphic Design, and to jump straight to what I think are important to learn if you want to be a web designer are:
Sadly, having to design a complete web page doesn't end there. You can't design something if you don't have content. As many people quote and say, "Content is King". It is. You can't layout or do any design without it. It's important to know the content of the page you want to design. Though there are typical design elements and sections that a webpage should have like brand logo, navigation and footer, you still need to figure out your content. If you're struggling to produce a complete web page, maybe because you haven't figured out what and where to put things(content) or simply because you don't have enough content in the first place. One more thing that I highly recommend you to learn if you want to cope with this dilemma is Information Architecture. Basically, it just means organizing content properly.
Here's a list of recommended exercises you can do to improve your skills and get use to it:
- Redesign a web page/site you don't like. Something that looks like it was from the past.
- Design a web page for your favorite brand(s)/celebrity. It could be about your favorite shoes or your favorite band. And yes, I need to stop saying 'favorite'.
- Design a web page for a fictitious product, service or company. Do you have a crazy idea? An app or something that you think that will change the world? Go ahead, create a web page about it.
Lastly, I highly recommend you to immerse and digest design materials. It can be books, articles or just screenshots/images/design studies from Behance and/or Pinterest. This will inspire you and hopefully open your eyes for good design.
Hope this helps :)
Update: Here's an Inspiring person who built 180 websites in 180 days.
180 Websites in 180 Days: How I Learned to Code - Lean In
Like you, I learned HTML right away before learning web design. I also struggled when completing designs so I did my research and found out that I have to start from its very foundation. Graphic Design, and to jump straight to what I think are important to learn if you want to be a web designer are:
- Typography. You have to learn how to properly choose the right fonts(typefaces). This also includes proper combinations of fonts. You can easily produce beautiful designs if you'll use the right fonts for your project(s). Quick tip. Use 1-2 fonts (maximum of 3 if necessary), I highly recommend as a starter to use families of fonts. I also recommend you to watch Helvetica(documentary).
- Grid and Layout. This is very much important if you want to achieve organization and balance with your design. Learn a few things about the rule of thirds/golden rule. You will heavily rely on grid more specially in web design, this will also help you create modular designs on the way, aesthetically and front-end coding wise. Famous frameworks like Twitter Bootstrap, Zurb's Foundation, Skeleton and the likes, uses and promotes grids.
- Color Theory. This part is probably my hardest struggle when I was just starting out. Like you, I immediately learn how to code and without proper knowledge how to use colors, I never was able to produce anything that I'm happy or proud of. Having a solid foundation of how colors work, how and where to use them will help you in the long run. Web design or just even when you just need to produce banners or graphic assets.
Sadly, having to design a complete web page doesn't end there. You can't design something if you don't have content. As many people quote and say, "Content is King". It is. You can't layout or do any design without it. It's important to know the content of the page you want to design. Though there are typical design elements and sections that a webpage should have like brand logo, navigation and footer, you still need to figure out your content. If you're struggling to produce a complete web page, maybe because you haven't figured out what and where to put things(content) or simply because you don't have enough content in the first place. One more thing that I highly recommend you to learn if you want to cope with this dilemma is Information Architecture. Basically, it just means organizing content properly.
Here's a list of recommended exercises you can do to improve your skills and get use to it:
- Redesign a web page/site you don't like. Something that looks like it was from the past.
- Design a web page for your favorite brand(s)/celebrity. It could be about your favorite shoes or your favorite band. And yes, I need to stop saying 'favorite'.
- Design a web page for a fictitious product, service or company. Do you have a crazy idea? An app or something that you think that will change the world? Go ahead, create a web page about it.
Lastly, I highly recommend you to immerse and digest design materials. It can be books, articles or just screenshots/images/design studies from Behance and/or Pinterest. This will inspire you and hopefully open your eyes for good design.
Hope this helps :)
Update: Here's an Inspiring person who built 180 websites in 180 days.
180 Websites in 180 Days: How I Learned to Code - Lean In
0 comments: