Calling all Web Design Gurus!

Hi everyone.

I'm looking for some guidance regarding web design/web site building, specifically courses in photoshop. Is it possible to learn the required skills using free online courses rather than paying a hefty sum for a full photoshop course? And which part of photoshop is used for this?

I'm embarrassingly lacking in knowledge of how web sites are created - the basic foundations etc. Wondering if someone would be kind enough to share their knowledge with me and point me in the right direction.

Thankyou in advance.

Comments

  • DaedrothDaedroth Posts: 3,065
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    Photoshop is purely an image manipulation programme. For web design, you want to learn HTML, PHP, CSS, and other languages. These can be learnt at home. Check out W3C for more information.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 396
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    Ok. I appreciate your help. Thankyou very much :)
  • c4rvc4rv Posts: 29,538
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    What are you trying to achieve here ? It may be cheaper to pay somebody else if its a one off jog, it could take you hundreds of hours of training to get proficient.
  • martytoomartytoo Posts: 1,672
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    c4rv wrote: »
    What are you trying to achieve here ? It may be cheaper to pay somebody else if its a one off jog, it could take you hundreds of hours of training to get proficient.

    Nonsense, use a decent web page builder such as Microsoft Expression Web (http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=36179) which is now available free and if you can use a keyboard and mouse you can build a web page in minutes. What's more by using the Split view you can learn some HTML code at the same time.
    there are quite a few FREE web Page/HTML editors available.
    Depending on exactly what the O.P. wants from a site a number of several free hosting services also include a free site builder which you can use just like a Word Processor.
  • MaxatoriaMaxatoria Posts: 17,980
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    Work out what you want to see on the screen and perhaps drawing a few rough layouts on paper is always a good start, other things like forums etc if you want them you can add them in at the start and not suddenly have to spend hours trying to bolt on some crappy code to try and get it to work

    For basic stuff theres loads of themes for stuff like wordpress where you just add your own pictures/text as the rest is done for you

    but as c4rv states if its major in design and needing a lot of custom coding getting the work done by a pro would be much better and please no embeded .wavs or flashing gifs along with the trailing javascript cursors please
  • chenkschenks Posts: 13,231
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    Maxatoria wrote: »
    and please no embeded .wavs or flashing gifs along with the trailing javascript cursors please

    http://www.homerswebpage.com/
  • John259John259 Posts: 28,323
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    Many web sites are now created and maintained online using a CMS (Content Management System) such as Joomla or WordPress. IMHO that's probably the best type of web site creation system to learn at the moment.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Content_management_system
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_content_management_systems
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joomla
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WordPress
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 396
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    I want to learn from scratch. I have a part-time apprenticeship set up with a company, starting soon. They are starting me off with internet marketing, and I'm to look at courses I can do by myself. The directors will be available to help and to answer my questions. The aim of all this is to eventually be able to build custom pages from scratch. I'm willing to put in hundreds of hours, but not hundreds or thousands of pounds. I just need to know where to begin and which route to follow. I will have guidance on this from the company, just wanted to ask about and see what your opinions are, especially if you are a professional in this field.

    My ultimate goal is to have skills I can use anywhere, at any time. I have a school-age child (and therefore school hours in which to learn) and need something that is fairly flexible if he is ill, or I need to be at home for any reason. My husband works away a lot, so the bulk of the childcare falls on my shoulders. I guess I've lost a bit of confidence being out of the 'system' for a few years.

    I work now as a photographer, which can be fitted around most things. Would like to add a few more flexible strings to my bow!

    With regards to the photoshop, I got confused - I need to find tutorials on creating graphics, Free ones hopefully!
  • mred2000mred2000 Posts: 10,050
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    Internet marketing and web design are not necessarily the same thing...

    Anyway, for creating graphics you'll need a grounding in Photoshop and Illustrator. If you'll be using these packages in the workplace then they should be able to set you up with copies for using on a home machine - the proviso being that they are only to be used for their work (well, if you worked there full-time this would be the case, not sure about part-time apprenticeships...)

    With web design itself, it's no longer a case of just learning HTML, and the above posts from Daedroth, Maxatoria and John259 point you in some good directions.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 396
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    I know they're not the same, but I guess they are intertwined.

    Luckily, I have Photoshop and Illustrator. Need to stop the self-doubt and take the plunge!
  • mountymounty Posts: 19,141
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    A web design course would help you pick up the basics as it can be frustrating trying to learn this sort of thing on your own. If you're only interested in web design and not web development then learning the basics of design and HTML / CSS would be enough.
  • c4rvc4rv Posts: 29,538
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    martytoo wrote: »
    Nonsense, use a decent web page builder such as Microsoft Expression Web (http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=36179) which is now available free and if you can use a keyboard and mouse you can build a web page in minutes. What's more by using the Split view you can learn some HTML code at the same time.
    there are quite a few FREE web Page/HTML editors available.
    Depending on exactly what the O.P. wants from a site a number of several free hosting services also include a free site builder which you can use just like a Word Processor.

    Depends on what Op is trying to achieve.
  • John259John259 Posts: 28,323
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    IMHO at this state of your knowledge it would be worth skimming through as many relevant Wikipedia articles as possible just to discover what software, services and techniques for web site creation are available, to get an idea of what each of them does.

    You can then decide which specific areas would be best to concentrate on.
  • John259John259 Posts: 28,323
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    Another idea: taking a look at some web development forums might be very educational. Here's one such forum, which I think you can access on a read-only basis without needing to register:
    http://windowssecrets.com/forums/forumdisplay.php/21-Web-Design-Development
  • Mr DosMr Dos Posts: 3,637
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    re the OP wanting to learn Photoshop - Photoshop User TV is a fun, free, weekly half hour video show from experts in the field. They usually showcase the latest features, which may not be of use if you have an older version, but you still pick up tips. Past episodes are available on the site.

    http://kelbytv.com/photoshopusertv/
  • albertdalbertd Posts: 14,341
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    Seer wrote: »
    I just need to know where to begin and which route to follow. I will have guidance on this from the company....
    Probably just as well to wait and see what software they use before you go off at a tangent with something else and then have to unlearn what you have done.
  • John259John259 Posts: 28,323
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    Seer wrote: »
    They are starting me off with internet marketing
    This would definitely be worth a read I think:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_advertising
  • coolercooler Posts: 13,024
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    If your venturing into internet marketing, be careful of the Warrior forum. There are good marketers on there which provide sound advice, but there is a huge amount of phony's and get rich "WSO" scams with ludicrous income claims. Worser still, these phony's are backed up by the people who run the place.

    On of the most frequent and popular posters in the Main discussion forum is "Alexa Smith", with over 20,000 posts to this date. This member pitches themselves as an attractive 23 yr old young woman who earns over $10,000 a month with Clickbank via article sydication and list building.

    But it's been revealed that the member "Alexa Smith" is a 56 yr old man from Leeds, suducing desperate newbies into thinking they can earn a full time living with article syndication. Read the details here-
    http://www.theantiwarrior.com/?p=1702

    Despite being a member since September 2008 and known as a "successful go to Warrior" and sharing loads of "advice", Alexa Smith has never once appeared on video or Skyped with any fellow Warrior. It's not hard to understand why.

    Another member "MYOB", who obscenely claims his company turns over $500,000,000 a year via selling high ticket products via article sydication. Read more on him here- http://www.warriorforumsucks.com/2012/06/paul-uhl-warrior-forum-liar.html

    Any attempt to uncover the real truth behind these frauds like Alexa Smith is quickly put to bed by the moderators. They delete your posts or even worser ban you. Bottom line is, keep your eyes well and truely open if you visit the WF and be skeptical of everything.
  • dont_be_hastydont_be_hasty Posts: 214
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    You should try the w3school website - http://www.w3schools.com/

    I always found this site to be good when it came to learning website development. They give loads of example code to help as well.
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