How to layout and design a web site.

Does anyone know of a web site that offers info on the basics of web design? How to layout and design a website? Not using HTML, CSS, Photoshop, as those are the tools, but something that teaches people that have little creative training to conceptualize the design of a site that visually looks good.

I see all these great looking web sites, but how do you develop the ability to do something like that? Is there a web site that helps people to learn how to do that sort of thing?

My other option is to find a good college or online course. Do you have any recommendations?

Is there a demand for this sort of thing? Is it better to settle with a web template? Should I bother spending the time to learn how get good at designing graphics for a web site?

Thanks.

I know HTML and Photoshop really well.

They're just tools. Knowing them doesn't make you a designer. Just like picking up a pencil doesn't mean you can draw.

I'm just trying to find out if there is any info out there that will help me in designing a web site the right way. I know it's a creative process, so it's not the easiest thing to teach or convey online. That's why I also asked if people would actually use a site like this if one did exist. Would you?

It takes a while to learn to design and downloading a template is so much easier and quicker although you don't have the self satisfaction of creating something yourself.

Thanks for the response.

It takes a creative eye, you need to look at many webpages or have a background in something artistic to be able to do what your asking. It cant be learnt like your asking.

Pay much much closer attention as you browse the web. Figure out what works and doesn't work. Menu scheme here, content scheme there. Then work on combining all these features that you like in to a functional site of your own.

Zen Garden is an amazing site for creativity. Lot of static sites, but you have no choice when things get to the level of some these.
http://www.csszengarden.com/

Yeah, I agree with mreine here; I personally know the tools you mentioned fairly well, but I ALWAYS struggle using them to make something that I think actually looks great.

I'm a coder, not a designer. Sadly, since I'm a front-end coder (xhtml/css/js), it puts me more in charge of colors, positioning, UI experience, etc.

It's a tough battle man, believe me. I really don't think it's something you can be tought through a course or book. You just have to be aware of what has worked for others, then put your own creative twist on it.

...and if you do come across a book, site, or course that teaches this, let us know =)

hey ,

i understand what you mean - you KNOW how to USE design programs like Photoshop but you have trouble actually creating a design that you actually like, or think is a really good layout or whatever.

Im kinda in the same situation, i know how to use these programs etc but i cant seem to create anything that i feel is half decent!?!?!

I guess my only suggestion is to PRACTICE! Find a site you like the look of and try to copy the whole site design yourself, this will improve not only your skills , but also might give you some ideas.

Just a suggestion

x

You should usually have an idea of what you want to do before you go into it, for example. If it was for a restraunt i would be thinking, food, tables drink.

Theres a theme.

I think everyone who designs websites wants to know the same answer. It's one of the things you never stop learning.
If it's any help, what I do is to search for and investigate various professional web-designer's portfolio's.
That doesn't mean copy someone else's sites, but you can be influenced by someone or something you see and like.
Start simple and build up, using what you like on their sites.
As you go on, you'll see the results improving each time you try something new, and your own 'style' will begin to emerge.

Incidentally, not just websites;
Look at paintings and photographs too.
Colours, colour combinations, composition, etc, etc.

Once you start to understand it all, then you can throw it all out of the window and start breaking a few rules too.

Hi there,
This is late, as a reply, but maybe helpful. It sounds to me like you have a distinct idea of what is and is not good design, because you know that you're not designing what you want to see. You need two different things and you can learn them both, but it takes practice and a willingness to learn. You need to know the basics of how a website works, layout wise, size wise, and then know how best to optimize your site. You need to know what is best for all monitor sizes, what loads fastest, how to create, and upload efficiently, and then the second part is very simply good graphic design. What you're seeing, when you see a beautifully designed site, is someone who knows theory of design, color combos, typography and everything else it takes to become a good graphic designer. When you see a site like that, it's because a graphic designer worked really hard to also learn site design, or a site designer went further and learned the principals of graphic design...study them both. Do a search on "layout and site design tutorials" or something of that nature, and then try the same thing with graphic design principals.

I know this is VERY late but what i have done, over the past few years is gone to sites such as w3s and learnt some skills. I would then put those into making a website to the best of my abilities, i would look around for really cool sites and improve mine more using the same techniques then i would come on sites and forums like these and get feedback and learn what fits best where. I still repeat all these things contantly - learning all the time.

I was going to recommend CSS Zen Garden as well. Oh, wow, this is an old thead.

Yeah....for sure!!