Who would have told 3 years ago when I started to learn web design that it will go this way. I am so happy it went the right path. I guess not many people know that I have been working as web designer for about 14 months now. So here is a little balance what happened in those 3 years. This is specially dedicated to those of you guys who are considering web design as your carrier but are not sure what to do.
3 years ago…
I have chosen web designers course in Oxford Computer House. The course was provided by CIW Program. It is hard to say if it was the right chose in terms of web design education but it got me started and I have realized I got the passion for it and this is what I want to do in my life. There are so many people out there doing jobs they don’t like because of various reasons. They might be afraid to change and start something new, they might feel too old to start something new, the current job is bringing lots of money but they don’t like it or they just simple do not know what would they like to do. It’s not that easy to find the right job for you. So based on these lines the course I have chosen the right choice for me. It showed me the way. It did not bring all the right and actual information but it got me started. I have learned lot about computers, networking, protocols, servers etc. Stuff you would not normally study if you chose web design. But you know what? It is important. Specially if you like programming part of web development. It helps a lot. I have obviously study the necessary basic of web languages such are XHTML, CSS, Java-script, Flash and even some basic programming minimum. We learned how Photoshop, Flash, Dreamweaver works and that helped a lot as well. We did not get all the cutting edge technology information but hey that’s why the books are here.
Books
During the study I have realized that web design is not just about the fact how does it look but also about how does it work and when and why. I have bought few books from web standard evangelists which took me on the right direction. So if you are asking yourself if any course will be enough to get you job the answer is simply no. You need to prepare your eyes for a long reading hours. My course was taking me almost 2 years and I have spent most of the time reading my books and only small part of it reading the actual study material from CIW.
Experimenting with the little knowledge
Once I have learned some basic HTML, CSS and Photoshop skills and I have decided I want to build my own blog. I looked around and found out that the most used and free option is Wordpress. I download it and start playing with it. After couple of months the spring theme was done. I was very happy when I saw my blog listed in all those css galleries and even mentioned twice in Smashing Magazine. Most of you probably do not know that spring version was actually version number 2. The first version of my blog was just hand-coded HTML with really funny looking CSS where I was manually updating the home page when I wrote a new article. This was even short time before I started my course. The most funny thing is that I had no idea that you can actually create gradient in a tool like Photoshop so I was putting lines 1px tall next to each other to get the gradient effect. It really brings big smile on my face.
First job
As I have said at the beginning I have been working as web designer for 14 months now. I was very lucky when I was looking for a job after I finished my CIW course. The first interview I went to I was offered a job but the most important is that the amount of information I got during these 14 months is lot more I could get during my studying. I have specially learned about processes and workflows which you can not learn in school. I learned a lot from my managers and colleagues. If you would be thinking that now when you have a job you can stop studying I would say no again. There is so much to learn and people from outside the web designers community will probably never realize that. I keep on buying books and paying my evening courses. I am sure it is the best investment to my future.
Blog 3.0 coffee theme
After about 6 months in professional industry I have realized I should put the stuff I learned into a new project so the new blog was born in September this year which was little celebration – one year in my web profession. The blog has been so far listed in lots of different galleries and even went into the final of the Wordpress coolest blog competition.
Thank you
I would like to thank all the lovely people for a excellent support, for presenting my work in all these galleries and for all those lovely emails and job offers I got during these 2 months. Thank you all. I hope you will be coming to follow my progress and telling me about yours.
The list of the galleries and article where the blog has been presented since September 2008.
- CSS Mania
- Spyremag
- Faveup
- CSS Elite
- Screenfluent
- CSS Leak
- WP Webhost
- CSS Based
- CSS Cream
- Vandelaydesign
- Julius design
- Cool blog theme
- CSS Design Yorkshire
- Share brain
- Spoonfeddesign
- Boogiesbc
- CSS Impress
- Nice Stylesheet
- Daily Slurp
- Old Screen Fluent
- Vivee
- CSS Bahcesi
- Dr.Web Magazin
- Dakr-i
- I love blog design
… and lot more… Thank you all!
Questions for you
What was your path into web design? Are you only considering to become web designer? What steps do you take? Are you web designer and you do not enjoy your work? Tell us about it.
Comments
My story is a special one. I have taken a very unusual path to getting to where I am now.
I discovered web development with Flash when I was 13 or so, but I dismissed Flash quite rapidly when I learned about HTML, CSS and coding for the web in general. My designing skills only come from practice and experimentation as I find this is the best way to learn anything, really.
Throughout the years I’ve done mutliple contracts: small php script integrations, full-blown CMS integration, web design. Providing customers with a complete service.
I have never attended a single course in web design, but as I built a network of contacts, at the age of 19 I was hired (and I dropped out of college) by a medium sized company here in Montreal as a web designer. I started just as that. I pursued my learning as a self-taught web developer and eventually became good at usability and I was promoted to “user experience designer”.
On the side at home, I love to learn all about web development, I think everyone working in that field should touch all of its aspect to master it. The possibilities are endless and so are the resources to learn to accomplish the ever-complex projects of today’s web.
I’ve had a few courses of basic coding here and there, did a few projects to practice… I’m currently learning Rails and often come across a project where I need to use PHP, so I have to stay sharp in that area too. I’m not a “project manager” at the same company, overseeing the development of many project simultaneously.
All of this is not to brag or anything, really. I know how it can sound :( It’s mostly to illustrate that experience in invaluable and that in the web development field of work, you can learn from the very platform you’re developing for: the worldwide web. Then you can become a 20-year-old agile project manager ;)
Obviously you have way more design skills than I do. Your website is really well done. Congrats on that!
Keep up the good work, your articles are truly inspiring and hopefully people will create their own luck with the knowledge of your steps to becoming a web designer.
@Jerome thank you so much for your story. I can see how happy you are from the progress you have made during all those years. Well done!
I have gone through couple of different job titles in my carrier, working in finance, law or IT, industries but also as salesman of suits and shirts in the menswear shop during my studying or even working as door man in the hotel (my first job when I was 18). After all those years I found what I like. Better later then never!
If you started in age 13 your knowledge must be pretty huge and you have wonderful carrier in front of you. Wishing you all the best!
We have different stories but we are both happy where we are and that is the most important.
Continue the good job !
Experimenting with the little knowledge is the best thing to do, I did the same and now I making money with my websites!
There is no secret, learn, learn again, and then you know…
@在法国 exactly right, there are no shortcuts in our industry, the only way to go forward is studying,
Hey guys! Gotta agree, the right path has to be found by individual; not everyone it that lucky though. I guess that have found mine, this is the story:
After the elementary school, aimed to german language, I was disgusted; thinking ok, maybe I am a technical type. With this certitude I came to the technical high school, more precisely electronics. In the 4th year just before the finals was asking myself: what the hell am I doing here? (the true is that I was not an upright student, but who was at the age of 15?)
When thinking what to do after decided for a business university, where at the second year of studies went for “IT and internet in business” field. After a couple of HTML hours was pretty happy with the choice; until PHP came. Realized, that this really is not my kind of thing. I have started to be nervous again.
The second semestr went as an exchange student to Helsinki, where took some design classes (where everyone can choose those, not only talented people :). I was quite amazed, so started to have some photoshop fun during my free time. The most difficult thing I have had to accomplish was a basic php eshop the semester after when back home.
Finally the 3rd year of my studies was practising at a design studio (web+print) in Finland again, where I have discovered, that this could be the path of mine. Almost every project here was accomplished in Photoshop, so some true troubles were just arising when back home searching for the real agency job.
I have applied to one in Prague, they were fine looking with variety of clients. Too bad for me that didn’t even know what a print pdf means :) It was about the worst half year of my life. I had to learn Illustrator swiftly to survive. Now, I have almost completely switched to print.
My conclusion after two years is, that if you are really interested, exerting effort, progress is possible. However it is essential to find the right direction first.
Thanks @Peter for sharing your story. It sounds very interesting. Usually people go from print to web design. It was other way round in your case. I guess it does not happen very often.
The most important is that you do what you like and what makes you happy. I would say that there is a nice bridge between print and web and we can walk from one side to another if we keep our minds open to creative ideas. They both have their specifics but they have so much in common. As it looks its going to be even more in the future. Grids, typography etc. It all comes from print and it has already found its firm place in web design.
Let talk about our progress in couple of months. We can all keep motivated by each others work and ideas.