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.

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.

There is no secret, learn, learn again, and then you know…

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.

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.