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Best Ways to Learn Graphics Design for the Web?
ConceptDog asks: "I consider myself a fairly good web programmer. In fact, my job evolved from just fixing PC's to being lead designer for most of the new web applications for my company. I'm comfortable with formatting things using CSS, however the one thing that has always escaped me is designing custom graphics for my sites. I'd like to be able to create buttons and interesting backgrounds to punch up my designs and use in other media (Flash for example). I've always had a problem with art. I really can't draw a straight line with a ruler. What are some methods and resources others with more language oriented backgrounds have used to help make the step from just a web programmer to a real web designer?"
Good idea, actually. I think places like Drawspace (http://www.drawspace.com/) are very useful.
As a graphics designer (among other things), I vehemently reject the notion that graphics design is some magic art that only a circle of "gifted creatives" can practice. This, I cannot help but believe, is sheer balderdash, created by designers to reinforce the illusion that they are indispensible wizards. Though I was interested in art from day one, and cannot speak from personal experience, I believe that it is possible for anyone to develop the creative skills neccessary to become a good artist or graphics designer, and the fact that the poster has shown an interest is probably the single greatest hurdle. With that said, I would reccommend the following course of action: 1. Go to a bookstore and take a look at the various books they might have on graphics design, perhaps picking up one or two of interest. Visit the galleries on aiga.org. Learn to appreciate graphic design as an art, study the works of the great figures in the discipline (Paul Rand, William Golden, Saul Bass, Massimo Vignelli, et cetera), and get an understanding of the differences in style and the subtleties of different types of graphics. 2. Before deciding whether or not to commit to graphics design, download an open source app and play around with it. Try various typographic treatments, try creating web buttons, and do other practice work. See if it's a process you find enjoyable. Keep experimenting until you start to really like what you see. 3. If you have trouble coming up with design ideas, you might try playing a computer game that requires or stimulates creativity regarding design - building houses in The Sims would probably be the best example of that. If you like what you see in your studies of design, then I would encourage you to pursue it further. If you find typography, color management, and the other aspects of the discipline to be exceedingly dull after studying them for a bit, then you should probably avoid wasting your time (and your clients money) going after it, but don't come to that conclusion until you've played around with it. Remember, though, it's a serious discipline, and you won't achieve good results unless you respect it.