Are you creative and tech savvy?
Do you consider yourself passionate about both web technology and design?
If you find that your passions straddle both the technical and creative sides of the house, then it’s very likely that web design is for you.
A website is key for reaching global customers. According to the Daily Mail, about 70 new domains are registered and 571 new websites are created every minute. The demand for web designers exists.
Who exactly is a web designer?
I’ll explain in simple terms. Being a web designer is like being a cyber-architect – it’s sort of like creating a company’s building in cyberspace. In the same manner that an architect has to choose tools, locations and materials with care, a web designer has to pay careful attention to project requirements, use cases, UX, UI, and integrations with other systems.
Succeeding as a web designer requires confidence, passion, and ability. There are many talented designers out there, so setting yourself above the rest requires the resolve to keep going in the face of challenges and adversity.
Now we will share some tips for getting started on a web design career.
TO GET A DEGREE OR NOT
Most web designers are self motivated and acquire their skills and experience through free online resources. Then they apply their knowledge through consistent practice.
Many brick and mortar universities are now offering web design programs, as are many online universities. Students interested in a degree in website design may also want to consider art schools as well as technical institutes.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
Join a good web design forum and follow professional and experienced web designers – make them your peers and follow their advice. In addition, become a part of the larger web design community and get in touch with designers around the world. You can learn a lot from their mistakes and successes.
ACQUIRE BASIC SKILLS
There are certain sets of skills that are must haves for web designers. You will have to acquire the core knowledge of some basic programming languages including HTML, CSS, Javascript, Flash, PHP, ASP, jQuery and others.
In addition, a little knowledge of SEO will help your website to attract visitors. Also, for graphics editing, you have to get a basic mastery of an image editing package such as Photoshop. If you are thinking of moving into designing 3D models, then you should opt for learning 3D computer graphics software like 3D Studio Max, Maya, etc.
Web design requires constant learning. You have to continue improving your skills all the time – with patience and passion you’ll find it enjoyable.
PRACTICE
Practice, practice and practice!
Becoming competitive as a web designer requires a lot of hard work and practice. Practice all the time and view the world like a designer would see it – capture interesting and inspiring information and convert it into design.
Follow trends and find out what is new. Try out new things. Join freelancer forums, and practice a lot. Learn to fail often, so that you can learn and improve.
BUILD YOUR OWN PORTFOLIO
As a beginner, you won’t have any clients, so the best idea is to start making your own website portfolio. That will be a showcase for your work and allow folks to contact you.
Building your own website really shows off your skills. That’s even more important than having a resume.
A personal portfolio is all about promoting yourself. You are a brand and your name is a brand name – no one is going to know about your name unless you get into the arena.
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