How I became a graphic designer (you can too)

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RonJaxon

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I didn't notice this forum has a section on websites. I've only spent a little time in other areas of the forum till now.

Anyway, I'm now a graphic designer. I designed many websites and maintain quite a few. I also design logo's, magazine adds and so forth. So I just thought I'd walk you through how I learned to design websites for I never took any classes on it. I'm self taught and I can provide you with the same process I went through to learn how. It's my hopes that someone who is looking to learn how to do this will find this post and have a little information to get you started.

For me it all started some years ago when I wanted a website for my magic. I wanted a website to put on my business card so people can visit and learn more about my magic shows and hopefully book me for their events. I also wanted to sell the magic tricks I have invented to other magicians. Back then I had very little money so I researched and learn how to make them myself.

The first thing I suggest you do is to go to htmlgoodies.com and go through the "Primers" that teach HTML. You'll find the primers in the menu on the above link. The site teaches very well and uses plain English. If they introduce you to a new term they'll explain it to you in a way that's easy to understand so by the time you are done you'll not only have an understanding of how HTML (PERL, JAVA, CGI, etc...) works but you'll also learn the terms and lingo. So it's a very good site to learn from.

Now even if you decide to use a website design program that uses features like drag and drop for the images. Knowing the basics of HTML is still beneficial so I still suggest you learn it. The above site is the best place I've found for it so far.

For images designing I use photoshop. If you get photoshop do a google search for photoshop tutorials. Visit these sties and learn how to make different effects. This can be challenging but also a lot of fun when you're work finally comes together. Learn as many as you can for you never know when an effect will be useful later on your website. You might look at an image on your site and think to yourself, "That would look better with a shadow on it or a glow around it".

Now, if you're just making a website for yourself then there are many short cuts. For example search for ready made website templates and just alter them to your needs. One such site is freelayouts.com. Go there and look around at the website templates. Find ones that appeal to you and download them. Maybe you'll like the layout but not the color. When you download the layout look around at the images and HTML that come with it. You'll be able to see how it's put together and alter it to your liking. With the tools you learned from htmlgoodies.com and the practice with the photoshop tutorials. You'll be able to alter any design you might find.

Anyway, that's about it for the basics. I just thought I'd share these basics and resources for anyone who is now looking into making their own website. I hope it helps someone. Feel free to contact me if you run into trouble. If I can find the answer perhaps I can find someone who can.

Ron Jaxon
 
That's great!

I forgot to press a button to post it here. I lost it so I have to do it again.

I have an Apple G5 desktop and Studio 8. I bought a FileMaker 9 and I was told to buy a FileMaker 9 Server for the database on my Dreamweaver 8. It's for a search box to let someone to search on my website only - without a Google engine or others. I don't want to buy the FM 9 Server for $1,500 so I have to wait for the price to go down.

I do not know whether they are lying to me that I have to get that software, FM 9 Server.

I am sure that it is a good idea to make HTML by handwork. But, it takes a very long time to finish it. How do you make a website with a search box without a FileMaker Server?
 
webexplorer said:
That's great!

I forgot to press a button to post it here. I lost it so I have to do it again.

I have an Apple G5 desktop and Studio 8. I bought a FileMaker 9 and I was told to buy a FileMaker 9 Server for the database on my Dreamweaver 8. It's for a search box to let someone to search on my website only - without a Google engine or others. I don't want to buy the FM 9 Server for $1,500 so I have to wait for the price to go down.

I do not know whether they are lying to me that I have to get that software, FM 9 Server.

I am sure that it is a good idea to make HTML by handwork. But, it takes a very long time to finish it. How do you make a website with a search box without a FileMaker Server?
Click to expand...

Quick reply coz I got to go...

First of all good on you for pursuing your dreams..:) I wish I was as lucky as you, but my city (Melbourne) isn't exactly the capital of the creative area.

As for web explorer's post... I may be wrong, but I don't think you need Filemaker 9 Server to create a website that has a search feature, because you only need to create a database, which is what Filemaker is designed to do. Once you create a database, you need to find an hosting service that meets your requirements. For example, you may need a host that supports Filemaker databases, and ASP server-side language to link your website and database. There are plenty of tutorials. E.g. Creating ASP pages using FileMaker and Dreamweaver

As for hand coding HTML... If you can hand code webpages, then you will likely have a better understanding of how to construct webpages. It may also be a useful skill to use when modifying existing webpages that someone created.
 
I have thought about a host service. I think I rather want to try without a host to see if I able to make my own database. But, I cannot do it now because I don't know where to start with - Do I have to do it in FileMaker 9 first in order to create a database for Dreamweaver 8?

By the way, I am not sure what you mean about your area is not exact place. I think that it is a beautiful city in Australia. You could create a lot of things in the city for your website. You might be surprise to find things that you already know about, and some people don't even thought about it. Is your city safe to walk around?

I used to live in Springfield, Massachusetts and Hartford, Connecticut. The cities are not safe anymore. I was very disappointed that too many poor people are walking around in the city because young people are hanging out outside with their drinking alcoholic and a brown bag in it. Some of them were looking for a trouble. I decided to move out of these cities. Now, I live in a nice town, and my property tax is not cheap to me.
 
As far a search box that will only search your own site. There are a number of ways to do this. Some are better then others but most will work well enough. Think about the fact that a site search box isn't usually all that crusial and not used all that much. Especially if you spend some time to make your site easy to navigate.

Having said that. Do a google search for "site search box script" and you'll find many ways to do it. Some will require database, some will use jajascript and some will be remote host (This is my least favorite option for it means you hav eot rely on someone elses site and often contains spam of some kind). So there are many ways to accomplish this and many of them are free.

I'll tell you this and I know you already know this. Many programs aren't cheap. I've designed about 30 sites now. I maintain 8 (Meaing I update them when needed). The largest site I've designed and maintain sells over 8,000 products. I'm only mentioning this because I want to make the point that you don't have to spend loads of money to get the jobs done.

The only programs I currently use for my website designing and maintaining right now are CuteFTP (pro), Photoshop and just plain old windows notepad. Sure, there are programs that could make some things a little easier but they usually aren't nessicary for most sites.

One more little tip. If you're making a business site then it would be a good diea to learn about some of the most popular shopping cart systems that are out there. They may take a while to understand them for many of them are used very differently.


Ron Jaxon
 
I suggest to learn HTML then CSS. Very effective.

Best bonus on the side with your skill of HMTL and CSS is flash/actionscript.

It'll help you so much in your area.
 
I just bought a book yesterday. It's called, "FileMaker Web Publishing - A Complete Guide to use the API for PHP." It is written by Allyson Olm, Stephen Knight, and Michael Petrov. (2008)

When I have time, then I will start reading the book.

You made many products using the Photoshop, and put the photos in a folder(s). That's a lot of work! If you have a database for this folder, you would save a lot of time. Isn't that right?

I was told that FileMaker Server 9 Advanced is only one that contains ODBC/JDBC Data Source. This is where you want to use for a search box. I wish that it comes with FileMaker Pro 9. I think that I am pretty greedy to have my own computer here and hook up to a host service on the internet. Isn't it called a dedicated server or virtual server?

I see that there is some list of site search box script on Google. I think I read that it could be scam links. I don't know. I am not expert in javascript. The problem is that I don't want to learn everything. I believe that creating a website, on Dreamweaver 8, is a lot of work and meets the standard browsers.
 
You work as graphic designer now? How did you find a company that will hire you without a degree in graphic designing? I know basic HTML and I could work on it some more if I knew that I can get hired.
 
I'm fully interested in graphic design, I got accepted at Gally but not start until no later than 2010 due financial issue.
 
To become a graphic designer, you must first possess the ability to stare at a computer screen for a long period of time.
 
doofenslim said:
To become a graphic designer, you must first possess the ability to stare at a computer screen for a long period of time.
Click to expand...

lol, this is true... u DO need to have that ability whether u are a print-based graphic designer, a web-based graphic designer, or even a photographer.
i'm both a photog & graphic designer (print) AND im deaf, so between Photoshop and AIM/email... um yeah... i do have eye strain occasionally! :giggle:
 
sirena rossa said:
lol, this is true... u DO need to have that ability whether u are a print-based graphic designer, a web-based graphic designer, or even a photographer.
i'm both a photog & graphic designer (print) AND im deaf, so between Photoshop and AIM/email... um yeah... i do have eye strain occasionally! :giggle:
Click to expand...

Don't use a tube computer monitor at work. Use a flat monitor. It is so important to take a break once a while. I was a graphic designer and photographer. In case, you should get a flat one because of the ADA or OSHA requirement.
 
Yeah, I wear glasses because I was involved in graphic work for so many years. Before Photoshop, if you wanted to draw something, you had to make do with basic tools and ultimately put your design together pixel by pixel.

A lot of graphic designers, especially those involved in print industry, still use CRT monitors, because most LCDs cannot reproduce the colours as good as CRT. But, there are good LCD monitors designed for graphic designers, providing you are willing to spend big $$$. :)
 
omegaman said:
Yeah, I wear glasses because I was involved in graphic work for so many years. Before Photoshop, if you wanted to draw something, you had to make do with basic tools and ultimately put your design together pixel by pixel.

A lot of graphic designers, especially those involved in print industry, still use CRT monitors, because most LCDs cannot reproduce the colours as good as CRT. But, there are good LCD monitors designed for graphic designers, providing you are willing to spend big $$$. :)
Click to expand...

Did you know that there are many devices that use the color calibrations on flat monitors? A device almost looks like a mouse that stick on the monitor which takes a few minutes maybe 10 minutes to make the colors accurate.

I googled one website, and here is an example - Calibration-Direct Home Page

Maybe, your boss have one that you did not know about. Just check if your boss has a flat monitor in his/her office. If your boss has the flat monitor or a calibration mouse-device, then there is something wrong with your department. Some bosses have sick mind that they don't care about their employees for a money reason.

I forgot to tell you that a CRT monitor will not be on the display at a store in the future - maybe starting next year. Many owners of their printing company are not sure because they have not asked their supervisor of a computer department about it. Some supervisors can't ask their owner about it. That's conflict due the money issue. Some presidents are unfriendly... it is really hard... I think you know what I mean.
 
Buffalo said:
You work as graphic designer now? How did you find a company that will hire you without a degree in graphic designing? I know basic HTML and I could work on it some more if I knew that I can get hired.
Click to expand...

When I first started out I just learned for my own use so I could design my website, business cards and eventually my magazine adds for my own products. I'm a pretty well known professional magician so it was mainly other magicians who started hiring me to do graphic design work when they found out I designed my stuff. Slowly word spread and the next thing I know I'm being hired to do graphic design work.

Just thought I'd answer that question. If you learn it and do a half way decent job there is money to be made in it. It's helping to pay the bills anyway. :)

Ron Jaxon
 
RonJaxon said:
When I first started out I just learned for my own use so I could design my website, business cards and eventually my magazine adds for my own products. I'm a pretty well known professional magician so it was mainly other magicians who started hiring me to do graphic design work when they found out I designed my stuff. Slowly word spread and the next thing I know I'm being hired to do graphic design work.

Just thought I'd answer that question. If you learn it and do a half way decent job there is money to be made in it. It's helping to pay the bills anyway. :)

Ron Jaxon
Click to expand...


I'm so confused, I need to know something.

Are you Ron the Magician Sign Language Interpreter from Redding, California? Same name, same title. But graphic design is new.
 
I'm definitely not an interpreter because I'm deaf and I'm in Michigan. So nope. I'm not him.

Ron Jaxon
 
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