Hello everyone, like I said in the presentation thread I'm studying web design (and I also come from Italy, so I don't speak english very well).

 

Up to now I've studied basic html, xhtml (Designing with Web Standards (3rd Edition)), css3, usability (don't make me think) and a bit of tipography and color notions (The Principles of Beautiful Web Design, 2nd Edition).

 

In the last years I've studied at school html4, css2.1 and a bit of javascript, php and database so I'm not totally extraneus to this world, but I'm completely ignorant in the graphic field.

 

How can I solve this situation? Could you give me some advice about the experience to do and the books to buy?

 

Thanks in advance for the - I'm pretty sure - really good advices, bye!

Edited December 17, 201114 yr by mtt19

You need to sit down and figure out what direction you want to take. Yes you could try being an all round web developer/designer but it's just making life difficult for yourself.

 

Pick which one you want to do (design or development) and then pick an area that interests you within those areas. For instance, you may decide you prefer to develop and that your weapon of choice may be Ruby.

You need to sit down and figure out what direction you want to take. Yes you could try being an all round web developer/designer but it's just making life difficult for yourself.

 

Pick which one you want to do (design or development) and then pick an area that interests you within those areas. For instance, you may decide you prefer to develop and that your weapon of choice may be Ruby.

Hi, thanks for the answer.

 

I'd prefer to be a web designer or at least a front-end developer, but in Italy the people who want to do this beautiful job have to know graphic design, front-end development and usually back-end one too (as a freelancer, I mean, and in this time is the only possibility, no one is assuming in my country), so I'm a bit confused about my career.

 

The fact is that with my experience (almost zero, I'm just a student with basic adknowledge of html, css, javascript and php because I've studied IT in the high school, but in a really poor way, so I have to re-learn almost everything) I can't find partners, so I should do the entire websites on my own, for the moment.

 

How the things work in UK to become a web designer (or front-end dev.)? If I specialize in ONE field, like front-end development (html, css, jquery and a some cms like wordpress) how can I do a good portfolio to come in UK?

 

Do the company take people without experience in the internship or Should I have first a really good portfolio with my works?

 

Hope you can solve my questions and sorry for my bad english

in Italy the people who want to do this beautiful job have to know graphic design, front-end development and usually back-end one too (as a freelancer, I mean, and in this time is the only possibility, no one is assuming in my country), so I'm a bit confused about my career.

 

Forget about this 'in my country' rubbish.

The internet is a global thing and i've worked for many companies and employers from all over the world and they differ very little.

 

It helps to be familiar with a bit of everything but, for instance, there's no reason for a front end UI designer to need to understand database tables etc

 

The fact is that with my experience (almost zero, I'm just a student with basic adknowledge of html, css, javascript and php because I've studied IT in the high school, but in a really poor way, so I have to re-learn almost everything) I can't find partners, so I should do the entire websites on my own, for the moment.

 

Then i'd say you're off to a good start.

Get a strong footing in HTML/CSS/JavaScript first off. You could be a web designer for years before you ever need to touch a programming language such as PHP.

 

You'll also need to get proficient in design theories such as colour theory, typography etc.

 

How the things work in UK to become a web designer (or front-end dev.)? If I specialize in ONE field, like front-end development (html, css, jquery and a some cms like wordpress) how can I do a good portfolio to come in UK?

 

I've always got work by networking well and having a semi-decent portfolio.

So long as your portfolio shows that you are able to do the work to a good standard within a good time-frame, you should be all good.

 

If you don't have a portfolio then go about getting one together. Find charities or community groups you could do cheap or free work for and bulk up your portfolio by making stuff up to work on.

Forget about this 'in my country' rubbish.

The internet is a global thing and i've worked for many companies and employers from all over the world and they differ very little.

 

It helps to be familiar with a bit of everything but, for instance, there's no reason for a front end UI designer to need to understand database tables etc

 

 

 

Then i'd say you're off to a good start.

Get a strong footing in HTML/CSS/JavaScript first off. You could be a web designer for years before you ever need to touch a programming language such as PHP.

 

You'll also need to get proficient in design theories such as colour theory, typography etc.

 

 

 

I've always got work by networking well and having a semi-decent portfolio.

So long as your portfolio shows that you are able to do the work to a good standard within a good time-frame, you should be all good.

 

If you don't have a portfolio then go about getting one together. Find charities or community groups you could do cheap or free work for and bulk up your portfolio by making stuff up to work on.

I really appreciate your advices, I've already read a good italian css3 book and I've bought "HTML5 The Missing Manual" and "jQuery: Novice to Ninja" that I'm going to study soon. Other books you think should I read about html, css and javascript?

 

As I said yesterday, my biggest problem is the graphic, so, can you recommend me the right road to improve my graphic skills and design theories? What books should I read?