Need advice on setting up guides in Photoshop

I'm new at creating web layouts in Photoshop but I do have good coding skills.

I want to start creating my own PSD layouts which I then plan to code using Twitter Bootstrap.

My questions are as follows (and forgive me if this sounds dumb) but is it the most common practice to set guides or a grid in Photoshop before anything else?

If so how would I ...or is there a specific way to create the vertical guides that replicate the CSS grid specified in Bootstrap.

Is it simply a case of understanding all the column and gutter widths in Bootstrap and then creating the guides accordingly with the ruler set to show?

Finally just to clarify I'm not looking for someone to simply tell me how to set up guides...I can work that out for myself...I'm trying to research what is the most common approach that a designer would use when creating a layout that is then to be coded with Bootstrap.

I don't know the answer to this, but I sure am waiting for a response as it be great to find this out for myself.

Setting up a grid system before you do any of the design will help, so you can then specifically fit things into the grid system, knowing that it will fit on the actual grid when coded. If you know all of the correct widths for the columns and gutters, then yes you can just throw out some guides to make a grid yourself.

 

Build/Design around the grid, don't try making a grid around a design, we can't have odd sized columns.

I suggest that you visit http://www.960.gs download the files (hit the huge download button), inside there you'll find 'Templates' folder with a pre-made grid system (guides setup properly for you) for each program you could need (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator etc..).

 

The 960.gs grid template provides you with a 940px width grid to design around (-20px for the gutter). Same sized grid as Bootstrap.

Edited November 27, 201312 yr by JordanC

I usually uncheck “Ask before saving layered TIFF files” because it is annoying to have the warning pop up every time stating that using layers increases file size. I also choose “Never” from “Maximize PSD and PSB file compatibility” popup menu. But if you are using your files across multiple versions of Photoshop or other Adobe Suite products you may want to leave this to “Always” or “Ask”.