Good intro to Design?

I am going to get some in depth training with dreamweaver and flash though as I have the creative ability just not the time to sit down reading manuals.

Worries me a bit though because I am self tought with Illustrator, photoshop, indesign and XPress I find people i train often ask me the same things over and over, I think this is because they don't appreciate the knowledge because it was given not worked out, will the training I pay for go in one ear and out the other for the same reason?
 
Rob - I certainly agree that stuff you've learned by yourself tends to stick better than stuff you've been taught but a good course is an excellent kick start and if you start applying what you learn straight away it can save hours of frustration working things out for yourself. As with Photoshop, Dreamweaver is so complex that there's a lot of stuff you'd probably never figure out without some help, whether from a course or a book. The two Photoshop books I've got along with numerous tips & tricks I've picekd up from forums have helped me no end.

Michael.
 
A little off topic, but I'm looking to start teaching myself some basics with a couple of programs.

The only program I'm reasonably competent with is AutoCAD for 2D use. I'm going to kick start things again and start getting MOre familiar with the 3D side of it.

I've recently got a copy of Photoshop 7. I've probably spent less than an hour with it so far. I've done a few searches for tutorials, but MOst seem a bit pants. Any suggestions for good links?

I'd also like to learn some web design. I've no software other than some WYSIWYG stuff on free cds. So any links to learning from the bottom up would also be appreciated.

One major point to me is people put too much lext on their sites IMO if visitors need to scroll you've failed, get the navigation right and your half way there, as I said before a good simple site is better than a technical masterpiece that doesn't communicate or is impossible to navigate.
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In general I'd go along with that :)
 
For me, playing with photoshop/illustrator for hours and hour whilst getting paid for it has made me a bit of a ghuru in my circle of designers, photographers and printers I have become too many peoples first port of call and its a real pain.

The help I need with web stuff is beyond the layout and tools, its more knowledge on the workings of the web what is and isnt possible.

TBH i find web a little frustraiting as a designer, I do pictures and colouring in and having to go into text edditing, file optimisation, CODE!!! and searching for bugs just isn't what we are good at. I love what I do, my clients say it shows but the tech side is no fun.

I am thinking of employing a techy sort as I believe the way forward with the net is a creative/techy partnership just like ad campaigns were traditionally a creative/copywriter team.
 
The main problem with the web is its moving away from print based design, all the accessability laws means that websites have to be created in a certain way, especiaily if its a local government site.

The 5th Ave site is a classic example of good creativity but technicaly the site is one of the worst I have ever seen.

The problem I have with graphics designers at work is they think they are designing for print. Graphics designers for the web don't need to know anything about databases, or serverside technologies, but I think awareness of usability is very important.

At the end of the day with the web the most important thing is getting the information quickily and easily as possible.

Don't get me wrong I have great respect for graphics designers, its one thing being able to use the software (as in my case) its another thing being creative.

I guess its like song writing, we all know how to pen and paper but thats different to writing a song.
 
I am thinking of employing a techy sort as I believe the way forward with the net is a creative/techy partnership just like ad campaigns were traditionally a creative/copywriter team.
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Symbiosis is no sin :)
 
rsand said:
I believe the way forward with the net is a creative/techy partnership just like ad campaigns were traditionally a creative/copywriter team.
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Absolutely. I'm hoping to do just that and get a creative person to work with me once I get started.

Michael.
 

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