A little while ago I though it was about time I learned more about web design – having been a print based designer for about 15 years.
I had dabbled with Softpress Freeway – a web building programme built for non techy designers (a bit like quark) and I had experimented with Dreamweaver building a simple site (just for myself) after a days training. To be honest I hated dreamweaver, not knowing how to code if something didn’t work I didn’t know how to get in there and fix it and I would not dare build a site for a client.
I decided I would try and find some reasonably priced local training – perhaps a nightschool class. To be honest I was amazed at the lack of courses out there, the only course I could find (and that included colleges and Universitys within about a 30 mile radius) was a dreamweaver nightschool class which when I contacted them was just too basic. So where were all the other HTML and CSS classes, surely it wasn’t just me looking?
I can remember about 15 years ago I had the same problem, I was wanting to learn Quark Xpress, but no-one was teaching it so I ended up learning while working from experimenting and my co-workers (its not so easy when you are freelance). Its available now of course (now I could teach a lot of it)
Frustrated I decided to look for a day/couple of days course either one-on-one or in a group from a trainer. Again there were no group courses locally and I had a variety of quotes for one-on-one training (one for about £750!!!).
I finally found a reasonable priced days training which I have booked for next month and will hopefully take more it it goes well. I just want someone to kickstart me in the right direction. I will report back on how it goes. I have also bought a book which seems pretty good too Build Your Own Webiste the Right Way Using HTML and CSS
Hopefully soon I will be more confident building websites?
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12 Comments
Not sure how you’re getting on with this, but I have a substantial library of education materials – both real books and digital – that I could probably loan you? Where (roughly) are you? I’m in Essex.
Why would I do this? Because I’m self-taught too. I built my first website at 14, wrote my first piece of software at 15, and have been doing freelance work on-and-off ever since – and that’s 15 years of self-teaching!
I tried to let myself be ‘taught’ at school, in the hope of learning the ‘right’ way to do things – but I only got as far as a Foundation course at College before I gave up out of frustration!
Let me know if I can be of help!
Hi Paul,
I have worked my way nearly through an online/downloadable HTML course which was great so I have bought the CSS course to start. They were only $30 so good value too.I have a few books about CSS and HTML too including the one I mentioned
I appreciate your offer of help thats very good of you, I’m based in Northamptonshire. I would be really interested to hear what books, DVDs or courses you would recommend. I have been debating trying one of the Open University Courses, but am not sure how good they are.
I would really like to learn PHP eventually as I am fascinated by what you can do with it, but I know I need to get a grip on HTML and CSS first.
I haven’t forgotten about this by the way! I’m going to send you an email later with some suggestions…
Thanks that would be great
Meant to ask… What applications are you using? Are you running an Adobe suite? Have you got Dreamweaver?
Yes I have the Adobe CS2 suite and Dreamweaver 8
hi,
i don’t know if this helps, but have you tried the open university? i am also interested in web design and i’m in the middle of doing an 18 month web developement cetificate. They learn you have to code from source level so you can use a combination of dreamweaver and hand coding but the only downfall is they don’t do a graphic design course, thats what i’m in the proess of looking for when i stumbled across your site. So any tips about these kind of courses would be greatly appreciated
Hi I am just trying a 12 week Open University Course now in web design TT280 and to be honest do not think much to it at all – all theory and no practical work definitely not my cup of tea.
i also find this quite strange web design course are very rare… espaicly in uni ahhh stupid london!
After Reading others opinion i am not sure whether i should go to a school or collage for website designing ? or its better to learn online. there pretty good online course’s available for website designing.
i don’t have enough money for big course’s and i don’t have to dreamweaver or flash software to begin with.
Please answer me some one
Personally I have found CBT training invaluable. You can watch it at your own pace and practice and practice until you understand and then move onto the next module.
Havent had much luck with expensive courses