With so many career possibilities in the online industry, web designing is becoming a skill that more and more of us are choosing to learn, and for many, once they’ve grasped it, it can prove extremely lucrative. However, while it might seem like an exciting prospect, can you really learn how to be a proficient web designer from home? With a somewhat vast array of elements involved in web design, is it really possible to learn them without enrolling in a physical class?
You might be surprised to know that getting started in web design Toronto isn’t that hard, and while becoming an adept and successful web designer might require a little more effort and dedication, learning the basics from home is certainly possible.
How to learn the basics of web design – The technical elements
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Visual design
Visual design focuses on digital products, and its principles range from proportions and typography, to color theory and grid systems. Visual design is all about learning to experiment with mood boards, web fonts and color palettes. It can be a whole lotta fun!
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UX (user experience)
UX involves approaching every element of the design phase from the perspective of the user, and is typically done by figuring out the path users take when they visit your site. Once you’ve reviewed the path commonly taken by the majority of visitors, you go on to build wireframes to sketch out the key elements of each individual webpage.
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Design software
There are a variety of tools that most web designers use to help them with various aspects of their job, such as modifying and enhancing photo’s, designing logos and creating mockups. Some of the most commonly used tools are Illustrator, Photoshop and Sketch to name but a few, but there are free alternatives out there that you can practice with, too.
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HTML
HTML is the coding language used to put content on a web page. It involves turning words into catchy headlines, and creating paragraphs and footers, and nowadays, is an expected skill for most web design jobs.
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CSS
CSS is the code that helps browsers format and style HTML for a web page, to make the content look good. You can use CSS to adjust colors, alter fonts or add attractive backgrounds, and with it, you can really run riot with your creative skills!
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JavaScript
If you want to try and get one step ahead of your competitors, you can also program your site using JavaScript, which enables you to turn static elements on your site, to interactive ones.
How To Learn The Basics Of Web Design – Management Skills
It’s one thing to have mastered the design and technical aspects of web design, but how do you effectively manage your time and communicate with clients if you’re going to set up in business as a web designer?
The following tips may just help you:
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Managing your time effectively
As a web designer, whether you go solo or work for somebody else, you’ll need to manage your schedule effectively so that you can meet deadlines without compromising on the quality of your work. This might involve using apps that help you to monitor and control your productivity, such as simple task lists and calendars, or project tracking tools like Trello or JIRA.
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Communicating with clients
Whoever your clients maybe, they’ll want to be kept updated as to the progress of their projects, and want to hear your ideas as well as being able to share their own with you, and if you can’t communicate effectively with them, you might lose their custom. Learn how to present your ideas professionally, and keep in regular contact with your clients to ensure satisfaction at every stage of the design process.
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SEO/Digital Marketing/Social Media
While you might think that these website elements are outside of your remit as a designer, it pays to be well versed in them if you want to make a successful career for yourself. Attracting clients (and retaining them) becomes so much easier when you can offer them a broad range of skills and techniques, and a little extra knowledge goes a long way.
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Managing your business and your clients
Whether you’re working for another company or are a freelancer, you’ll need to make sure that you or your company is profitable and to do this, you should try to at least have a basic idea of your goals and financial capabilities. Also, if you’re designing for clients directly, you’ll need to ensure that you have enough cash flow to maintain your schedule and complete projects within their expected timeframes, both in the short and long-term.
Learning web design at home is absolutely possible, but will require time and a certain level of commitment. There are many online tools and courses that you can enrol on to gain the basic skills needed, and then if you decide you still want to pursue a career in web design, you can look at furthering your skills. The world of web design is a highly competitive one, so you’ll need to channel all your energy and creativity if you want to succeed and ideally, make a living from your work.
However, whether you choose to learn web design at home alongside your existing career or job (whatever that may be), or devote your full attention to it, will doubtless determine how quickly you can become proficient enough to become a fully qualified web designer that people will want to hire. That said, with determination and drive, anything is possible, so, if you want to be a successful web designer Toronto badly enough, there’s no doubt that you’ll get there.
