Photoshop web layout tutorials

The first tutorial I chose to use was a Photo Portfolio site. The tutorial was very detailed about how to create the background and menu using photoshop.I was able to closely duplicate the background relatively easily from the tutorials directions.

The second tutorial was a Personal Page Web Layout. I liked the simple design and dark theme to the page, but I did have some trouble re-creating some of the elements of the page. I found in the article comments that I wasn’t the only beginner that had similar issues.

The third tutorial I chose to try was the Photography Portfolio. I liked the use of color that this page demonstrated. I found the design pretty easy to make after following the detailed instructions in the post. I liked how the author included step by step detailed pictures with each step. This helps with trying to use new tools and shows what we should expect as we make each section.

Design, Usability, & Accessibility

The internet is full of poorly planned websites. I would say that I come across one every time I am searching the web, and usually when they are bad...they are bad. However, as a beginner in attempting web design I can see how easily a site could get out of hand.

Design is important and can have very a very positive or negative effect for a website no matter the content. The term design also wears many hats. Design can describe the structure of the site, the look of the site, and the feel of the site. Design preference also varies between users, so it is important to use something that appeals to everyone or at least accomplishes the desired results for the site.

Usability is another important compliment of design. A site that is visually beautiful and content rich will suffer if it is not designed to be "used" easily. Usability can apply to specific areas of the site such as the navigation and user interaction, but it also applies to the overall impression of the website. If there is no easy distinguishable purpose for the site then users may be less inclined to visit.

The Accessibility of a site is becoming more and more important as time goes on. Currently there are several things to be considered when designing a page. For example, there are many browsers available for download and a good page needs to be designed so that is works on at least all of the popular ones. Text size, font, and even language are important because the internet is worldwide and everyone needs to be accommodated. In some recently viewed Youtube videos, I saw how many sites are even creating sites that are compatible for interaction with blind people. Mobile content is also new and widely used and will most likely continue to grow.

So, we can see how much there is to consider when web design is begin considered. In order to succeed, a site will need to consider all of these topics, and probably more as this industry continues to evolve.

The site development process and what my role is in it

I think that the most interesting role in the web design process is the initial idea generation because this typically basic method is the foundation of a successful project. It’s interesting to me to see that most established designers simply begin with an idea and often times a pen and paper. A person could know how to program anything possible but without an idea and a direction to move towards, those programming skills are useless.

I am not personally gifted in the idea department, and that may be the reason I find this task to be the most interesting piece of the process. While I’m sure there are many people that would vote the creation portion to be the most exciting as they watch a project come together, I on the other hand find it more interesting that without that original idea nothing would exist.

The web design process seemingly goes: 1.) Assess the desired results. 2.) Come up with an idea 3.) Develop that idea both in design actual product 4.) Evaluate the results. This is obviously a simplified explanation, but essentially web design seems to be regarded as any business would be. The designers are expected to deliver a product that provides the desired results, and the only way to achieve that is to build upon a creative but functional idea from the beginning.