What tools to use as a web designer

hotelofnewdelhi

11 years ago

Coder's Notepad is what I am using currently. Wordpress is something where you dont need any HTML Tool

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cssbros

11 years ago

For Web Designers (one that designs a web page)- Use Photoshop, Illustrator

For Web Developers (one that codes the web design into a functional HTML pages)- Use Dreamweaver, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Filezilla

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bheadrick

11 years ago

Definitely go with WordPress. For a theme, I'd look for one that was very flexible that allowed you to customize the look and feel quickly and easily. A lot of themes from WooThemes let you customize them pretty extensively without having to really know any programming or even css. Pagelines Platform also does this, and there is a free version, but the paid version does give you more options.

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3dy

11 years ago

Get a good and free text editor (Notepad++ for Windows, Kod for Mac, Gedit for Linux) and learn to create designs for a specific CMS (WordPress or pretty much anything else you want).

That's pretty much all you need to know in the field - given that you can market your services properly and get some clients.

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bhmseoservices

11 years ago

Here's my list, if your doing a website for the first time without any knowledge of web development code you should use a free CMS. Wordpress is very friendly to new-web-users.

Adobe's Dreamweaver is more advanced by a great tool to work with because it has all tools and a lot of references.

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ArcherWylde

11 years ago

It really depends on your budget where you will end up in the tools.

Web design is my full time gig, I use Photoshop and Dreamweaver all day long.

You can try out Adobe Creative Cloud for like $49.99 per month and have access to all the cool Master Suite stuff that cost me $2500 recently.

Adobe Creative Cloud | Adobe.com

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vgvetter

11 years ago

WordPress looks complex because of the unlimited capabilities it offers.

As pointed out by cssbros, there is a difference between design and development.

With WP, unless you intend to get real code proficient, available free themes, theme options, and plug ins pretty much establish the design. Development involves your creation of content and format that gets the job done for your client.

Have used FrontPage, Expressions, Xara, WYSIWYG, and a couple of other packages over the last 10 years, and in my mind right now, WP is where it's at.

Would be interested in what you decide.

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Hostnetric 11 years ago

I agree with many of the people here. I have used WP as a basis for many sites I create because of it's ease of use and the many plugins that are available for it and best of all most of the best plugins are free.

There are a lot of themes available which can be easily changed to meet your customers needs.

Another factor is that from simple blogs to ecommerce and even web hosting WP easily meets the needs of most sites.

I use dreamweaver cs6 to edit with and have tried many others over the years, but always have stayed with DW. On a different note though I do not use Photoshop to do my images. I use CorelDraw Graphics Suite x6. I find it easier to use and does everything that photo shop does that I need. It also can open photoshop files and edit them with no problems.
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Kingfish85

11 years ago

First, using Wordpress does not make you a web designer or web developer. It takes web developers to build the platform itself.

Second, if these look "too complex", why are you trying to sell websites in the first place?

Designers design, developers develop. Design = graphics, ui etc. Developer = coding.

You need to learn the basics first. What happens when there's a problem and you have no idea how to fix it?

EDIT: I'll get a lot of backlash for this, but it seems that here on WF, if you install a Wordpress theme, you're instantly a "web designer/developer". It couldn't be further from the truth. I'd suggest learning first, then selling.

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petebolduc

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Kingfish85

First, using Wordpress does not make you a web designer or web developer. It takes web developers to build the platform itself.

Second, if these look "too complex", why are you trying to sell websites in the first place?

Designers design, developers develop. Design = graphics, ui etc. Developer = coding.

You need to learn the basics first. What happens when there's a problem and you have no idea how to fix it?

EDIT: I'll get a lot of backlash for this, but it seems that here on WF, if you install a Wordpress theme, you're instantly a "web designer/developer". It couldn't be further from the truth. I'd suggest learning first, then selling.

Kingfish85,

No Backlash here...

What you said is exactly true. Anyone can install wordpress and grab a theme. What if the client's needs require specific programming to meet and there is no plugin... and you can't code it.

As Kingfish85 said... true designers design graphics and true write code. Someone who wants to sell websites to local business should be able to do both if they want to provide a quality service.

Additionally, although the business owner may be pleased with a cheap website (because they do not know what they really need and what would be effective for them because they are too busy running their business), unless all on and off site seo is provided, along with social networking integration, the site will be basically useless for the business.

I love to walk into a business 9 months to 2 years after a cheap site was sold to them... Unlike when the internet first started and it was like pulling teeth to sell a local business a site (after all they did not need to reach the world), in today's market the small business owner knows they need a website...

These are the perfect prospects for the guy who knows how to program... can write the back end... can do a fairly decent quality in the graphics department, and knows both on and off site seo.

They guy who goes in before the developer who really knows what they are doing, allows the experienced guy to charge more than he normally would because the old adage; "You Get What You Pay For..." is the center of the conversation.

Regarding the original question: Acehtml Pro 6 is an excellent edits for around $60 and RealDraw for around $40 is a great graphics program. I personally have been using Acehtml Pro since 2000 and although I have Photoshop, RealDraw is my graphic program of choice.

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Fierce Brent

11 years ago

Originally Posted by petebolduc

As Kingfish85 said... true designers design graphics and true write code. Someone who wants to sell websites to local business should be able to do both if they want to provide a quality service.

Agreed. Professional web designers and developers use professional tools and know how to code. Installing a WordPress or Joomla template is one thing, but designing or developing custom websites that go beyond simple modifications to something that someone else has built requires a significant amount of skill and knowledge. It's not something that can be learned overnight.

I've been designing and developing database-driven websites for going on 20 years, and there's more to learn each day than I can possibly keep up with. As for tools, I code everything by hand (BBEdit on a Mac) and use Photoshop for the bitmapped graphics.

I'm not at all suggesting that everyone who needs a website has to learn to hand code everything from javascript functions to sql queries, but I am saying that if you plan on selling professional web design services that you need to know HTML and CSS inside and out, plus have a working familiarity with javascript and php. And if you want to develop websites, as opposed to just designing them, all of the above is pretty much required.

For those just needing to put up a personal small business website, by all means, install Wordpress or Joomla, download and install a theme or two, buy some add-on modules and components, and see if it all works for you. Don't, however, assume that doing this qualifies you to sell your services as a web designer/developer -- there's lots more to it than that.

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ArcherWylde

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Kingfish85

First, using Wordpress does not make you a web designer or web developer. It takes web developers to build the platform itself.

Second, if these look "too complex", why are you trying to sell websites in the first place?

Designers design, developers develop. Design = graphics, ui etc. Developer = coding.

You need to learn the basics first. What happens when there's a problem and you have no idea how to fix it?

EDIT: I'll get a lot of backlash for this, but it seems that here on WF, if you install a Wordpress theme, you're instantly a "web designer/developer". It couldn't be further from the truth. I'd suggest learning first, then selling.

I couldn't agree with you more!

I build websites everyday. About 50% of our business is re-designing websites for companies that hired one of those self-proclaimed "hey i built a site with godaddy's website tonight, I'm a web designer now!" people.

Don't get me wrong, I love WordPress because of the shear simplicity of it's design and I use a highly modified version of it for clients websites regularly.

With that being said it's not even a CMS in my eyes, it's a blogging platform that can be customized into a website.

If anyone thinks WordPress is too complicated they should try out a REAL CMS like Drupal.

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RK Corbes 11 years ago

Archer is right there. Completely agree. I have started from scratch and 4 years ago after my first project in wordpress, i love it. Day by day I am learning to do the coding not just the design, a little search there , search here in google, in forums, in everywhere. You will learn it if you are willing to do it. I prefer tweaking wordpress themes for clients rather than creating a website from scratch. It will definitely save your time and you can work with other clients website.
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introandsimplelog

11 years ago

use photoshope anb illustratore

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aars

11 years ago

Wordpress
Notepad ++
Paint.net and Photoshop
WAMP for local development instances

Thanks
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outNabout 11 years ago

Originally Posted by aars

Wordpress
Notepad ++
Paint.net and Photoshop
WAMP for local development instances

Ditto
These are free tools that you need.Except Photoshop.You can search for tutorials on Youtube on how to create websites from scratch.If you not willing to learn a little bit of CSS,HTML,PHP,Javascript and Design in general.Those are many skills to learn at once.Video tutorials always teach me a lot of things.with a receptive mind you will overcome even using wordpress.
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RK Corbes

11 years ago

For 4 years of experience, I only use Notepad++ for coding and Photoshop for the design. I've learned to be flexible. For the ideas, look for the css websites gallery on google.

Learn css coding through w3schools. Don't be afraid on what it will turn out in your first few designs, create it and tweak it. You will gain experience and will get better if you practice everyday.

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ronc0011

11 years ago

I do almost all of my work in Visual Web Developer and I work entirely in the code view I just like the code hint functionality and err checking on the fly I just find it I to be a very coder friendly coding environment I also find it to be completely free
.For graphics I work mostly in Photoshop. However I also work a lot in Coreldraw. For creating things like arrows and banners, your basic web graphics I use Coreldraw simply because it'd very fast and simple to work with. I will often save those graphics in a psd file and do further tweaking on them in Photoshop For instance if I want an animated gif like a flashing arrow or something I'll do that work in Photoshop.

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soniamit

11 years ago

WordPress is best choice. if you think its complex system better check in YouTube.com tutorial for WordPress then very easy for u.

Most Website Designer make website in WordPress.

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parvinvaidhya

11 years ago

Photoshop and Illustrator both best tools for designers.

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Chuck Dimon

11 years ago

I would like to recommend Aptana. This is without a doubt our favorite for straight up web development.

If your interested in expanding your offerings to mobile application development, then I suggest Titanium Studio as the only tool you'll ever need. Titanium studio bought out Aptana last year and integrated it with Studio. It's a one stop web/mobile application development shop.

We have put out 7 apps cross platform in the past 9 months and dozens of sites.

Good luck with you business plan. Hope you have great success.

Thanks

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Istvan Horvath

11 years ago

As long as we have people seriously stating that WordPress is a web design tool... every thread like this is completely in vain and I will be closing and/or deleting them.

Learn the basics if you want your posts to stay.

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What tools to use as a web designer

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