Web designer: Does one has to learn web design or one is born with sense of what is good design?

Question

I am programmer html, css, javascript, php , mysql. I know little macromedia flash also. I am just wondering can I become a good web designer? will people like my designs? or is artist or web designer is someone born with skill / interest in art?
Right now whatever I like or I do my marketing calleague doesn't like it. Where can I find people who will give me opinion about my designs? If anybody answering is web designer please tell me how much time it took for you to become good web designer? & did you had feeling that you will be good designer before you started? Usually in progrmming it is like 2+2 = 4 no other answer to same question but design is relative whatever you like doesn't mean lot of people will like it. That's why I am very confussed about designing.

Answer 1

I'm in school for graphic design but concepts of graphic design can also be applied to web. You can become a good designer it just takes work and a good bit of thought. You do need to have some degree of creativity when it comes to design in order to come up with a variety of concepts (in case one concept isn't except in the direction your client is going for). When you are designing you should know what kinds of things your client is looking for, for instance, the kind of feeling a person gets when looking at your site, or the tone that it set. You'll need to keep in mind that certain typefaces, graphic images, even the sounds and movements on your web page can affect the kind of feeling and mood your site will create. So really, when designing, you should come up with things that are unlikely, yet fitting and clever.

Answer 2

Well, if you can do both well, then show me the money. Where I work, there are four designers, that work on their Macs all daylong. They work together, sometimes hire outside people for opinions. They search the web to see what looks the best. They are going to actually help me with design this coming year, as I'm in the same boat you are. I have a good eye for design, but can't really put it on paper yet. These designers just hand me the psd file, and I do the mock-up in HTML, css, and javascript.

Answer 3

Web design has TWO sides: the "design" and the "coding".
The first requires a gift in beauty, and a painter or publicist can do marvels. Either you have it or you don't. You can know all the techniques to paint but just make S*t. You can ignore them all and be Salvador Dali.
The second requires a LOT of skills and is pure "science" and logic. You need to have the logic as a gift, but you can learn all the skills. I have over 30 years experience in programming, in all languages, and the gift of logic.
Result?
I work with web "designers": they get the clients, they make the pretty things, and THEN, I code it. I make the site WORK.
This association is what make a good web design team!
If you need a coder, I am here! Email me! (Who said this is no place for business?).

Answer 4

I do webdesign, and do it all in Photoshop. I believe that some people have the vision, some have the talent and some have both. Some people can vision what the website should look like, but can't draw it out, while others are vise-versa.

Are you good at PHP and MySQL? I know this is no place for business, but i'm needing some good PHP coders!

Answer 5

Design is tricky because you can't please everyone, regardless of what you do. Many aspects of web design are things that one can learn easily, such as proper use of color. Another thing to keep in mind is to make the site idiot-proof. A good test of this is to have as many people as possible look at your site, and see if they have any problems navigating or finding info. Remember that the users are visiting a site for the content, not the look, so when in doubt, keep it simple.