We live in a tech-driven world. There has been a growing demand for web developers and designers, and the steady surge in mobile browsing is the prime cause of this. Hence, knowing how to web design is becoming essential.
In all honesty, creating a perfect web design can often be complicated. But, learning web designing should not be challenging. So, how to learn website designing? Below, we have compiled a ‘how to learn web designing step by step’ guide. Let us get started and address these steps one by one.
Jump To
- What Should I Learn First For Web Design?
- How To Learn Web Designing At Home?
- Top Web Design Skills You Must Possess
- How To Learn Web Designing For Free – Top Free + Paid Websites
- What Are The Four Stages Of Web Design?
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Should I Learn First For Web Design?
It is an article on how to learn web design for beginners. But, every designer must possess some soft skills that make them bankable. Below, we will discuss these skills:
1. Time management
A designer works in a fast-paced environment. Hence, they must schedule their tasks to meet the client’s objectives and adhere to the deadlines.
2. Teamwork
Every designer works collaboratively as a team. So, if you wish to make a mark in your career as a designer, you must know how to work well in a group.
3. Communication skills
A good designer will always be careful with communicating with their clients. During the design and development phase, constantly communicate with the client to keep them updated on the progress.
4. Problem-solving skills
A proficient designer must also be a greater problem-solver. It will help them design flawless websites.
5. Research skills
In this fast-paced, tech-driven world, many changes come in now and then. Hence, a designer must be proactive and possess the ability to research and seek vital findings to stand the test of time.
6. Attention to detail
To offer precise answers to clients’ requirements and requests, the web designer must know how to give importance to every detail.
After you have acquired these skills, it is time to move ahead. So, how to learn website designing? Keep reading to find out.
Steps To Learn Web Designing – Web Design Road Map
How to learn web designing for free? Below, we will discuss the step-by-step guide to help you get started.
Learn the soft skills
Above, we have discussed some soft skills you must know as a designer. These are only a few of the many skills that can help you kickstart your journey as a successful web designer.
Read about web designing
The internet is the hub for all information. Beyond this, you can also get some web design books from the library or a bookstore. These can help you learn in detail about web design and familiarize yourself with the theoretical and practical side of things. side of things.
When reading about web design, please ensure you use the latest resources as this is one area that rapidly evolves.
Learn some technical skills
Simply having soft skills will not make you a good web designer. You must also do everything to be proficient in the technical aspects of web designing.
So, acquire a college degree in web design. In addition, you can also work towards a bachelor’s or associate degree in graphic design or computer programming.
But, how to learn web designing online? The next step may be for you.
Familiarize yourself with the terminology
Know all the catchwords, phrases, and slangs designers use on a routine basis. It helps you work and understand them better.
Take about online courses
The web has several online free and paid courses for web design. You can find programming language-specific courses. Depending on which skill you wish to learn, you can find the lectures.
Buy or download web design software
Having the design software can be major assistance when building websites. It also helps you be thorough with coding, scripting, and other design elements.
Some tools you must know of if you are searching for how to learn website designing are:
- FTP software to transfer your finished files onto the server
- Website building tools like Adobe Dreamweaver, Chrome DevTools, or WordPress
- Graphic Design programs like Sketch, GIMP, or Adobe Photoshop
Explore and experiment with design software
One of the best ways to familiarize yourself with web design is by experimenting with several image editing tools. While Fireworks and Photoshop are costly, you can start with free image editors. It can be a saving grace if interested in knowing how to learn web design for beginners.
Draw a Wireframe
A web designer’s brainstorming or wireframe is the raw sketch of what the website will be. It is not the outline of the aesthetic attributes but a website’s blueprint. So, the wireframe does not determine the website’s look but rather its structure.
Evaluate different websites
Look at the different websites online and see what you like about them? What is it that makes them stand out? Then, try to implement these design features and attributes into your websites to amplify the user experience.
Assess them on metrics like
- Typography
- Navigation
- Use of images and space
- Design of forms
- Animation and scroll effects
- Color
Design a website
The best way to learn is by doing, and the more you do, the better you get. So, after you have all the tools ready, you can start building some websites. Once you start practicing, you will learn several new skills. Having a portfolio of websites can help you with the job.
Get feedback
After you design a website, you must receive feedback from different people. It will help you get an objective third-party view. You can incorporate their suggestions and make your website better.
Market yourself
Lastly, whether you want to be a freelancer or work as a designer full-time, you need to market yourself and your skills. So, continually update your website and portfolio to find new clients, and make handsome money.
Top Web Design Skills You Must Possess
In our guide above, we have already discussed how to learn website designing. Now, some skills make a great web designer. Below, we will list them:
Visual Design
Experts believe emotions guide creativity. But, web designing is a tricky field. Of course, emotions have a role to play here. But herein, creativity is primarily influenced by some typical learned practices. So, there are a few vital visual design concepts you must be thorough with. These will help you be a 10/10 on creativity.
Color
Remember you cannot use any color on any design, but understand the color psychology and see what colors portray your brands in the best light. Ideally, the viewer must automatically relate the color scheme to the brand.
Shapes
You work with three main designs on the website – triangles, squares, and circles. So, you must understand the practical use of these shapes.
Lines
If you have started your quest for how to learn website designing, you must begin with absolute basics. Lines help with the generic structure of the website. Hence, you must understand how the lines help with organization on the website. So, as a designer, you must attempt to strike the right line balance.
Typography
Like the lines, shape, and colors, the font also gives away a message. Hence, you must understand which font to use and where to ensure that the content is legible and looks good. There must be consistency in typography, but that should not mean using one font throughout. You can use different fonts, but ensure it all looks in sync.
HTML
Expanded to HyperText Markup Languages, it is the backbone of almost all websites. Thus, if you wish to be a web designer, you must at least know HTML. It holds if you use what you see is what you get editor or content management system. When you are well-acquainted with HTML, it lets you manage your workflow outside of the editors.
UX or User Experience
How to learn web design for beginners without UX UI knowledge? Actually, you cannot! User Experience is how a user feels when they visit a website. Hence, as a designer, you must know how to create a user-first and user-friendly website. So, how should you design a website that gives the user precisely what they seek? How to go about with it?
You can research and find out what your users need and then create profiles of hypothetical users. Then, build your website with the content and a site map. Then, see what pathway users usually take on the website. Which pages do they visit first?
In addition, the design must be responsive and compatible with all screen sizes, regardless of the size.
User interface (UI)
UI & UX both are equally important. It is a vital factor for web designers to consider as the user interface determines how a user interacts with the website. It deals with the graphics, menus, buttons, layout, and fonts.
CSS
It is the code that instructs the browser on how to format or style HTML for a webpage. It accentuates the look and feels of the website. You can use CSS to change the background, font, and colors on the website. So, with CSS, you can add creativity to your website.
Familiarity with designing tools
A web designer should know of one or more the design tools like Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator. It helps them effortlessly navigate through the designing canvas.
Web server management
It is a critical skill that can help you troubleshoot server-related issues instantly. It also makes it easier for you to understand web functions.
Programming languages
Beyond CSS and HTML, there are a few other programming languages you can consider learning. Knowledge of these additional computer languages can give a boost to your career. A few languages you can add to your portfolio are:
However, if you have to pick only one, we recommend JavaScript. It is because studies suggest that over sixty-five percent of users use Java. Also, when you know more than one programming language, it gives you an edge.
Search Engine Optimization
For a website to perform well, its SEO is quintessential. Only a site with good SEO can rank high on search engines. Hence, the designer should try to make the website SEO friendly.
Best Websites and How To Learn Website Designing Via Them
We have already discussed steps on how to learn web designing for free. You will need some professional assistance to receive the proper training. For this, you can enroll in an online course.
Several websites offer web designing courses. So, how to learn web designing online? Look for the top web designing courses on the below-listed websites:
Coursera
Checkout Coursera if you want to know how to learn web designing at home. Most of the courses listed here are in partnership with top universities and educational institutions.
So, you can learn from the best comfortably sitting at home. You can find both free and paid courses here. There is also a certificate of completion in paid classes.
Udemy
Are you interested in knowing how to learn web design for beginners? Udemy can be your go-to platform. It is one of the top online hubs that offer courses in multiple disciplines. On Udemy, you will mostly find paid courses. But, they come with a 30-day moneyback guarantee.
edX
How to learn web designing for free? edX can be the platform you head to. On edX, you can enroll in the courses as an auditor and learn web designing without spending a penny. Top professionals and universities offer these courses. But, if you want certification, you will have to bear a small fee for the course.
Udacity
How to learn web designing step by step? Udacity can be a great place to start. They have top free courses. Udacity offers these courses in collaboration with renowned IT companies like Amazon, Github, Google, At&T, etc.
Codecademy
How to learn web designing online? Codecademy can be one of the best places to start. On the website, you can find multiple web development courses. They are free, and most lectures do not expect you to have any prior background or experience.
So, if you wish to know how to learn web designing for free, Codecademy is your answer.
FreeCodeCamp
How to learn web designing at home? With ten certifications, 40000 graduates, and more than 6000 tutorials, FreeCodeCamp can be a good choice for anyone aspiring to commence work in web design and development. If you need a certification, you will have to work on some hands-on projects.
Alison
How to learn website designing online? Alison is another one of the best skill-building platforms. So, all the classes on Alison are 100% free. But, if you want a certification to validate your learnings, it will come at a price.
Related: Web Design Challenges For Beginners |Web Designing Interview Questions & Answers | How To Make Money As A Web Designer|Web Design Vs. Graphic Design
What Are The Four Stages Of Web Design?
Below, we will discuss the four stages of web design in brief:
Stage 1 – Architecture and Layout
The first stage commences with the template code and decides the positioning and the presentation of every element on the website – ads, graphics, and text.
However, do not rush to fill in empty spaces instantly. You must put thought into the website’s layout and create an architecture and layout that reeks of simplicity. A simple layout requires lower maintenance, costs little, and guarantees faster page loads.
Stage 2 – Content or SEO navigation
It is the stage of the design that never ends. You are continually working towards creating new content, making it SEO approved, and ensuring that the website is easy to navigate.
So, you must use the correct SEO linking strategies, fill the site tags, and use the right keywords. But, please remember that Google continually updates its algorithms. So, keep your SEO strategy updated.
Lastly, for the navigation, have clickable menus. The menus must redirect to the right places and be easy to understand. So, the visitors reach where they want to be.
Stage 3 – Graphics, Colors, and CSS
Initially, you must assess the web design prototype with raw content, links, and navigation. During this stage, you must keep graphics out of business. It helps the managers and the designers to look at the website in terms of its functionality and content.
Often, people get swayed by the website’s looks. In this, they overlook the functionality and content. So, after you have reviewed the raw website, you should focus on CSS, colors, and graphics. Of course, after this, re-evaluation helps.
Stage 4 – Launching, Analyzing, and Revising
When you know how to learn web designing step by step and wish to make your site public, now, it is wherein the real work begins. So, utilize analytical data from every site aspect, and employ it to make changes routinely. It is beyond adding new content now and then. Of course, the changes should also pass through the above three stages.
FAQs On How To Learn Web Designing Online
Ques 1. How long does it take to learn web designing?
Ans. It takes about five to six months to learn web design and development from scratch.
Ques 2. Which software is used for creating a website?
Ans. Wix, Mobirise, Adobe Dreamweaver, Weekly, and Webflow, are the top-recommended solutions as web design software.
Ques 3. What are the three types of web design?
Ans. There are three kinds of web design – static, dynamic or CMS, and eCommerce
Ques 4. How to learn web design for beginners for free?
Ans. Are you interested in knowing how to learn website designing for free? There are several free courses available online wherein you can learn the web design from fundamental to advanced levels. You can find such courses on Coursera, edX, Khan Academy, Codecademy, etc.
Ques 5. Is Google Web Designer free?
Ans. Yes, Google Web Designer is free.
We hope with our guide above you now know how to learn web designing at home and create some interesting websites.
