Ask HN: Modern web design resources?

Post by metamemetics » Sun, Jul 11, 2010, 6:16 PM UTC

nnash wrote: post #19

metamemetics wrote: post #10

Perhaps HNers could share general design tips as well? These are the two most important to me: 1) Don't use Adobe Photoshop. Use Adobe Fireworks. It's faster and simpler and everything you need for web stuff (gradients, masks, etc.). Use PNGCrush on any PNGs to remove all the extra info and layers before deploying. 2) Spacing\padding is one of the most important things that determines how professional a site looks to…

> Don't use Adobe Photoshop I'll disagree and say that Photoshop is faster and simpler, why? Because I'm better with it. Use whatever graphics program you're best with. First of all if you're only using gradients and layer effects like multiple borders most of that stuff can be done with CSS now. The links below are for buttons and shapes but you can apply those effects to anything: http://blog.anomalyinnovations.com…

Post by Sember » Mon, Jul 12, 2010, 9:10 AM UTC

kylebragger wrote: post #29

Sember wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Invite-only

email kyle at forrst.com with the subject HN invites and I'll hook you up.

Post by metamemetics » Tue, Jul 13, 2010, 4:50 AM UTC

nnash wrote: post #34

metamemetics wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

CSS3 or webkit extensions or mozilla extensions != CSS. I would never use any of those methods (for say, the next 2 years or if it was only a personal site I didn't care about and not a customer site). Also the learning curve to do stuff faster with Fireworks than Photoshop is maybe 30 minutes, it's that simple.

I wish I had enough karma to down-vote you for insinuating that the current browser implementations of the CSS3 draft aren't CSS.

Post by photon_off » Tue, Jul 13, 2010, 2:15 PM UTC

irondavycole wrote: post #25

csmeder wrote: post #11

I'm not sure I know exactly what you mean by web design. So lets start there. a. The look: the graphic design of the page. b. The interaction: Usability and UX c. Designing and coding with good software design principles. d. Some thing else? I can point you to some good books for b. or c., however a. is the holy grail. I have never found a good book on web design from a graphic design perspective. That said Ill share…

For (a) I would recommend Mark Boulton's book, Designing for the Web, which is available free online: http://designingfortheweb.co.uk/book/index.php It has really competent sections dedicated to aesthetics: typography, color, and layout. That he made it free is unbelievable. It's a resource I always recommend to the developers I work with (I'm a designer) who want to understand more about design.