Ask HN: Do you design your own website?

#1

Post by MisterWebz » Thu, Aug 05, 2010, 2:08 PM UTC

I've been trying to learn some CSS to design a website i'm working on, but all my designs turn out to be horrible and on top of that, i really don't like web design nor do i like learning CSS. However, i do know that the design of a website is very important and i believe that it can make or break your app. So do you guys design your own website or do you hire/ask someone else to do it?

Re: Ask HN: Do you design your own website?

#2

Post by cperciva » Thu, Aug 05, 2010, 2:26 PM UTC

I designed my own website, but I'm sure tptacek will tell you that I shouldn't have done so. :-)

Re: Ask HN: Do you design your own website?

#3

Post by revorad » Thu, Aug 05, 2010, 2:31 PM UTC

I am using help from a graphic designer friend. You might find the CSS Mastery book helpful. Copying other pro sites seems like the easiest and most efficient way if you don't want to spend too much time on it.

Re: Ask HN: Do you design your own website?

#4

Post by bgrohman » Thu, Aug 05, 2010, 2:34 PM UTC

I've tried my hand at design, and I'm not very good. Of course, I don't really have any experience with design, and I'm sure I could improve with practice.

I am good at the development side of things, and I enjoy it, too, so I tend to lean towards having someone else do the design and then do the development myself.

Re: Ask HN: Do you design your own website?

#5

Post by singer » Thu, Aug 05, 2010, 2:46 PM UTC

If you're a one-man-shop, then shouldn't design in general come naturally? Perhaps someone should be designing your software GUI too.

Re: Ask HN: Do you design your own website?

#6

Post by MisterWebz » Thu, Aug 05, 2010, 2:51 PM UTC

singer wrote: post #5

If you're a one-man-shop, then shouldn't design in general come naturally? Perhaps someone should be designing your software GUI too.

I don't see why it should come naturally. Sure, i can position elements in a web page and have a colorful navigation and background, but it looks far from professional.

Re: Ask HN: Do you design your own website?

#7

Post by techiferous » Thu, Aug 05, 2010, 2:53 PM UTC

I'm a developer but I love design so yes, I design my own.

Re: Ask HN: Do you design your own website?

#8

Post by generalk » Thu, Aug 05, 2010, 2:56 PM UTC

I design my personal website, for the experience. I'm not great, but I'm okay, and I can redesign whenever I feel like it. But since I'm not stellar yet, I'll either use a quality template service or hire a designer for projects where it matters.

Re: Ask HN: Do you design your own website?

#9

Post by ntulip » Thu, Aug 05, 2010, 3:00 PM UTC

i tend to go for purchasing a template and making it fit. Simply not enough time to design everything and i suck at design.

Re: Ask HN: Do you design your own website?

#10

Post by paul9290 » Thu, Aug 05, 2010, 3:02 PM UTC

Have you look into hiring a graphic designer to create a PSD design for you in which you can then splice and code up? This is generally how design works; something I learned, after hiring a guy who said he was a web designer but on finished project he only gave me a PSD and said I dont code.

My 1st attempt at design was not great, so I have learned for me to create a sharp looking site, it's best I hire a graphic designer to do all the artwork (buttons, drop shadows, etc). I then modify their work(the PSD) and then splice & code the PSD.