Tips and Info About Web Design

If you're interested in learning some more about web design, here are a few things you might want to check out!

WebMonkey (hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey)
This website has a lot of great resources for web developers and designers. If it's all a little over your head, try www.w3schools.com or www.weballey.net. If you don't want to learn a bunch of HTML code, then a program like Microsoft Front Page would probably suit you. It's fairly easy to use and readily available at most electronics/computer/office stores. It's only available for the PC, so if you're a Mac user, you won't be able to use it.

Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Photoshop Elements (www.adobe.com)
Photoshop is a wonderful tool for anyone who wants to create graphics and images for the web. It can be used to simply adjust the size or resolution of a photo or you can create entire images from scratch all with the Photoshop tools, brushes and filters. Photoshop takes some practice...and it's best to do as many tutorials as you can find just so you can get used to the way everything works. Once you get the hang of it, you'll be manipulating photos with the best of 'em!

Macromedia Dreamweaver (www.macromedia.com)
Dreamweaver is used to create and upload HTML pages to the web. It's not a program for beginners, but it is easy to use. It's uses the WYSIWYG approach to web design. You don't have to know HTML code to create a web page...just a few basic "rules of the web". It also has it's own upload feature which allows you to FTP your newly created web pages to the web directly from Dreamweaver. It's very different than something like Microsoft Front Page. Dreamweaver was created with the professional designer in mind.

Macromedia Contribute (www.macromedia.com)
This is a great new program from Macromedia. It allows your web desinger (that's me) to set up and administer your website while allowing you access to the pages to make basic changes...such as text or image replacements. All of the design aspects of the website remain in the hands of your designer, but you have the ability to make all of your own basic changes without having to involve your designer every time. The cost is $99 for one license and it is finally available for both PC and Mac users! They do offer a free 30-day trial version, but I recommend that you wait until you have sample website you can "play" with before you download the free trial. If you're interested in having me design a website for you and you'd like to have the Contribute functionality added...just let me know!