I see many people asking for advice on freelancing careers and the many different businesses that can be run from home in the web design sector. But I think one very basic question is not being asked often enough. That question is: How do you learn web design?
| Takeaways |
|---|
| A freelance web designer can earn a high income while enjoying the flexibility of working remotely. |
| Building a strong portfolio and online presence is crucial for attracting clients. |
| Continuously improving skills and staying up-to-date with industry trends is essential for success. |
| Networking and building relationships with clients is key to building a successful freelance web design business. |
| Understanding the business side of freelancing, such as pricing, contracts, and managing finances, is important for long-term success. |
1. Learn By Doing
Practice, practice, practice!
Learn from your mistakes and create something new.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different things on the page!
Be willing to make mistakes and try again until you’ve figured out what works best for your website.
Keep improving and refining your site as time goes on, even if it’s just a small change every day or week! The point is that there are many ways for people who want to learn about coding without having any experience whatsoever to do so; all it takes is a little creativity and willingness to put forth some work on their part.”
Improving your web design freelancing career requires not only technical skills but also business acumen. As one expert said, ‘Know your worth, don’t sell yourself short, and keep learning.’ Check out our article on 22 expert tips to improve your web design freelancing career to learn more valuable insights from industry leaders.
2. Sign Up To An Online Course
You’ve probably heard of online courses. Websites like Coursera, Udemy, and Treehouse offer internet-based classes that cover a wide range of topics, including web development. Online courses contain videos that walk you through the basics of a discipline. They often include interactive quizzes or challenges designed to help you put your new skills into practice.
If you’re interested in taking an online course, you should ask yourself: What am I looking for? And how much do I want to pay? The answer to the first question is subjective—you can learn anything from “How to make a website” to “How to build beautiful websites” depending on your skill level and interests.
The answer to the second question is less so: For any given topic, there are literally thousands of free courses alongside the paid ones (which range anywhere from $15–$200).
To find a good course quickly, read reviews on Reddit and Quora. Once you have some clarity there, search for reviews on Google—the best ones will be at least six months old because they’ll have had time to grow more detailed as people leave comments about their experiences.
3. Learn From The Best Blogs In Web Design
Read, read, read.
Stay abreast of the latest news and trends in web design by reading blogs. The best ones will help you stay inspired, up to date with new techniques, and focused on quality content. They’ll also provide hiking opportunities if you’re on the lookout for a job as a designer or developer.
You can find some great blogs by doing a simple Google search for “web design blogs” or by asking colleagues what they read to keep their skills sharp and stay informed about industry issues. Most are updated frequently—at least once or twice a week—so make sure you check back regularly or sign up for an email subscription to get updates delivered straight to your inbox.
4. Watch Video Tutorials And Screen Casts Regularly
Video tutorials and screencasts are a great way to learn new skills. They can teach you how to use a tool, for example:
Let’s say you want to create your own vector images using Adobe Illustrator. You can do a quick search on YouTube or Vimeo for something like “How to Create Icons in Adobe Illustrator” and watch someone else go through the process step by step.
They can teach you how to solve a problem, such as:
Maybe you want to learn how to create an HTML5 video carousel or gallery with captions for your portfolio site. With so many options out there, it’s best just watch someone do it first, then try it yourself later.
One of my favorite sites for learning these types of things is Tuts+. It has over 5,000 free tutorials all with full-screen HD playback that cover everything from illustration and design fundamentals to coding languages such as HTML/CSS and jQuery.
Starting a web design freelance business involves much more than just designing websites. As another successful freelancer advised, ‘Understand that you are not only a designer but also an accountant, project manager, marketer, and business owner.’ Check out our guide on top 17 things to consider when starting a web design freelance business for a comprehensive list of essential steps to start your own business.
5. Read An E-Book Related To Web Design
Did you know that there are many free e-books on web design available for download? You can find beginner, intermediate and advanced e-books on topics like programming, user experience (UX), site architecture, good design practices, graphic design, and visual communication. E-books are a great way to gain knowledge and get practical advice from experts in the industry.
Here’s what you need to do:
Search for free e-books related to web design. There are many lists of free resources online that include e-books. You can find lists here or here.
Download an e-book (or several). Most of these resources have a link directly to the book’s download page such as this one or this.
Read and take notes while you read. Read through the entire book while looking out for specific tips and resources mentioned by the author.
6. Interact With People On Forums And In Chatrooms
If you’re looking for a quick answer to a specific question, chatrooms are the place to be. If you’re trying to learn new things from a community of people over time, forums are your best bet. Both forums and chatrooms can provide valuable peer learning opportunities and let you network with others who share your interests.
Forums also tend to have an extensive archive of posts that you can refer back to as needed.
Both types of communities tend to operate based on the principle that those who ask questions should first do their research and make an attempt at answering their own question before asking the community for help.
This means that there’s often some expectation that users will give back by answering other users’ questions as well, whether by posting on the forum or in the chatroom itself. So if you want to take part in a community where this type of positive karma is encouraged, check out these options:
Getting started in freelance web design can be intimidating, but the rewards of running your own business are worth it. As one freelancer said, ‘The beauty of freelancing is that you’re your own boss, and you get to decide what work you take on.’ Check out our article on how to get started in freelance web design for helpful tips on building your portfolio, setting your rates, and finding clients.
7. Get A Mentor Or Find A Role Model
Find a mentor, someone you can follow and learn from. Having a role model will help you learn web design faster. They can either be in person or online.
Mentors are all around us and they come in many forms: teachers, artists, programmers – people who can show you the way to your destination through their own example. We wouldn’t recommend that you copy another person’s style directly, but having a teacher or an artist as a role model will help guide you to become a better designer yourself.
A mentor can also point out mistakes that you might not have realized without their input. Again, this is something that will help you avoid making similar mistakes in the future.
8. Attend Community Events And Meetups In Your Area
You can learn a lot and meet some great people by attending some community events or web design and development-related meetups. There are plenty of things you can learn from talking to and observing other designers.
As the world’s largest network of 5 million monthly visitors, Meetup.com provides a calendar full of events that you can attend right in your own neighborhood. You can search for design, front-end, or web-related topics on Google, or browse on Meetup.com to find relevant groups nearby you where you could go to ask questions or just check out what others are doing in the industry.
9. Join A Web Design Social Network Site
There are now many social networking sites where you can interact with other web designers, share your work, and get feedback along the way. Two of these sites are Dribbble and Behance.
You can join a group on one or both of these sites that corresponds to your specific interests in web design, such as WordPress theme design or print design for the Web.
You can also ask questions, participate in discussions and share your work on these sites.
Don’t be afraid to openly showcase your work to others and be humbly open to critique: what works well? What doesn’t? This is a great way to build a portfolio of projects over time.
10. Consider Open Source Content Management Systems (CMS)
If you want to dive right in and start making changes, consider an open-source content management system like WordPress or Drupal. Both of these systems are built on PHP, a programming language used to build websites.
To understand how a website is coded on the back end, all you have to do is download the package and install it on your server. You can then make small changes to see how they affect the front end of your site and learn what happens when you add new modules that are available from their community repositories.
11. Contribute To Online Help Documentation Or Open Source Projects
When it comes to contributing to online help documentation or open-source projects, there are a few key differences.
Help documentation. Contributing to some kind of online help documentation (like the [Bootstrap] will almost certainly require that you have already learned some web design and can put those skills into practice in order to create something useful for others.
Additionally, this is a great way to improve your web design skills: as you work on writing about a specific topic, your own understanding of it will likely deepen, making you more familiar with the subject matter and maybe even helping you figure out a few new things about it yourself!
Open source projects. Working on an open-source project is much more hands-on than contributing to help documentation because it requires actual coding, so it’s probably not something that beginners should attempt until they have acquired some knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (among other programming languages).
On the other hand, once someone has reached somewhere between an intermediate and advanced level in their programming abilities not quite an expert status yet but still relatively competent—getting involved with an open-source project can be very beneficial because beginners are often paired up with mentors who can teach them even more about web design and other topics related to computer science.
You can learn web design for free if you do it in small steps over time, interact with other people and stay motivated.
Learning web design for free can be a great way to get started. You can start learning it right now, without the need for an expensive computer or fancy software. There are plenty of resources available online, and you can learn web design on your own time and at your own pace.
Inspiration is key to successful web design, but it can be challenging to come up with fresh ideas. As one designer advised, ‘Keep an inspiration file of websites and designs that you love.’ Check out our list of top 20 web design ideas that will inspire you for a collection of stunning websites and creative designs that can spark your creativity.
12. Join Communities Of Designers
There are many active communities online where designers share their work and offer advice on everything from how to create mockups in Photoshop or Illustrator (two very popular tools used by most designers today) all the way through more technical topics like HTML5 canvas programming using Javascript libraries like PixiJS or WebGL (a recent trend).
Joining these communities will give you access not only to talented peers who want nothing more than to help others achieve success; they’ll also provide invaluable feedback on your work when needed!
Hiring a freelance web designer can be a smart decision for businesses of all sizes. As one expert said, ‘When you work with a freelancer, you’re working with someone who’s highly motivated and has a personal stake in your project’s success.’ Check out our article on why hiring a freelance web designer may help you for a list of benefits and tips on finding the right designer for your needs.
Final Thought
Hopefully, these resources won’t just help you learn the basics of web design but also help you improve yourself as a designer. Learning to do new things can be difficult, but it’s something that we all have to do in order to better ourselves.
So pick one or more of these resources, lace up your shoes and start running towards that finish line. Once you cross it, not only will you be able to get your job done in record time but with far greater efficiency than ever before.
Further Reading
How to Become a Freelance Web Designer – Indeed’s guide on how to start a career as a freelance web designer, covering topics such as developing skills, finding clients, and setting rates.
Tips for Becoming a Successful Web Designer – This article from Designhill provides helpful tips for web designers looking to improve their skills and increase their success in the field.
A 10-Step Guide to Getting Started as a Freelance Web Designer – Freelancing Hacks offers a comprehensive guide to starting a freelance web design business, including steps such as defining your services, building your brand, and finding clients.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I become a freelance web designer?
To become a freelance web designer, you’ll need to develop skills in web design and development, build a portfolio, and find clients to work with. Consider taking courses or getting certifications in web design, and start building your portfolio by creating websites for friends and family or working on personal projects. Once you have a solid portfolio, you can start networking and marketing yourself to potential clients.
How much money can I make as a freelance web designer?
The amount of money you can make as a freelance web designer varies depending on your experience, skill level, and location. According to ZipRecruiter, the average annual salary for a freelance web designer in the United States is around $72,000, with top earners making over $100,000 per year.
What tools and software do I need as a freelance web designer?
As a freelance web designer, you’ll need a variety of tools and software to help you create and manage websites. Some essential tools include a computer with a reliable internet connection, a web development platform such as WordPress or Adobe Dreamweaver, graphic design software such as Adobe Photoshop or Sketch, and communication tools such as email and instant messaging.
How do I find clients as a freelance web designer?
There are many ways to find clients as a freelance web designer, including networking with other professionals in your field, marketing yourself through social media and online platforms, and working with referral sources such as marketing agencies or business consultants. It’s also important to build a strong portfolio and provide excellent customer service to help attract and retain clients.
What are some common challenges for freelance web designers?
Some common challenges for freelance web designers include finding and retaining clients, managing time effectively, staying up-to-date with new technologies and design trends, and balancing multiple projects at once. It’s important to develop strategies for managing these challenges, such as setting clear boundaries with clients, creating a schedule and sticking to it, and regularly investing in professional development opportunities.
How Do I Learn To Design Websites?
There are many different ways to learn web design. Some people go back to school for it, but that takes a lot of time and money that many people simply don’t have. Luckily, there are a few free ways to learn.
How Much Does A Web Designer Cost?
The cost of hiring a web designer depends on their experience and skill level. Some freelancers charge a flat rate, while others charge by the project.
What Skills Do I Need To Be A Web Designer?
You’ll need strong communication skills, an eye for detail, creativity, and an understanding of how to build a website.
Can I Actually Make Money Doing This?
Absolutely! The web is a great way to get exposure for your business or brand, and if you do it correctly, you can make some serious cash.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.