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DPChallenge Forums >> General Discussion >> fear of web page creation … what's the easiest?
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01/25/2010 01:20:01 PM · #1
I do graphic design. I take pics. I'd like to be able to make someone a decent web page without having too much of a learning curve.

Looking for opinions:
• Is HTML a must?
• What WYSIWYG editor is best / simplest?
• Should I bother? It's always seemed to be on the wrong side of the brain for me but I'd like to add it to my skill-set.
• Should I take a course or read a "for Dummies" book ;)

BTW -at this point, I'm not talking about making myself a web page, but being able to make a page for others. So far, I'm pretty happy with my smugmug page which requires just about as much savvy as I have right now.
01/25/2010 01:46:18 PM · #2
Originally posted by tate:

So far, I'm pretty happy with my smugmug page which requires just about as much savvy as I have right now.


err . . so why change ?
01/25/2010 01:54:28 PM · #3
As a designer, I am continually asked "so you can make me a nice logo and brochure, now how 'bout a web page?"

Originally posted by Jedusi:

Originally posted by tate:

So far, I'm pretty happy with my smugmug page which requires just about as much savvy as I have right now.


err . . so why change ?


Message edited by author 2010-01-25 13:54:49.
01/25/2010 01:59:59 PM · #4
If you're on a Mac, try Freeway (you can use it for 30 days before buying). Freeway is to web design what Quark was for page layout: graphical, intuitive and powerful. Pretty much anything you can create with Dreamweaver you can match with Freeway... minus the steep learning curve.

Message edited by author 2010-01-25 14:26:39.
01/25/2010 02:15:53 PM · #5
Originally posted by tate:

• Is HTML a must?
• What WYSIWYG editor is best / simplest?
• Should I bother? It's always seemed to be on the wrong side of the brain for me but I'd like to add it to my skill-set.
• Should I take a course or read a "for Dummies" book ;)

1. HTML-you have to know something, but you may be able to pick it up as you go.
2. Microsoft ExpressionWeb is simpler than Dreamweaver, but if you know any Adobe product, Dreamweaver may be the way to go. I have both, ExpressionWeb has a couple of things Dreamweaver doesn't.
3. Web design has its own frustrations. e.g IE doesn't work the same way FF does, and IE 4 is different than IE5, IE5 differs from IE6 and IE6 differs from IE7....sometimes the same HTML works fine for all browsers, sometimes you have to do some customization.
4. That's up to you. If you do it for money, you shouldn't have to read the For Dummies book.

Perhaps a partnership with a web guy would be better.
01/25/2010 02:28:05 PM · #6
You might check out Intuit Small Business software. It's reportedly easy to use.
01/25/2010 02:30:44 PM · #7
Coffee Cup Software - Get your feet wet!

Dreamweaver Software - Swim the ocean!

Have fun!
01/25/2010 02:40:21 PM · #8
Shannon it's hillarious that you mention Quark because I used to do my web pages in QX. Completely embarrassing but it was what I was using for design so it made sense at the time.

I always like to do trial stuff - perhaps I'll give it a shot. Thanks.

Originally posted by scalvert:

If you're on a Mac, try Freeway (you can use it for 30 days before buying). Freeway is to web design what Quark was for page layout: graphical, intuitive and powerful. Pretty much anything you can create with Dreamweaver you can match with Freeway... minus the steep learning curve.
01/25/2010 02:57:49 PM · #9
Looks like the coffee cup stuff is Windows-based which I can't do ... Dreamweaver looks awesome but its … well, scary-awesome … If I could only use InDesign ;)
Thanks.

Originally posted by hihosilver:

Coffee Cup Software - Get your feet wet!

Dreamweaver Software - Swim the ocean!

Have fun!
01/25/2010 03:21:40 PM · #10
THanks for the help everyone, hopefully my fears will soon be replaced by … uh … opportunity!

As a side-note, I do like services such as SmugMug since I have unlimited storage and can direct my domain directly there. Plus updating the site is completely simple and I can do it form any computer. Photographers can also sell prints and downloads there but at a cost of commissions of 20% going to smugmug.
01/25/2010 03:43:21 PM · #11
HI tate a few years ago I was in the same exact position as you.....and what I did was I went and made a smugmug site, my site is www.lamontphotography.com but it took me like 2 weeks of CSS coding to learn, lots of questions on there forum. But there forums were a big help and I finally got my site the way I want it. After the first two weeks or a lil more I still had some updating to do once it was up and running and fix things I see here and there now.

I did my whole site myself again it was alot of reading on there forums and asking questions, I had no knowledge of this at all before I attempted it.........lol and know I am still kind of confused with the css coding. They even have how to's on the forums now. But so far smugmug is great no problems at all and love all the photo storage space

Message edited by author 2010-01-25 15:53:09.
01/25/2010 04:04:17 PM · #12
Originally posted by tate:

I always like to do trial stuff - perhaps I'll give it a shot. Thanks.

Watch the videos for a sense of how it works. There are other simple videos that explain how to do anything.
01/25/2010 04:36:41 PM · #13
Check out wordpress - originally for blogging, it has become quite versatile with easy-to-use themes and widgets. You can run it on your own host or use their's.

I'm not sure how much time you want to spend learning to do (code) website design. Like you say, it is right brain stuff and most of it is boring. Really boring.

Another option you might consider is to find a local web designer (who does good work) and then work out a referral deal with them. That way, you could spend more time on the design part of your business... the part you are good at.

Message edited by author 2010-01-25 16:46:23.
01/25/2010 05:06:35 PM · #14
Originally posted by pointandshoot:

Check out wordpress - originally for blogging, it has become quite versatile with easy-to-use themes and widgets. You can run it on your own host or use their's.

I'm not sure how much time you want to spend learning to do website design. Like you say, it is right brain stuff and most of it is boring. Really boring.

Another option you might consider is to find a local web designer (who does good work) and then work out a referral deal with them. That way, you could spend more time on the design part of your business... the part you are good at.


I like wordpress. I'm building a site for a non-profit that will use it to manage all of their content. It's easier to get into than Joomla or Drupal but that said it's only easy if you only install ready-made themes, plugins and widgets. If you have to do any real customization then you'll need to know HTML, CSS, Javascript, DOM, PHP and MySQL or at least know enough to alter existing code. One way to do that is to spend some time at www.w3schools.com. It's a great site to learn and also allows you to test code with their TryIT modules.

Message edited by author 2010-01-25 17:07:34.
01/25/2010 05:22:19 PM · #15

Originally posted by pointandshoot:


Another option you might consider is to find a local web designer (who does good work) and then work out a referral deal with them. That way, you could spend more time on the design part of your business... the part you are good at.


yea i suggest that aswell, and you probably can find some eager college student studying IT who would want to make a few bucks on the side.

think of it this way if your gonna do the website yourself your gonna be spending most of your time learning dull techno babble, you might aswell get someone to do it, and maybe learn website making on your own time.
01/25/2010 05:27:00 PM · #16
Originally posted by yanko:

I like wordpress. I'm building a site for a non-profit that will use it to manage all of their content.

Tate... on second thought... I think your best option would be to declare yourself a non-profit, and then have yanko design your sites for you.
01/25/2010 06:37:53 PM · #17
Originally posted by pointandshoot:

Originally posted by yanko:

I like wordpress. I'm building a site for a non-profit that will use it to manage all of their content.

Tate... on second thought... I think your best option would be to declare yourself a non-profit, and then have yanko design your sites for you.


Sure as long as he sends me some of his non-profit profit. :P
01/25/2010 08:26:57 PM · #18
Here's a secret

Don't tell anyone!
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