Graphics Design - what tools do you use?

[Naylia]

Hey guys,

I'm putting together a website and have just been looking at other peoples works and noticed that there are a lot of cool table borders, buttons and things like that out there. Now I'm pretty sure people don't make these pixel by pixel so is there good software that will let me do some simple stuff like buttons and tabs without too much difficulty?

I have Photoshop and that certainly doesn't seem the place to do it, I also have the Macromedia Studio with Dreamweaver, Flash, Fireworks and more. Is there something in there that's worthwhile for web graphic design? Fireworks, maybe? Will I be able to do basic web images without mad graphics skillz?

[rika]

I work with Fireworks even though Photoshop can do the same thing I think Fireworks is faster to work with.
If you want to make it easy, look at some good plugins that do the job fore you... http://www.pluginz.com/default.php

Rika

[Colby]

I have Photoshop and that certainly doesn't seem the place to do it

I think Photoshop is the way to go. Do you know what slices are? If you are doing a lot of graphical stuff then PS will be the tool for the job. As far as assembling the web, I would recommend Dreamweaver. Flash is a great tool too if you want to use flash. Flash isnt something you just pick up and be good at, but it can create more fluid sites, animation and transitions.

I would use PS (and/or Image ready) for my buttons, then save them out. Assemble your web with dreamweaver in layout tables, and reference the buttons. Use cascades style sheets where you can. And always optimize.

What are you really wanting to do?

[Naylia]

Yeah dreamweaver and php and mysql i have down pat, so stuff is functional but ugly, and yes i'm familiar with layers in photoshop. Photoshop was quite the tool to facilitate the getting of booze in college.

Anywho...do you just borrow other graphics as a starting point? What's the best way to get started when all you have is a blank transparent background in front of you? That's what I really am wondering I suppose.

[Colby]

... and yes i'm familiar with layers in photoshop.

I didnt ask if you new about layers, I said slices. Slices are a web tool. What they do is take a graphic and devide it up into smaller graphics. That is how frames are done. The web is designed as a big image then sliced and put into the layout table of dreamweaver.

What's the best way to get started when all you have is a blank transparent background in front of you?

Blank screen in what program? Dreamweaver, or Photoshop? The best thing to do is to sketch on paper the look and layout you want. Then go into Photoshop and draw it all fancy like. Then Slice it. Then start dreamweaver and build your layout tables, and set cells to background colors, or slice images. That is how a web is built.

Your buttons, can be flash, gifs, javascript or simple rollovers. You will have to decide that.

Can you send a link to a site similar to what you want, or buttons like what you want to immulate?

[Naylia]

Sketch --- lol I guess I can do a rough sketch.

Ok slices, if they're a tool available in Photoshop, then I can find it in the help menu, so that I think I can handle that.

I have my logo, and I suppose I can find some simple graphics on the web and then lay it out according to my sketch so it looks cohesive. I've had the process described to me before, but never gone through it the whole way. I suppose I should lay it out just like I do print layout. This text here, that image there on paper, then do the actual work.

It's more work than I had hoped, but I guess when I have the time I want to do it right. Thanks for your help Colby.

[Colby]

You think rough sketching is funny? And I am suppose to be an ar'teest.
This is what I did for my little web.

[Naylia]

damn Colby, that's hot!