Web Design Inspiration Blog | SpicyWebDesigners.com

When Randy Gregory II is not designing some great websites you can also find him behind the lenses of his camera. This web designer and photographer from Phoenix, Arizona in the United States has been designing for the web for the last 2 years professionally and has turned out some great work in that time. As a seasoned print design professional, Randy made the leap into web design as has yet to look back. He originally studied at Northern Arizona University and graduated with his bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Communication with an emphasis in Graphic Design. I had a chance to ask him about his experiences in web design and if his background in photography has helped him become a better web designer, his experiences at Northern Arizona University and his story of becoming a web designer.

Luc @ SWD: When did you start designing websites professionally and how did you first get into web design?

Randy says: out of my 7 years, I’m relatively new to web design, about 2 years, and I took it in school as a side course, but I’ve been mainly a print designer. When I started working for U-Haul in their in-house web team, I was basically thrown into the fire, and had to re-learn. While there, I discovered all of the fantastic things that can be done with the web, including alternate realities, human connections, interactive design, and of course, whatever print design will turn into.

Luc @ SWD: What are your favorite tools to use when designing a website?

Randy says: My favorite tools for designing are my Moleskine and small collection of Sakura Micron pens. I find that getting the idea down on paper completely, greatly helps in the design process, and it’s nice to get away from the computer. Other than that, I use the usual tools, including the Adobe Creative Suite, my camera, the internet for inspiration, using sites like Design Observer, Spicy Web Designers, Core77, and plenty more, and most importantly, great music or a TV going off in the background, typically travel or food programs. I find that having something mentally stimulating in the background helps the creative juices flow.

Luc @ SWD: Has the education you received from Northern Arizona University helped you become a better designer?

Randy says: I believe my education at Northern Arizona University greatly helped make me a better designer. Even though it wasn’t like going to a trade school, I got to learn about multiple art subjects, ones that actually help me in my everyday tasks. I also learned a variety from other interest areas, from lab science, Meso-American Art History, to Japanese!

My professors were also on another level entirely, with pasts such as working with MTV and Nike. They were amazing, and I learned all about theory and respect from them. Also, I was taught by Rodrigo DeToldeo, who was very tough, so much to the point that we butted heads often. It wasn’t until after I graduated, and got into the real world, that I realized exactly why he was so aggressive and tough, he needed to be in order to make us realize our true potential. I now have some much respect for him, and what he has to deal with.

Lastly, I got to meet a ton of people who were all unique and interesting. And some of them aren’t even designers, which makes them perfect candidates for critiques, because in a sense, they are the audience.

Luc @ SWD: Do you think understanding web standards are important as a web designer?

Randy says: I believe that web standards are extremely important, especially in these days where the web is becoming even more widespread. I use tools like the Firefox Web Developer Bar, Firebug, WestCiv’s X-Ray, and the web development tools in Safari and Internet Explorer to make sure that #1: I get all bugs, and #2: I make sure that I adhere to the W3C standards, which I view as the absolute authority for web guidelines. And of course, I read up on all things affecting the web, mainly A List Apart.

Luc @ SWD: How long have you been doing photography for and has it helped you become a better web designer?

Randy says: I have been a photographer for 12 years and I’m very glad that you noticed! It was through photography that I first learned about composition, and how it affects an image, along with color skills, and framing. A lot of my inspiration comes from images I shoot of buildings, artwork, urban landscapes, et cetera. Also, I have used photography throughout my work, most notably my Phoenix Design Week poster, which was a combination of photography and handcrafted typography out of desert materials. I would definitely say that I would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for my years in photography.

Amber Sellers is a web designer from Brooklyn, New York in the United States. She studied in a number of places, most notably Hyper Island in Sweden and enrolled in their program. Amber didn’t start working on web design projects until she interned in 2005 and continued to develop her skills. Her career into web design was not a straight path. When she started out after graduating from the University of Arizona she started as a technology consultant and later a business analyst before getting into web and digital design. I had a chance to ask amber some questions about her experiences to date, her experience at hyper island in Sweden and how she made the switch from the more analytical career she had before to where she is today.

Luc @ SWD: How did you originally get interested in designing and when did you start designing websites professionally?

Amber says: I’ve always been a fan of rave flyers growing up in high school (not that these were the best designs in the world, but they got me thinking). This started my appreciation for creative visual design. I never thought about creating myself or having it become a career until after I had graduated from college. I found myself putting a little too much effort into making my PowerPoint presentations and Visio user flow diagrams. I was spending a lot of time online and totally wowed by the Flash micro sites that were coming out at the time. It finally clicked that I wanted desperately to be a part of those. I bought a Mac and started taking online courses in how to use Photoshop. From there I started making rave flyers, business cards and magazines for friends. I learned HTML and Flash and starting making websites for small businesses on my nights and weekends.

Once I built up enough to create a decent portfolio I thought about applying to design schools. I went through interactive portfolios I admired and Hyper Island in Sweden kept popping up. I kept putting them on the “no” list because at the time you had to know Swedish in order to attend (this is no longer the case). However, they kept popping up and after some research they seemed like an amazing interactive digital media school. I hired a Swedish tutor and hoped for the best. Somehow a miracle happened and I got in. I attended Hyper Island form 2004 – 2006 in Crew 10.

I wouldn’t say I professionally designed websites for big name clients until I started my internship at Domani Studios in New York in 2005 (while attending hyper Island). Although, those learning years before I started school is where I got my chops and started to build my toolset.

Luc @ SWD: How has your experience as a business analyst made you a better web designer?

Amber says: Although I’m concerned with design aesthetic, my analyst years opened my eyes to the importance of the user experience and user centered design in general. I strive to make websites completely intuitive and to help make people’s lives easier.

Luc @ SWD:  How did your educational experience at Hyper Island shape you and what did it teach you that you didn’t already know?

Amber says: Hyper Island was a strange and magical place. There are no teachers, tests, or homework. What they teach is how to teach yourself. This gave me some “cojones” to go out and tackle challenges. They also focus on throwing you into the fire with real projects so you learn on the fly. I worked in teams where I had to focus not only on design, but I got to be the project manager, the tech lead, and the client account manager at different times. Experiencing all the team roles really helped me appreciate my other team members and see how projects work as a whole. I also learned a little patience, how to give and receive feedback, and how to be punctual, as Swedes tend to exude these qualities.

You can read more about my Hyper Island experience here: http://bit.ly/2kgpk8

Luc @ SWD: How do you go about starting a design project and do you ever suffer from the dreaded “blank page” that some designers face from time to time?

Amber says: I first layout all the content to see how it will flow best in a grid (a sort of undesigned wireframe to make sure everyone is on board with layout before I start polishing it). Then based on the client’s brand and messaging I start adding typography, color, images and shading/gradient nuances. I do sometimes need inspiration at the start or even half way through if I do not love it. I’m always bookmarking URLs of great work and portfolios I admire and turn to them for inspiration (not as whole, as in copying them, but trying to capture the essence of design trick or flavor that I can work into my own piece).

Although it is very painful to do, sometimes I have to just throw out a design that isn’t working and start from scratch again. Usually this unleashes something wonderful the second time. Sometimes I need to just walk away and sleep on it and it comes the next day. It helps to have a great team too. Sometimes I’m lucky to be working with talented CDs, don’t be too shy or arrogant to ask for feedback. It’s not always the mess of “design by committee”, sometimes great minds can build beautiful things together.

Luc @ SWD: What are you most prized tools to use on a typical design project?

Amber says: For me, hands-down, it’s Photoshop. Sometimes Illustrator, but pretty rarely now the PS has Smart Objects and I’ve learned to use the shape point selector tool. The Layer Comps tool, Smart Objects, and grids have changed my life. I highly recommend working with them if you haven’t already!  I’ll get into InDesign when I need to create a deck with titles (I know, fascinating). Sometimes I’ll get into Flash or basic HTML to create a demo of how things will work to pitch a design. This will sometimes wow clients with sexy movement so they can see how things will come to life.

Since I use mainly Photoshop, I must admit the tutorials psdtuts.com is a major tool for me too. Photoshop is always changing up their game and it’s a great place to learn new tools you don’t normally use and to beef up your design tricks.

David Trang from the Chicago, Illinois area in the United States is an up and coming web designer and developer who loves adding function to his clients’ websites and creating clean and solid designs. He completed his degree at DePaul University and after college he started designing for the web in 2003. He had some time to answer some of our questions at SpicyWebDesigners.com and tell us what allows him to enjoy what he does and this is where the conversation went…

Luc @ SWD asks: How long have you been designing professionally?

David says: I’ve been designing on the web professionally since 2003, just after completing my degree at DePaul University in Chicago. At my first job after college, I was given the task to manage and design a corporate-wide Intranet portal, which gave me the immediate “on the job” training that gave me a running start. Just before, I was still working more on the technical side of the field, but I learned that I wanted to branch out into front-end design and development, so it was a great opportunity. Now, I’m currently Web Producer for one of the largest jewelry companies in the country and I also do contract work on the side whenever I have the time.

Luc @ SWD asks: David how did you originally become interested in web design?

David says: Kind of in a strange way, but it started back in the late 90′s when eBay was getting really big. At that point, you were given the option of plain text or basic html tags to use for auction descriptions. Of course, I wanted to do anything to make my layouts clean and attractive to attract sales, so I basically played and learned the code myself to hopefully sell more! Looking back at it now, I’m sure most of my “pages” didn’t look so great, but it was an interesting starting point.

Then, it was in college when I started to look at web design seriously. I took a Human Computer Interaction (HCI) design course, and my professor handed out Steve Krug’s classic “Don’t Make Me Think!” guide. I couldn’t agree more with the concepts I learned and I still like to skim through it to this day (for nostalgic reasons too). It helped shed a new light on the usability aspect of web design for me, something I always try to take particular care of when designing a website.

Luc @ SWD asks: I see that your work uses a lot of well thought out typography and good use of space.  How important are the elements of space and typography in the web design work that you do?

David says: It’s crucial. Typography is something so many people take for granted, and I strive to showcase how powerful it can be throughout my designs. I’ll be honest and say that a lot of my previous work probably didn’t stand out well enough because I didn’t grasp the concepts of using space and type well enough. After utilizing the grid system, I’m able to plan my web sites not only with greater ease, but also having the assurance that the final outcome will succeed due to a few basic design principles.

Luc @ SWD asks: How do you stay up to date with what’s happening in web design?

David says: A ton of ways, including magazines like .net or through design podcasts like RBTL, but I probably learn the most through the ever prevalent web design blogs we see sprouting up these days. There are so many sites to name, where it’s almost become too hard to keep track of all of them, but that’s when Google Reader comes in handy.

As far for keeping up with the “news” side of things, Twitter is huge for me. By just following some of the big names in the web design field, I can gain tons of valuable knowledge each day. It also helps to gain new perspectives on design, and to see what other designers are saying/thinking whenever big news breaks in the industry. I can’t get enough of it.

Luc @ SWD asks: What methodologies and/or technologies do you use to plan out a web design project?

David says: It all depends on the size of the project, but for the most part I always start out with some sort of sketch for wire framing. I have a handy grid notepad, where I like to jot down layouts and ideas. Once I have something solid going, I’ll open up OmniGraffle and Photoshop to begin translating electronically. From there, my editor of choice is Coda and I use Firebug to tweak, all the way to final validation of code.

Other handy tools I use during the whole process are “Things” for Mac to keep my to-do’s in place, Quicksilver, which helps me with the repetitive tasks throughout the day with a few quick keystrokes, and finally Dropbox for transferring files between multiple locations.

Kyle Fiedler supports women’s breasts (at least in the month of October, which is national breast cancer month) and his clients’ websites. He calls Woburn‚ Massachusetts outside of Boston in the United States his home. Like a lot of web designers he started designing in college and with a lot of passion and determination continues to design to this day. Aside from a full-time web design position he also freelances through his personal web studio, Fiedler Creative, where he showcases his skills. I had a chance to ask him some questions about his experiences in web design, where he finds inspiration and more about his personal background…

Luc @ SWD: Kyle, how did you first get into web design?

Kyle: When I was a sophomore in college my roommate (kivodesigns.com) and I took a web design class. I loved having people really interact with my designs and the unique set of problems that come with designing for the web. Our energy and passion for the web really feed off of each other and it still does to this day.

Luc @ SWD: How long have you been designing websites professionally?

Kyle: Really not long after that. A friend asked me to redesign his current site that he had built based off a template his hosting service had provided. It was pretty gross, so it was an easy score for me. He was and has been great with letting me fiddle with his site. I am currently in process of building the third revision of his site.

Luc @ SWD: Where do you find your sources of inspiration when designing a new project?

Kyle: I never really know what will kick start an idea or design solution so I am always on the lookout. I love using LittleSnapper to collect things that I find on the web. I’ve got over 4 thousands images that I’ve collected from websites, logos, posters, photos and more. If I see something that grabs my attention when I am not at the computer I’ll take a picture with my phone or try to sketch it down.

When I start a design I will usually refer to my LittleSnapper library and flip through it while I am sketching out ideas. I’ll refer back to it every-once in a while during the design and development to hopefully spark some additional ideas.

Luc @ SWD: What are some of your favorite web technologies to work with on a web design project?

Kyle: I am more of a designer so my favorite thing to work with is my sketchbook which isn’t a web technology. I love using CSS and watching the site take its shape and sprinkling some jQuery to create an extra layer of interactivity. When faced with some real development work I use WordPress. It’s pretty easy to get started and there are an incredible amount of add-ons to help me with whatever functionality I need done.

Luc @ SWD: Where and what did you study at college or university? Has it helped you become a better web designer?

Kyle: I majored in Visual Communication with a focus on Graphic Design. It gave me a starting point for the web and a solid base for core design concepts like color layout and typography. The nice thing about the program was that it gave me a sampling of different disciplines from print and branding to 3D, motion graphics, multimedia and web.

Michael Dick is a web designer and developer from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in the United States. He currently freelances for a number of clients outside of his day job at nclud, a creative web design agency. Michael originally started designing websites about 10 years ago and got his first paying gig in 2001. Even though he did not graduate from university he does not feel that this has hindered him from a successful career in web design.

Since he originally started designing websites he has gone on to master interface design techniques, front-end and back-end design and web standards practices. He has even built and designed a CMS called “PureEdit” recently to give web designers and developers full control over a website and still allow clients to make changes to the content on the website. Here is what Michael had to say about his experiences with web design, PureEdit and what great end web design takes so have a read…

1. How did you get started designing websites originally? When did you start designing websites professionally?

It was about 10 years ago that I was introduced to, hold your breath, FrontPage 98. My older brother and I were playing video games pretty hardcore. He suggested that we needed a website for our clan so he dabbled for a few days before realizing that it wasn’t his forte, thus handing it over to me. He continued to manage Clans/Teams and now does that professionally as I do web design professionally. You could say it was some sort of natural selection, I suppose.

I remember the first time I got paid making web sites, it was for only $100; I actually saved the envelope and had it framed. It was sometime around 2001 (I was around 15 years old); I had clans coming to me asking me to design their website when one of them offered to pay me to make theirs a priority.

2. Michael, I noticed that you bill yourself as a user interface designer and developer.  How does this differ from that of a traditional web designer in your mind?

When you’re designing a website you’re designing an interface, something people will use. The web is where I specialize and spend most of my time, but I also design apps for Mac/iPhone platforms. My art is designing something people will use and the psychology behind it…not just making something look pretty.

3. You designed a content management system called “PureEdit”.  What need does the application fit for clients interested in using it and where did the idea come from for it?

PureEdit is a unique twist on content management, it’s not meant to be an out-of-box solution, but it’s aimed at the hybrid designer/developer who wants full control over their website but need a system that will allow their client to still manage the content. It gives the designer/developer full control of the front design and coding.

The idea came from when I had developed a CMS that could be duplicated (copy/paste) pretty easily, all you had to do was code your input fields and a few lines of SQL. It was a pretty solid system until I wrote a way to automate it even further. That’s when I rebranded and called it PureEdit.

4. When it comes to software that you use to design, what are your favorite ones to use?

Photoshop is what I use to design in and TextMate is what I use to code in. I enjoy using Coda and Espresso, but it really comes down to simplicity for me.

5. What do you think great front-end web design takes to be successful?

Execution. Even if you have the most beautiful design, it’s a waste of a design if it’s not coded properly. Likewise, if you cannot correctly implement nice, semantic HTML/CSS code into a CMS, you’ve wasted the entire process.

6. What did you study in school and where did you go to school?  Has it helped you in your design career and if so then how has it helped?

I got about 3/4th of the way through my degree at a local university before I decided to take a leave of absence from it. I’m a very business oriented person and school was taking a back seat. I made the decision that “school will be school” five years from now, it won’t change…it will welcome me back if I ever need to go back. Opportunities won’t though. They’ll pass you up and never take a second look at you. It was the greatest decision I’ve ever made.

James J. Martin is a web designer and the creative force behind, Helikopter Design, a small web design studio that is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States. He is a self-taught web designer who taught himself by reading and practicing with books on web design, CSS design, Web Standards and blogs and industry sites where he could challenge his skills and grow into a stronger web designer. He was a history major before switching gears and moving to web design. James has been designing websites professionally for about the past three years now and continues to love to learn new techniques improve on his skills.

1. James, I see that you are a self-taught web designer?  How did you original start to teach yourself about web design when you started?

Basically I read every book I could get my hands on. I had an O’Reilly book that pretty much covered all the basics then I started branching out into more specific stuff like “Designing With Web Standards” by Jeffrey Zeldman, “Then Zen of CSS Design” by Dave Shea and Molly Holzschlag, and “Web Standards Solutions” by Dan Cederholm. All of these books were hugely influential. I also read as many design blogs like Smashing Magazine and A List Apart as I could every day. Some of the stuff was a little beyond my scope at that point, but I continued to totally immerse myself in web design. I did as many Photoshop tutorials as I could find, as well. Even things I wasn’t necessarily interested in just so I could learn the interface. I’m definitely an autodidact. I bristle at being told what to study. I always think I know better than the instructor! Haha

2. What did you study in school and why did you eventually decide to become a web designer?

I was actually a history major in school. Not because of any practical reason for sure! My family had a company (not design related) that had been around for a few generations and that’s where I worked my whole life. Unfortunately the company ceased to exist a few years ago so I had to find something else to do! I had always been an artist as a kid, doing my own comic books and other creative projects. I also had been involved with music since my mid-teens. I was a drummer in a band that achieved a moderate level of success. We signed a record deal, toured all over the U.S. (I also played in Tokyo), the whole nine yards. Web design is just another path on that creative trip. I just became more and more fascinated by designing for the web the more I learned about it.

3. I see that you do front-end development and I want to know what are your favorite tools to use for front-end development?

The lines are becoming increasingly blurred between a “front-end developer” and a “designer”. Designers need to have a skill set that includes some JavaScript and PHP knowledge among other things. It’s tough to define those jobs exactly in black and white. Rarely is someone completely compartmentalized that they don’t deal with issues outside their “scope”.

As for tools, I mainly use Photoshop, Fireworks, and Dreamweaver. To be honest, I don’t use the full functionality of Dreamweaver. I could just as easily use a text editor.  Firebug is something I can’t live without. It’s an absolutely brilliant extension. I also use the ColorZilla and MeasureIt add-ons for Firefox.

4. How long have you been doing web design for professionally? How did you originally start designing websites?

I have been doing this for about three years. I originally started designing websites for people for nothing, just to get some experience with a real project. They would ask, “Can we do this?”, “Can we have this on the page?” and I would say “Sure, no problem “. Meanwhile, I had not a clue how to do it!! I bluffed, and then I would just figure out how to do what they wanted. That’s one way to learn how to do web design. Haha. I look back at some of my first sites and laugh at how rudimentary they were. It’s like seeing an old picture of you with a bad hairstyle or goofy outfit. What was I thinking? The important thing is to keep learning. Once you think you know it all, then you’re screwed. I’m not happy if I’m not learning a new technique or getting a new design idea every day.

5. How do you usually promote your web design business? Do you currently freelance? And if so, do you do this on a part-time basis or a full-time basis?

I try to promote my design business by getting my name out there, (Helikopter, of course!) submitting to design galleries, blogging, (which I don’t do enough of, to be honest), and doing interviews with fabulous websites like spicywebdesigners.com, (full-on plug in force). I am designing part-time now, but I expect to go full-time within 6-8 months. I’m getting a lot more inquiries than I can handle on a part-time basis right now.

Rob Alan is a web designer from Indianapolis, Indiana in the United States. Rob originally started designing websites in 2000 while at college and loved getting his hands dirty so to speak. He attended Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana and made the switch from architecture to web design. He started his first paid gig in 2001 during the summer and he has been designing professionally ever since. He currently takes on freelance work in his spare time and he works full-time at SpinWeb as a Creative Director. In his own words, Rob has said that “My tenure here has never been a walk in the park, and I wouldn’t want it any other way” and he attributes this to his success as a well-rounded and seasoned web designer.

1. When did you start designing websites?

I started in 2000, during my first year of college. I took a telecommunications class with a professor who, for some reason, had us all create five Web sites for different case studies during the course. As soon as I got my hands dirty, I was in love — toying around with tables and DIVs in the Dreamweaver WYSIWYG. So innocent; so naive… Haha!

2. How long have you been designing professionally for?

The summer of 2001 brought my first paid gig — a friend’s band needed a re-design. So around eight years now. Being a musician myself, the bulk of my freelance work has been for musicians. Most notably, I created a site for Island Records artist Jon McLaughlin before he became über famous.

3. Why did you want to become a professional web designer?

It just sort of happened. I can’t say that I ever had anything other than an itch to create, and that itch got scratched with Web design and has spun off into print, identity and illustration design as well.

4. How have your experiences as a creative director made you a better web designer?

I’ve had very little direction from anyone in a role like creative director… I guess you could say I wasn’t tainted. I don’t have a picture of what a CD is supposed to look like, so I’m able to craft my role as I see fit — which has made me better because I have been able to look at my team’s process from the outside, in. It allows me to apply the guidance I’ve given to myself — I’m my own worst client, so it can be difficult to get something done. Some of the principles I’ve learned in guiding my team have helped me overcome that obstacle to an extent.

5. Where and what did you originally study at college or university?

I studied at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. I went in for the acclaimed architecture program but found Web design instead. I ended up interning and taking a position with the company I currently work for, SpinWeb, during my sophomore year and never looked back. I have yet to finish my degree, which ended up General Studies because the “Multimedia Design” program was so weak back then.

Ryan Swarts is a front-end designer, user interface designer and web designer from Kansas City, Missouri in the United States. He studied Journalism with a focus on Advertising at the University of Missouri when he first got involved with designing websites and he has been hooked ever since. Ryan has been designing for the past 7 years and his curious nature has allowed him to truly grow into a better web designer in that time.

1. I read on your site that you started designing for the web while you were studying advertising and I wanted to ask how your experience in advertising led you to designing websites?

I started designing for the printed page. I was always really interested in how content could be laid out in newspapers, magazines and ads. I was hired to design a quarterly newsletter for a university client and after a while it just seemed to make more sense as a living website.

I really believe that all of the theory I picked up while studying print design — ideas about balance, color, and typography — translated perfectly to the screen. All of the basics apply. You still have to take all of these classic elements into account for a design to be successful. You’re just working with different constraints on the Web.

2. As a web designer with 7 years of professional experience what have you learned along the way that makes you a great designer?

I think the one thing that makes any designer or developer successful is curiosity. It’s about wanting to find smarter and more elegant ways to create. I pick up cues from the layout of a magazine, the design of a restaurant, even the workings of city.

3. What are some of your favorite tools to use on a web design project?

Recently, I’ve been using jQuery a lot. As a designer, I really like it because the language is so accessible. I never really sat down and tried to learn any complex programming languages because it’s not really how my mind works. But the way jQuery is written, much of it just clicks. And with such an active community, it’s becoming easier and easier to pick up techniques that ultimately make websites easier for people use.

4. Has your education with a Bachelor of Journalism [Advertising] from the University of Missouri helped you become a better web designer?  If so, how has it helped you? And if not, then why not?

The classic training I received at Mizzou definitely helped me. Even if I don’t think about it, I’m constantly considering all of the graphic design fundamentals that I learned in school. But most universities aren’t really setup right now to teach interactive design. For now, I think you have to take the principals that you learn and apply them to the screen. Like I said, I don’t think it’s a big jump. But I know I had to work hard outside of school to pick up the fundamentals of front-end development. I think universities are getting better at teaching development, but it’s taking time. We’re lucky that there are so many online resources for anyone who’s dedicated.

5. What resources, websites or books do you read to stay up to date with the latest information about web design?

Year after year, the amount of resources freely available on design and development keeps growing. Every day I check a bookmarked list of design blogs for updates on techniques and the industry in general. I really look up to designers like Khoi Vinh, Jeffrey Zeldman and Veerle Pieters. There are a lot of design periodicals out there, too. Visit sites like A List Apart, Posh CSS and Smashing Magazine and you’ll find hours and hours of inspiration. That’s how I learned most of what I know today.

6. Ryan, I see that you currently work for an agency and do freelance web design on the side.  Do you plan to go full-time with your freelancing in the future or do you prefer working for agencies?

There are definitely advantages of each. Right now I’m really happy being in the agency setting. The creative atmosphere reminds me of a newsroom. I think you can pick up a lot being around other talented people. I wouldn’t give that up, at least right now in my career. At some point, I’d love to open my shop up full-time and make a real business of it. I think that’s a few years off, though.

Patrick Flanagan is a web designer from Denver, Colorado in the United States. He recently finished his degree in Web Design and Multimedia at Westwood College in 2005 where he graduated on the dean’s list and with honors. Patrick originally started creating websites back in 2000 when a friend got him interested in anima and using Homestead, an online WYSIWYG editor, he created his first website. He has come a long way from “flaming skulls” and “dancing gnomes” but one thing that has never changed is his interest in design. He has since worked for a wide range of clients on various web design and development projects and continues to hone his skills.

1. How did you first get started designing websites and how long have you been designing professionally?

I created my first website back in 2000 for a friend who was interested in anima. I used Homestead (online WYSIWYG editor) to create the site. To be quite candid, the site was horrid. It had everything from dancing gnomes to flaming skulls, cool right? I was ignorant about web standards and proper file compression. Despite my limited knowledge, I knew website design was my calling because I was passionate about it and truly enjoyed the work involved.

Eventually, I grew tired of Homestead and the limitations it possessed. I picked up a free copy of Macromedia’s Homesite and began my journey into the crazy world of HTML. Over the next few years I became efficient with tables and Photoshop. At that point I still considered my expertise to be juvenile with little understanding of proper markup. My code was not degrading effectively. I found this rather annoying and frustrating and I started to doubt my capabilities. Instead of giving up I decided to get a formal education in website design and multimedia at Westwood College of Technology.

Throughout my college career, I was exposed to a multitude of technologies such as Flash, CSS, XHTML, JavaScript, 3DS Max, Maya, etc. At the time, I really enjoyed working with 3d and Flash. My education turned out to be the foundation of who I am today.

Almost 10 years later, I’m designing websites that are W3C compliant and have an effective degradation. I still have a large capacity to learn but that comes with every job and new website I work on. Technology is continually changing which has kept me challenged, which I enjoy. I think that has something to do with why I love website design. Even if I’m designing sites for the same 4 syndications I can always find something new to try.

2. Patrick, I read through your resume posted with your online portfolio and you seem to have a good balance between scripting skills and design skills.  Do you find that people who are interested in your work are so because you are not solely a designer or a coder?

Luc, in my experience it’s rare to find someone who is extremely proficient in design and programming. Each area of expertise uses a different side of the brain. The left side is geared for logical and prefers things to be organized and structured. The right side is more fluid and likes to look for similarities. Fortunately, I have the capacity to access both sides.

My parents might also have a lot to do with why I’m both a good designer and front-end programmer. My mother is an artist who loves to do traditional art with watercolors and pastels. My father is more mathematical and loves things to be organized and well structured. By meshing their DNA together, the product is someone who does well with design and programming.

When dealing with Freelance, most clients expect you to know everything. Having these expectations placed on me has also made me a better designer and front-end programmer. By knowing my programmatic limitations, I can then adjust my designs to still meet the clients’ needs but never at the cost of functionality.

3. Did studying at the Westwood College in Denver help you to become a better web designer?  And if it did then how has it helped?

Most of my knowledge has come from on-the-job experience. That’s not to say Westwood wasn’t a great investment because it opened many doors for me. The connections that I made through Westwood are invaluable. One of my fellow classmates got me my current job right after I graduated (almost 4 years now). Westwood is also responsible for helping me build the core to which holds me together as a designer. The foundation Westwood and I built will last me forever.

Jerome Sagisi is a graphic and web designer from Las Vegas, Nevada in the United States. He studied at the Art Institute of Seattle for Graphic Design and uses trade magazines to stay up to date on the latest trends in web design and later on he studied communications with a focus on visual communications and new media at the University of Hawaii. Jerome originally designed his first website back in 1997 and he has been designing for the past three years. He still does print projects including logo design and identity work which he says is a nice change from web design and allows him to unleash his creative abilities.

1. When did you first start designing websites and when did you make the decision to go professional?

The first website I ever made was back in 1997. It was for an English Literature class I was taking at the local University. All our assignments were to be posted on this site. I was hooked after that. I began reading and learning as much as I could about HTML and JavaScript. CSS wasn’t really being used as it is today. Tables were the in thing. Things changed however, when I first got hold of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. My attention shifted from the web to graphic design and print. You could just do so much more. You weren’t hampered by browser limitations and dial-up connection speeds.

Now however, with the web becoming standardized and the proliferation of broadband connections, those issues are a thing of the past. It’s because of this that I now almost focus entirely on web design, which I’ve been doing for about three years now.

2. Outside of web design do you currently do any print or other kinds of designing or are you strictly web and graphic design based?

I still do print projects and it’s actually a nice change of pace. I really enjoy doing logo and identity work. I find the most freedom in that. You can really let the creative juices flow.

3. What are some of your favorite tools to use when designing for the web and why?

For image editing and mockups, I use Adobe Photoshop CS4. Logo and icon work, Adobe Illustrator CS4, although I’m messing around with some 3D software also. I hand code everything using Textmate. Cyberduck for FTP. Grid Calculator and GridMaker for CS4. Firefox and the Firebug extension are a must. I probably forgot some, but these are the main ones.

4. What are some of the lessons you’ve learned as a professional designer?

For the most part, the old adage, “The client is always right.” holds true. But this does not mean you have no say. People hire you or your company for a reason. Because you can do things they can’t, because you know things they don’t. Don’t be afraid to add your input as a professional. If you disagree, or think you know of a better way or idea, let them know. But always provide a reason for your thinking. Most clients will welcome your professional input.

Design for the client’s needs, not yours. We all would love to have a killer portfolio of work, with the coolest designs, using the latest techniques and technologies. But not all projects allow for that time and/or freedom. A client will be more impressed when a project meets time and budget constraints than if it were to win “Best Site of the Week.” When you do however, get that project, where time and budget are not a problem. Go for it.

Develop your business skills, especially if you want to pursue freelancing, or start your own business. Learn how to promote and market yourself. Leverage the power of today’s social media and Network, network, network! Put down that Photoshop or CSS book for a moment, and start reading about running a successful business.

Don’t forget to breathe.

5. Did you go to school to learn design and if so where did you go? Or are you self-taught designer?

I graduated from the Art Institute of Seattle in Graphic Design. Although, I did learn a lot on my own, prior to that, reading books and trade magazines, and playing around with Adobe products. I also graduated from the University of Hawaii in Communications with a focus on visual communications and new media. It was here that I really started to focus on web design. But you can never know enough when it comes to design. There’s always something new to learn.

6. I see on your portfolio that you list AJAX/jQuery as a part of your skills. Do you do your own scripting? And do you think it’s important for web designers to know the basics of scripting and programming in general?

Yes, I do my own scripting. Often times though, I find I don’t have to. The great thing about the web and its technologies is that there are so many resources out there – from plug-in to tutorials. It’s not that daunting to learn a new scripting or programming language. It’s becoming more and more important for designers to add programming to their skill-set especially if you do it all yourself. But, even if you work with programmers, having a basic understanding will go a long way. And there are web programming frameworks out there now that help to make the jump as easy and painless as possible.