1. How did you get started in web design?

When I was young I always wanted to do something creative. So I picked a graphical education until I discovered the possibilities from what I could do with a computer.

2. When did you start designing websites?

My first web-design experience was about 5 to 6 years ago. I didn’t have a computer at first and had to create all my stuff at school. But after a while my parents bought me my first computer, a basic PC with one of the first flat-screen displays. At that time I was doing some basic HTML and my first steps with CSS. From that moment I was in love with the internet and all the possibilities.

3. What are the biggest challenges that you face in web design currently?

The biggest challenge is to keep challenging myself to do better each time. Because there is always a easy way and a hard way to complete your goals and picking the right one isn’t easy. I learned that you can’t make the perfect design but that you need to try to get as close as possible.

4. Do you code any of the web sites that you design currently? If so, what language(s) do you code in?

t try to combine the 2 jobs of web-designer and web-developer because it is nice to switch between them and gives you more insight. The advantage of coding and designing your own projects is that can think ahead if you are designing and that you can do allot by yourself. I can use languages like XHTML, CSS, JavaScript, jquery, xml, PHP, mySQL and some basic ActionScript 2.0. But I always wanted to learn more like Cacoa and create even cooler stuff.

5. Did you study design at school or are you self-taught?  If you went to school, how has your education helped you become a better web design professional?  What other skills has it helped you to gain and what else has it taught you about design in general?

I am still studying “Communication Multimedia and design” at the moment and will do my final year next year. At school I learned a basic of web-design and web-development but also things like online marketing and communication. This gives you a broader view on subjects and makes it easier to adapt to situations. But at school we also get the opportunity to develop our own skills and in my final year I can pick a subject of what interests me most and build my thesis around it. But things like design cannot be taught in school these are skills you need to develop on your own and challenge yourself to do better each time.

6. Since you first started how has the web design industry changed? Has it changed for the better? If so, how? If not, please explain?

As a student I see that the web is changing and very fast. For example, when I started designing websites my favorite websites where flash-based and where very dynamic, but if you look at the web today you see that flash is not so important anymore and that HTML 5 will rule the world (just kidding with the last part ). I also like the fact that the web becomes more mobile and the new technologies that are made for it.

7. What are your favorite tools to use when designing a web project? Why are they your favorite tools?

First off all I work on a Mac and I use only Photoshop and Coda for most of the time. I use Photoshop because it is the most advanced design tool but then again I only use 10% of the tools that are in it. Coda is my favorite app; it gives me the perfect tools and interface to do all my coding.

Besides these 2 programs I work also with the iPhone SDK to create my web apps and all the other CS4 programs.

8. I see on your site that you’ve done some projects using the iPhone API.  How have you found your experience developing for the iPhone so far?

Yes I use the iPhone SDK but only the web app related programs. First there is a nice iPhone emulator that comes in handy if you are build stuff for the iPhone. Second there is “Dashcode”, an app I don’t use but is very easy to create quick mockups of websites. And the good part is that it is free to use. To build my projects I found the necessary information on Apple’s developer website and for more tricks and solutions for the limitations of Safari I just used Google. So just start building your idea and look up the information that you need to get it right.