Web designing is a rewarding skill set anyone planning to acquire IT skills can consider, and the good thing is you don’t need to go to school to become a web designer.
For you to become a good web designer, you need the following skills:
- Technical skills: Website development skills that enable you to deliver expected functionalities.
- Creative: This will help you design good-looking, user-friendly front-end using well-polished artistic skills.
What is the job of a web designer?
Whether you work as a freelancer or work for a company, your primary job is to design and develop web pages that meet your client’s needs.
Depending on the complexities of the job and the tools used, your job function can vary from template modification to building from scratch to completion.
Related article: Ten benefits of coding to your child
How to become a web designer:
#1. Learn the basics.
The first step of becoming a web designer is to learn the basics of web designing.
Understanding the core elements of website design, the functionalities, types and how to use the right colours in the front end will give you the necessary preparations to becoming a web designer.
#2. Learn Web Design Tools:
There are tons of web designing tools you can learn. From basic HTML & CSS to WordPress, PHP, C++, Ruby on Rails, etc. If you desire to acquire advanced web designing skills, you need to consider learning the high-end tools.
Some of the web design tools you can learn
#HTML and CSS
Html and CSS are vital for web designing. learning the HyperText Markup language will give you a solid foundation of the web framework. You can improve your HTML and CSS knowledge by learning customized frameworks like Tailwind CSS, Bootstrap CSS, etc.
#WordPress
WordPress is the world most popular and most widely used content management system. It powers over 40% of the website on the internet. WordPress is easy to learn and can be used to build business websites, E-commerce websites, special web applications like school management systems, booking systems, etc.
#Prestashop
If you are interested in majoring in developing e-commerce websites, Prestashop is one of the tools you can use. It has good store themes that you can use to build complex eCommerce solutions.
#Learn at least one programming language
Learning programming languages like Python, Ruby on Rails, PHP, C++ will add to your technical know-how. Invest your time and resources in learning some programming languages.
#Sketch
Sketch gives you the tools you need to design an attractive and user-friendly user interface. It’s a premium tool and one of the widely used UI/UX design tools.
#Adobe Photoshop
Your job as a web designer is incomplete without creative and outstanding graphical works. Get a good knowledge of how to use Adobe Photoshop for designing, file formatting and compression. Having good knowledge of graphic designing will be visible in your projects.
#3. Build your portfolio
The next phase of the journey is to build your portfolio. Work on personal projects, talk to friends or business owners around your niche, and offer them affordable web design services.
Building a good portfolio is one of the easiest ways to showcase your web design skills. Most customers will ask for samples of jobs you have done before.
#4. Get a mentor
Having someone with experience to guide you through the learning journey will speed up your learning process, save you time, and help you focus on developing the necessary skills.
#5. Promote yourself
If you are interested in working 5 – 7, build a relevant profile on LinkedIn, and network with experts and prospective employers in your field of interest. Build a relationship with them, tell them your intentions and ask if there are opportunities for junior web designers in their firms.
If you are interested in building your own business, take advantage of LinkedIn, connect with every prospective client and advertise your service. Register with Fiverr and Upwork as a service provider and use social media channels to reach more prospects.
Conclusion
There is no age barrier if you have an interest in becoming a web designer. 2022 is another year, and you must take the necessary steps toward your capacity-building journey.
