Web design is one of the most sought out skills out there right now, so you might be thinking – why not get into it?

Building a website from the ground up can be both challenging and rewarding. Especially in today’s ever-changing times, it can be difficult to know where to start.

Web design is a complex field, and you may find at first that the ride towards becoming a professional might be bumpy. It’s important not to give up, and with the right tips, you’ll get there soon.

Fortunately for you, getting started has never been easier and maybe a lot simpler than you think. There are tons of resources available be it online, books, tools to practice, websites and the best news is – most of them are free. So no matter what your background is, you can get into web design today, which is pretty great.

Here are our tips on how to get started with web design and not give up.

Do your homework

Diving into something new headfirst with no research isn’t going to be good for your can-do attitude further down the line. Before you get into this complex field, do a lot of broad research to narrow down your goals.

This is an industry where you can and should find a specific niche that works best for you. Web design is an all-encompassing field that takes into account numerous different aspects, so what is it that you would like to do?

Are you more into graphics and the design, or is WordPress more your thing? Perhaps, you’re interested in something completely different? To dig deep and see what exactly your interest, do your homework and conduct thorough research.

Try some of these places to get started:

• Have a look at websites of your favorite brands, which ones do you enjoy viewing and what design elements appeal to you? As a further step, you can take a look at websites using the inspection tool in your browser (right click). View whatever sites you’re on through a coding lens and think about how the site is constructed. This practice can help you get to grips with how to code your own site in the most efficient manner.
• Go to your local library and read up on some of the classic books and magazines on web design and development – you’ll soon see just how much there is to this craft. It can give you inspiration on what niche might be just yours.

Learning the barebones and basics

No matter what part of ‘tech’ you’re in, there are certain fundamentals and crucial foundations to be laid before you can move on.

So no matter if you have chosen your niche or not. It’s important not to cut any corners to become confident in your craft. For every aspect of web design you want to carry out, know exactly how to do it in the best possible way.

There’s much to be said about every fundamental of web design and it will be difficult to cover them all here, so we’ve come up with some of the most important points to get you started:

• Best coding practices – there are a wide variety of resources that can help you improve your coding standards for free, for example, there are dedicated courses on Coursera that you can engage in. As if that’s not enough, Google also has a developer site that introduces the latest news and basics of programming, well worth a visit. A lot of different programming languages can be used for different purposes, so do some research on which you should prioritize learning first.
• Colour theory and style – It may seem demanding, still, you would like to know exactly what appeals visually, so it is fundamental that you get to grips with color theory and typography.
  Layout – It’s important that you can create a structured layout that is visually appealing and highly intuitive for your visitors. Without the slick design that entices your audience in, your website won’t progress very far. Recent research has shown that 38% of users won’t engage with a website if they deem it to look unattractive.
• UI and UX– These two terms stand for user interface (UI) and user experience (UX). This can seem quite complicated at first, yet to become the confident web designer that you are, it’s vital that you make a start on these two topics. Practice makes perfect may seem like an obvious point, yet without sufficient practice, your skills cannot develop. As a person practices, they will become more and more confident more capable of grasping the basics of web design.

Practice makes perfect

It may seem like an obvious point, yet without sufficient practice, your skills cannot develop. As a person practices, they will become more and more confident more capable of grasping the basics of web design.

It’s important not to restrict yourself in any way with practice. Learn in a way that you know will bring you success and focus on the positives at all times. Before you start coding, it’s important that you choose the most suitable text editor for you. Likewise, with design, browse through all the relevant software and try and find either freeware or paid programs that you can work with.

Wrap up

As we wrap up this article, it’s important to reflect on the best ways you can achieve your goal. The field of web design is vast, so at times you may feel overwhelmed. However, you should take it slow and steady, congratulating yourself on any achievements you make.

Have you ever worked in the web design field? Do you have any advice on how to start? We’d love to hear more from you, so please leave a comment below.

Jake Lester is an essay writer that is fond of writing about various spheres of life. The most recurring themes he covers are education, writing, and marketing. He has his own writing style and this is why he is appreciated by readers. You can find him on Facebook, Twitter & Google+.