Help needed to improve on designing

[FxpForce]

Hi, i've been a n00b to web designing a long time, and really need to improve.
Here is a site I did 2yrs ago, www.capeaccom.co.za Below is how my work flow goes:

1:) Design the graphics part in photoshop
2:) Client likes, I slice in photoshop and saves as web
3:) Open the saved files in Dreamweaver
4:) Add all the text and stuff and makes sure it works in IE and FF.

Any advise or help would be welcome. or Point me to some tut.


Thanks

[Starpromo]

That site doesn't look like it was made by a 'n00b'. You must be doing something right if that was made two years ago.

The only thing i would add is that you should learn to code your sites by hand. Using a mix of XHTML and CSS. Try not to use tables unless displaying information that is layed out in a table.

So basically its not your designing skills that need brushing up its your coding skills!

[FxpForce]

Thanks for thumbs up on the design, yea I still use tables to display my text.

[Phenex]

That site is very clean and looks pro to be frank. Pro not in the "Ohh he did something out of this world" sense, but pro as in, you got the job done and that too in an uncluttered, elegant way. Thumbs up for that.

Don't stick that n00b tag on your forehead by yourself.

The only thing you need to get into now is the latest fad: xHTML+CSS. That's it.

Good work!

The only thing slightly problematic with the design would be the choice of font for "Tyger Falls Villas". It can be made more innovative if a better font is used and if it's spiced up properly. :)

[ApixDesigns]

The design seems to be pretty good but the coding on the other hand. Since you made it 2 years ago and it works, there is no real point in re coding it, but for future websites, try and look into divs and css. The text is slightly hard to read but it works. I was also looking for the navigation but i'm guessing there isnt any. Anyways, Nice site, not so nice code. If it aint broke, dont fix it.

[Icy Penguin]

Nice - and as the others said - use XHTML and CSS. Much easier, faster, better.

[hybrid101]

actually, it looks pretty good. i like it, but the coding can definitely use some changes;)

[RabBell]

there are a lot of tutorials out there for CSS and XHTML but I think the w3schools is one of the easiest ones for designers new to coding (thats what you'll call yourself from now on by the way, no more of this n00b talk) to follow

http://www.w3schools.com/xhtml/default.asp
http://www.w3schools.com/css/default.asp

also go to ebay or amazon and see if you can get some 2nd hand copies (cheaper therfore) of some css, xhtml books. Any from the O'Reilly series are top notch.

as said above you're not a bad designer, just need to get the hang of coding. Also to be inspired by CSS try here

http://www.csszengarden.com/

this is a site where people are asked to design a new site around the same content. Browse through the design and you'll see the content stays the same but the designs change. All done using CSS.

best of luck :cool:

[snaphappy]

I've just started using css for layouts (having relied on tables and css formatting in the past) and it is a revelation - I'm suddenly left wondering why I never jumped on the bandwagon before..

FxpForce, I just say definitely follow the advice here. Css really helps break the boundries and also gives you a totally different perspective on design:thumb2: Also I'm pretty sure it is going to stick around for a long time to come.

Haven't visited zengarden for a while but just looked in and it is a stunning site with inspiring examples of what can be achieved. Get a few basic layouts from there or elsewhere and pull them apart and see what makes them tick.

[kingy457]

CSS has replaced everything these days. It's crucial you use it, as tables should not lay out information, unless you want a border, and that is still over

Secondly, too many images. Add some more pages on each of the two apartment pages to showcase your images, and lead the viewer to anticipate the views. It also takes too long to load.

Thirdly, why did you "_blank" the links on the first page??? I mean, there's only two, and people know how to use the "back" button, and you're opening new windows for those poor souls using Internet Explorer 6. Just cries out "bad web design".

Fourthly, the Tyger Falls page doesn't work with the white frame. You can add a dull pastel, or alternatively just make the entire background that color, which is quite good as a background color.

Not to be all negative, you have a good style sense about you, and your code is pretty good. I really like your color schemes, and four mistakes in a website (albeit a small one) isn't too bad in my opinion.

8/10

[Pasquale]

Yes tables suck but you said :
It's crucial you use it, as tables should not lay out information, unless you want a border, and that is still over

You can turn the borders of tables off...

[Phenex]

Also I'm pretty sure it is going to stick around for a long time to come.

Oooh yea! CSS 3.0 with definitions for having multiple layered backgrounds! :drool:

The main thing I don't like with the whole scene right now is, CSS code needs to manipulated and fidgeted around with to make it work in IE6 properly. Or maybe I'm just not good enough at it. Either way, I still love CSS.

[akphotography]

pretty nice design...just needs some more graphics and more uniformity..good work though