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Adobe Photoshop is the industry standard in raster graphics editing, such that the word "Photoshop" has become a verb as in "to Photoshop an image," "photoshopping," and "Photoshop contest," etc. It can edit and compose raster images in multiple layers and supports masks, alpha compositing and several color models including RGB, CMYK, Lab color space, spot color and duo-tone. Photoshop has vast support for graphic file formats but also uses its own PSD and PSB file formats which support all the aforementioned features. In addition to raster graphics, it has limited abilities to edit or render text, vector graphics (especially through clipping path), 3D graphics and video.

Learn how to use Photoshop or just specific elements of it using our Photoshop tutorials.

Want To Be A Web Designer?

The role of the web designer, is to create the 'look and feel' of a website. What this actually involves can vary, depending on the size of team the designer is part of, or the type of company they are working for or where the designer is working alone or in a very small team.

The designer must combine creativity with an awareness of the tools, techniques, processes and technologies that will be used to build the website. The role sometimes also overlaps, or may even be merged with, that of the web developer or programmer, especially in smaller companies or teams.

Designers may be employed in permanent positions within a company, or may work on a freelance basis. Among freelancers, there tends to be most demand for those who are both good designers and have good all round technical expertise.

Some Info About Web Designers

What is the job?

A web designer produces visuals of user interfaces, using software such as Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator. They usually follow a design brief that may be given as verbal instructions, a written specification or 'wire-frame' diagrams.

The designer will normally produce a separate visual for each type of screen within the product, for example the home page, first-level and lower-level pages of the website. As a minimum, these visuals must show the sites' layout, colour scheme, typography and any images or other features. However, they usually also specify, either through annotations or additional visuals, how interface elements should respond to interaction by visitors to the website. For example, this might include specifying colour or style changes for links that are clicked or rolled over, or designing animated buttons or menus.

Designers must prepare designs in a way that allows them to be easily implemented by developers programmers. This means designs must be appropriate for their intended purpose and visuals must be provided in the right format and at the correct size and resolution. Sometimes the roles are combined, with the designer-developer or designer-programmer being responsible for implementing their own designs, especially where the entire interface is animated or where a HTML and CSS based web design approach is being used.

Skills Needed:

If you want to become a web design the key skills that you will need include...

• Can use the design process.

• Good drawing and diagramming ability.

• Awareness of design principles, elements, composition and other design theories.

• Knowledge of relevant design, image manipulation, and asset optimisation software.

• Good interpersonal communication skills, especially when dealing with specialists in other disciplines.

• Ability to manage time, prioritise tasks and work under pressure.

• Knowledge of the requirements of the relevant Health and Safety legislation and procedures.

• Basic HTML and CSS knowledge to allow you to work better with web developers.

Typical career routes

The job tends to be divided into various levels of seniority, based mostly on experience. As a general rule, the greater the seniority, the more responsibility the designer will have for the overall user experience, including the design of navigation, features and functionality. At junior levels, Designers tend to be tasked with only some aspects, typically the visual styling, of the interface.

There are no typical career routes, but many web designers come from a traditional design background, such as graphic, print or information design. Sometimes they combine this with experience or study in a more technical subject, such as computer science, engineering, mathematics or psychology. It is this combination of creative and technical disciplines that tends to set the best web designers apart and enables them to progress into more senior positions.

Essential knowledge and skills
Designers need creativity and artistic flair but also a certain amount of technical understanding. The nature of web design means that they must often design within many unknown or variable parameters, for example, the user's screen size, or the amount of content to be included on a web page.

The designer must therefore be able to identify these factors and think laterally so as to produce flexible designs that work correctly in a range of circumstances. They need to understand usability issues, the principles of interaction design, and any user-interface standards that are relevant to the website.

Training and qualifications

Although there are now various specialist web design courses available, many designers' qualifications are in more traditional art-related subjects. Architecture and product design are particularly useful backgrounds, as they tend to encourage the combinations of creative and technical thinking that web design requires, design in its broadest sense. Experience is generally valued most, however, and a good portfolio of web design work is essential.

How To Become A Graphic Designer

How To Be A Graphic Designer

Graphic designers produce visual design solutions using images and lettering to get across information and communicate a message with high visual impact. Graphic design solutions are required for a wide variety of products and publications, such as websites, advertising, books, magazines, posters, brochures, booklets, magazines, computer games, product packaging, exhibitions and displays, logos, business cards and more. Graphic designers are normally based in a studio or office, but may also spend some time visiting and receiving clients and dealing with printers.

A graphic designer normally works to a brief (set of instructions) set by the client. They develop creative ideas and concepts choosing the appropriate media and style to meet the client's requirements. Graphic design requires creativity, knowledge of industry standard design software and a practiced approach to managing time and costs and meeting deadlines.

The Skills...

A graphic designer may often manage more than one design brief at a time and must allocate the relevant amount of time according to the value of the job. Typical activities include:

• Meeting clients to discuss the business objectives and requirements of the job.

• Interpreting the client's needs and developing a concept to suit their purpose.

• Estimating the time required to complete the work and providing quotes for clients.

• Developing design briefs by gathering information and data through research.

• Thinking creatively and brainstorming to produce new ideas and concepts.

• Developing ideas through drawing and sketching.

• 'Pitching' ideas to managers or clients.

• Working with a wide range of multimedia, like Photoshop, to produce quality designs.

• Proofreading all work to ensure accurate and high-quality work.

• Presenting finalised ideas and concepts to clients.

• Keeping up to date with emerging technologies in new media as most graphic design work is now completed on a computer.

• Working as part of a team with printers, copywriters, photographers, other designers, web developers and marketing specialists.

Career Path:

Graphic designers are normally employed based on the strength of their skills as opposed to their qualifications. However, most professional graphic designers have an ordinary degree or honours degree in graphic design, art or other creative, design based area.

Talent and contacts are the key to getting work as a designer, and you will need to keep an up-to-date portfolio of your work to show to potential employers or clients. Competition for jobs is strong and not all jobs are advertised, so it is a good idea to network and make contacts within the industry, and to approach companies and agencies directly. Unpaid work experience is an opportunity many designers take up in order to help develop their portfolios, make new contacts and impress potential employers. Joining professional bodies such as CSD and D&AD will also give you the opportunity to make contacts in the industry. It is also common practice for designers to create a website to showcase their work.

There is no upper age limit for entry to this occupation. You may be able to enter relevant training through universities or colleges that relax normal academic entrance requirements for suitable mature applicants. Most academic institutions define people aged 23 years or over as mature candidates.

Once a designer has completed their college studies they will still need to keep their skills up to date throughout their career. You may be able to attend short courses, for example in computer packages such as the Adobe Creative Suite, which is the industry standard package for all things design and multimedia related.