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Hi all! I’m primarily a back-end developer looking to improve my design skills.

Does anyone have any advice on how I can learn web design? I know the mechanics of it (css, html, etc.) but can’t seem to make anything that is pleasing to the eye.

Where do I start if I want to be able to design good-looking sites?

For example Elliot Haughin’s website, http://www.haughin.com/, looks really nice. I would be very happy if I was able to make a site that looked like that 😊

i’m also not a designer and interested to gain some design skills.

anyway the site that you have mentioned is a free WP Theme can be download @ http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/07/16/wordpress-fun-a-free-wordpress-theme/

You can actually become a skilled designer in part by simply browsing the Web and understanding how you use it. If you know how people use the Web, you can design for the Web. There is a sixth-sense of sorts that comes along with “pleasing the eye,” but usability is the most important part. You can get far by studying the fundamentals of design (line, shape, color, contrast, et. al.) but I believe some people, by nature, tend to create things that instantly appeal to greater masses.

Also, I think every designer starts out by copying what’s been done. There’s nothing wrong with copying things, especially good things, but there’s a common sense line that you wouldn’t want to cross.

And finally, don’t think about Web design in terms of CSS or HTML or Hexadecimal color values. Sketch and scribble out ideas first, use crayons and colored pencils, etc. Start off the computer first, then either refine your ideas in Photoshop or Fireworks, or jump right into HTML/CSS. One thing I do sometimes is try to prophecy the final design by just closing my eyes and letting something pop into the black void. Sometimes I see something instantly and it works out, other times I need to engage my brain more either through research/mental exercise or even physical exercise. Never ignore an idea, no matter how bad it seems. (Now I’m just rambling…)

Web Design is actually a problem solving thing, how to make a website with great combination of colors, shapes, and layouts. A good combination can make a harmony visual pleasant to human eye 😛…

Before I started to learn how to do web programming, I learn web design from scratch…
I studied color harmonies, etc…

Just an advise, take a look at several great designed websites…then try to steal their layout and make some changes according to your taste…

The best way for you to learn is to edit and re-create what others have done. Get the “web developer” extension for Firefox (free) and then click the “edit CSS” tab on each well designed site you go to (cssmania.com is a good one). You can then edit small parts of designs to see how they work.

My Site might be interesting to you 😉

Study great designers, then mimic what they did.

A great article written by Cameron Moll (a great web designer) may be of interest: Good Designers Copy, Great Designers Steal

Study great designers, then mimic what they did.

A great article written by Cameron Moll (a great web designer) may be of interest: Good Designers Copy, Great Designers Steal

Hmm.. interesting title. Saved.

I agree with Xeon.  Get the the Web Developer Or Firebug extension for Firefox.  That way you can see how pros layout there websites and check out the css as well.  Plus you can see the DOM too.

Also try Google Chromes built in CSS inspector.  Nifty little thing it is and comes shipped with Chrome…

For example Elliot Haughin’s website, http://www.haughin.com/, looks really nice. I would be very happy if I was able to make a site that looked like that…..

No disrespect to Elliot, but this is a WP theme from Smashing Magazine and you can find it here:  http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/07/16/wordpress-fun-a-free-wordpress-theme/

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel.  For example look at http://www.popurls.com and then go to http://originalsignal.com.  They look kinda alike huh?  Who copied who, its pretty easy to tell.

Then theres my copy:  http://www.bestkeptsimple.com 😉 Guess where i got that from:  http://www.ericulous.com. 

If its pro WP themes that you want head over to http://www.arthack.org - you’ll find all the themes your heart desires.

I don’t advocate using any of them without the proper licenses, but there is no harm checking them out @localhost.  Its like using a SWF decompiler to view the AS (Actionscript) of a professional site that you liked…...

Practice makes perfect, it takes time and you have to start somewhere, you’ll quickly see small effects in other sites that you think are great and try to duplicate in something like Photoshop, it can take years, and just like alot of designers can’t program it’s one of those things you’ve got or not 😊 but i’m sure you’ll have some fun learning.