I hope this isn't violating any rules. I just registered here, and I am looking for work as a web page designer. Here's a page I recently constructed using html code, rather than a web design program, and graphics that I designed(used The Gimp for the logo).

Here's the url: www.angeltowns.com

Hello Gina,

Welcome to GIDForums™.

I moved your post to the 'Introductions' forum simply because the 'Webmaster Requests and Offers' forum is not set up yet. This will be done when there is more demand for it in the future...

Good luck with your search for some web designing work... in the meantime I suggest you pick up some web scripting languages too (e.g. ASP or PHP).

Ok. Did you like my design though? I only used notepad, and I'm learning coldfusion and some SQL this semester. I think I'll try learning those languages you suggested, though I can be a bit lazy at times. And I only recently abandoned my no-caps writing style, even though I was just doing that because I like e. e. cummings. It seems that that annoys people, so I decided to quit.

How complex is ASP and PHP? I need to know how many classes and semesters I will have to take, or if I could try studying it independently and challenging the courses. I'm also taking Java, and may teach myself some javascript, enough to give the page a more professional feel, like with menus or watermarks. Or even menu/watermarks that stay fixed in one position when the user scrolls the page.

Javascript is just so confusing, and I can't make heads or tails of some of the scripts, like that sparkler, or mouse-trail yet. I guess I'll just have to refer to Webmonkey, and see if that can help.

Gina, you didn't ask for a review so I didn't say what I thought about your site.

Anyway... I was okay with it UNTIL the background loaded up for me It made everything look crowded and messed up!

re:ASP or PHP? That's tough... people who are comfortable with ASP, will tell you ASP; people who are comfortable with PHP (like me, for instance) will say PHP is 'the-best-thing-since-sliced-bread' Ultimately it's your choice... try out both or try ASP out first...

I could never learn too many things at the same time, so I just usually concentrate on learning one thing at a time (and learn it well!) I also never got around to learning JavaScript...

Thanx for the critique on the background. I'll try making something more subdued, and less... crowded and convoluted...

It's just that nowadays, webpages generally need backgrounds to look professional. I'd like to find a background generator that makes side-background graphics, the kind that are blank where the text is supposed to be.

And what kind of graphic style would you recommend?

I am a hotelier, so for me, graphics is to web design what spices are to food.

Just enough and you compliment your entire layout, go overboard and you mess everything up.

So, graphics should be minimalistic and tastefully added so it brings out the best on your page, article or site. I am not saying I am good at it, just what I believe to be true.

I just made a new background, which is darker and more subdued. Check it out: www.angeltowns.com

Hi gina welcome to the forum.

I think you need to display a lot more evidence of your capabilities to woo people until asking you to design sites for them. Have a look at http://www.csszengarden.com/ and then look at yours. You really need to think about going into full on HTML and CSS because many people are interested in any other alternative anymore. Stating that you refuse to do Flash or Shockwave isn't the best advertisement on your front page either, I'd rather you didn't mention it between the two choices because it brings up ideas of incompetence.

I suggest you read a load of JDS's tutorials here: http://www.desilva.biz/webdsn/ to brush up on enhancing your portfolio.

Please don't take this as criticism, but rather that you have a lot to do before the page is ready.

Rob

I didn't say I refuse to put flash or shockwave on my sites. What I was trying to say was I don't know how to do flash or shockwave. I don't know how to animate. All I know how to do is write html, css, some javascript, and now some coldfusion which I think is pretty cool. I can't make heads or tails of flash, and I never tried using any shockwave animators before.

What I meant was, if you want shockwave or flash on your site and you want me to build it, you need to do the animations and then send them to me since I don't know how to do them.

I can also record sound files, compose midis, and I'm learning how to program java applets. I'm a newbie here, I guess, since my knowledge in web programing is so limited. I'm taking some classes, and I may try learning flash and shockwave as well. Right now, I just don't know how to use those animation programs.