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Learning to Code

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I’m a web designer, every day I design stuff from websites, UI’s, iPhone apps, Facebook tabs, emailers. All of these come as second nature to me, I enjoy designing them, I enjoy coming up with the best solutions for the problems and making the dullest of sites look fun. So I must be pretty adept at the coding side of things too right? nope, wrong!

This of course isn’t an issue as such at 383 as I work alongside some incredibly skilled Front and Backend developers, who are amazing at putting my designs into reality. But, it is still something that i’ve always been ashamed of, I can’t really call myself a Web Designer if I don’t have at least a basic understanding of coding myself. So this weekend I decided enough’s enough, its time that I start getting my head around it. 

I sat down properly with ‘HTML & CSS: Design and Build Web Sites’ by Jon Duckett and made initial progress in learning this side of my job. I have to say, from someone coming from a design background, where staring code directly in the face, is usually a very daunting and confusing experience. This book is brilliant. Unlike other books I have looked at it is very visual, full of colours and nice type, all the little things that help keep a designers mind interested. I know there’s plenty of other learning tools out there and Treehouse has also caught my eye, but right now i’m really enjoying working my way through this book.

So I thought i’d keep you guys updated with my progress as I go along and hopefully be able to have something to show for it in the end. 

Right now, im at the very early stages, i’ve learnt putting in headers and body copy, inserting links and images. I have my ordered and unordered lists nailed and dropped in the odd iframe here and there. I’ve learnt how to insert forms, radio buttons and checkboxes and applied first bits of CSS.

Now I understand that to anyone who does have an understanding of code, all of this is the same as someone saying to me, “Hey! I’ve worked out how to type out some text and colour it red Yo!”. But i’m still enjoying getting my head around something that has always seemed alien and scary to me. 

I’ll try and keep you all updated with how I get on! 

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New iPhone 5 Case

Since picking up my iPhone 5 on launch day, I have been trying to track down a good case that wasn’t going to taint the aesthetic appeal of the device. I wanted something slim, light and most importantly just as aesthetically pleasing, that wouldn’t add any unwanted bulk to the phone and also do a good job at protecting it. Something, incidentally this phone is desperate for. The claims that were made at launch, that you “dont” need a case for the phone due to its sturdiness are frankly untrue.

Due to the use of Aluminium, a very soft metal, the phone is ridiculously prone to nicks, scratches and dents that I barely got in the 4. Unfortunately, in the time waiting for this case to arrive, my phone did indeed pick up quite a few dents and scratches.

So after a bit of looking around and not being particularly impressed by the initial offerings of iPhone 5 cases, I came across Society6. Society6 is a great site for artists and designers a like to upload their artwork and have them sold from Prints, T’s and iPhone Cases. The standard of work uploaded is fantastic and thus, a huge selection of Cases to choose from.

After a long time of browsing the site, I finally picked my chosen design and got the case ordered. With the slight doubt as to just how sturdy it was going to be. It arrived today and I have to say I am very impressed. The designs are digitally printed onto Case-Mates Barely There, cases. Something I was pleasantly suprised about. These are very lightweight and sturdy and protect both the back and sides of the phone. With a slight rise in front of the screen that means you can lie the phone face down without the screen touching the surface of the table. The print quality is also very high and a slight glossy coating is over the image. One drawback of this is that greasy / sweaty hands can leave a slight smear to it, but nothing thats particularly noticeable. 

Overall, if you’re yet to pick up a case to protect that very fragile iPhone 5 of yours, i’d hugely recommend taking a gander on Society6 and seeing if there’s any designs that catch your eye. I’d be hugely suprised if there isnt! but, if you are struggling to find one, may I recommend this Kanye West case…. 

After the sad news of Neil Armstrong passing away, I decided to design a quick poster, my little tribute to a great man. Will likely give it more of a tweak in the future.  Thats one small step for [a] man, one giant leap, for mankind Neil Armstrong - 21 July 1969
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After the sad news of Neil Armstrong passing away, I decided to design a quick poster, my little tribute to a great man. Will likely give it more of a tweak in the future. 

Thats one small step for [a] man, one giant leap, for mankind

Neil Armstrong - 21 July 1969