I don't think this sub has to be just questions, I think practice would be the best format for here since any questions we'd want answered would be from more experienced people in /r/web_design, so I'd like to start an idea thread to see if this is worth getting started. Some of my ideas:

Daily or Weekly Critique Thread: Pick a random site that is not terrible but not great and we all critique it. We'll all approach it differently so it'll be useful to see how each person goes about it.

Weekly CSS Zen Garden Competitions: Compete with each other on CSS ability.

Book Club: Maybe we can all read a Design Book together and talk about it in a thread.

Classes: Take an online class together every month, sort of talk things through with each other as we're going through it.

Maybe fill the rest out with one-offs and critique each other, things we're working on, maybe a link to a codepen so we can fix other people's work.

Hey guys, I'm looking for good books that teach the visual and usability aspects of web design, for example colour schemes, layouts, and aesthetics etc. Coding not necessary.

Thanks!

Hi-- I am a long time developer and development instructor. Over the past month, I've created a bunch of free resources to help you learn HTML. I actually think it's important that everyone in tech become familiar with HTML. I'd argue it's part of today's digital literacy.

But it is especially important for people who want to work on the design side of the web.

I Want to Be a Designer -- Why Learn Any Coding?
I think UI/UX and web design are important fields, and I wished I learned more about them formally. We're about to enter lean times again. The post-pandemic period is one that will likely mirror the economic downturn of 2007. I'm old enough to have been around then, and one of the things I saw was people needing to take on multiple roles.

There was a time you could spend all day in Photoshop and the finished PSD files were your deliverable. I don't think many will be hired now and spend their entire day in Figma.

The fact is, more and more, the web designers (and related titles) who will be most likely to obtain jobs in the future downturn will be those who bring more value to the table and can code. Even if you know HTML and CSS-- but don't more complex languages like JavaScript you will have an advantage. Showing hiring a mangers a willingness to get deeper into the tech will most certainly work to your advantage.

Why Learn HTML first if I want to Be a Developer?
I get into trouble with this all the time. I am always recommending that HTML is an excellent first language to learn-- even if you're someone who wants to get deeper into the world of tech. Just by learning the process of writing code to produce some kind of result, executing that code in a browser, and finding and correcting any bugs, you'll become more ready to learn advanced coding skills.

Some would suggest that the only way to learn to code is to begin with more "hardcore" languages like Java (which is distinct from JavaScript). I think that's bad advice...

Starting a complex language like Java without any coding context is a steep hill to climb. HTML will provide a context for coding that will make it easier for you to engage in any advanced learning later on. I know that this just my experience, but people who learn HTML first are generally more successful at learning other languages later.

It's Easier Than You Think
It's not difficult to learn HTML. No math skills are required. If you can use Word or another word processor, you probably have the skills to code in HTML-- and that will open many doors for you in your design career.

I'd encourage you to give it a try. There are a million great resources online for learning HTML. HEre's my full, free HTML and CSS Course on YouTube: https://youtu.be/l19Ji_cHhFc

Here's the course, with written explanations on my Blog: https://www.frameworktv.com/blog/2020/09/11/learn-html-and-css/

The written content more or less mirrors the video course, but, I know some people find written material helpful. I am working on another one of these for JavaScript. Please let me know if you find it helpful to you.