Graphic design know how

[jerryroy]

i want to know the basic techniques about graphic design some resources on where i can find more information

[davejuno]

I can help you there sir, what would you like to know? I would say if you are looking for the latest trends in design... web design is the cutting edge.

Have a look at some CSS galleries like CSS Mania to see the latest and best design in one central place and always aim to be current and on trend as it will keep your work looking contemporary for longer. Lots of really good textures and techniques are applied there. If you need specific / technical advice, just ask the questions and I will do my best to help out

[Mongz]

Im responsible to design a GUI for a new system we are developing. Im using ASP to develop a new interface.

What can i use to add some animations and shaping the buttons and whatso ever, just making the interface more briliant an wonderfull.

[davejuno]

Well lets have a look then and I will try to help. Do you have a URL or JPG for it that I can look at?

[Mongz]

The old system is not web based, and the system is so old. I think the interface needs to be started from the scratch without considering anything from the old one.
What i asked for are which tools are need to buy and use, or is there any website can let me learn about the tools.

[davejuno]

O highly recommend creative suite (Adobe photoshop and Adobe illustrator). Best is photoshop as you can polish the design and add cool effects, textures and anything you like really.

[Gen0cide]

I personally think that Adobe Fireworks or Illustrator may be a lot easier for a process like this.

Fireworks allows you to slice pictures into zones and export the zones as individual pictures, meaning you could literally draw the whole interface as a picture that you would ideally like the interface to look like (including rollover buttons etc.), then cut the buttons, then the border, then the individual parts of the picture into icons, and skin parts etc.

Illustrator might be easier than Photoshop because its more creation focused. Photoshop, as the name suggests is made for modifying Photos, and pictures, not creating them, so its harder than most things to make elements in. Plus Illustrator is based on vectors. A vector is an image that keeps all the info used to create it, this means no matter how small or big you make it, it keeps all its quality. (Very important for logos) If you make all your elements and glyphs (icon signs and other pictures) in vector, then you can easily make them adjustable to your final design and the users res. It also makes it easy to make blind support etc.

[Reaper]

Fireworks allows you to slice pictures into zones and export the zones as individual pictures, meaning you could literally draw the whole interface as a picture that you would ideally like the interface to look like (including rollover buttons etc.), then cut the buttons, then the border, then the individual parts of the picture into icons, and skin parts etc.

Just to let ya know, Adobe Photoshop can also do this.

Illustrator might be easier than Photoshop because its more creation focused. Photoshop, as the name suggests is made for modifying Photos, and pictures, not creating them, so its harder than most things to make elements in. Plus Illustrator is based on vectors. A vector is an image that keeps all the info used to create it, this means no matter how small or big you make it, it keeps all its quality. (Very important for logos) If you make all your elements and glyphs (icon signs and other pictures) in vector, then you can easily make them adjustable to your final design and the users res. It also makes it easy to make blind support etc.

Photoshop has a variety of tools. Just knowing how to use them to make the right picture is necessary. Fireworks is also easy to make pictures because it is meant to be a simple program.

[davejuno]

Definately down to preference. For me photoshop is THE design tool but maybe that is because I used it first. Photoshop is certainly a lot more than just a photo editor.

[Gen0cide]

But, logo wise, most people use Illustator in the industry.

Imagine if the NASA logo was made on PS. They would have a serious quality issue when they decided to emblazon it on the side of thier 30 odd storey tower. :p