I have been pondering over this question for a couple of weeks now. In fact, I made a new friend last week who is a web designer/developer and during our conversation he asked me the question, “What do you think the definition of a web designer is?” While I do not claim to have all the right answers, I think I have come up with a couple of definitions and these are what I shared with my new friend last week. I think there are two types of web designers. There are those who have a background in traditional (i.e. print) design who have learned the basics of how the web works. They have taken the time to learn about the implications of user interface design, screen resolutions and browser inconsistencies to name a few. I do believe to be a truly effective web designer, having a grasp of the basics will go a long way in creating not only a beautiful website, but a functional one as well.
The other type of web designer is someone who can both design and write HTML and CSS. I have seen them referred to as a front-end developer or hybrid on various places around the interwebs. These people create a website design in PhotoShop (or design program of choice) and can then “translate” that document from an image file to code. In fact there is a very lively debate in the Communication Arts group over on LinkedIn about whether or not these type of people exist. I think there is plenty of proof that hybrids do, in fact, exist. I offer up these examples of people who do both (design and code) very well: Veerle Pieters, Chris Coyer, Jason Santa Maria and Elliot Jay Stocks to name a few.
All of this is to say that just thinking about this discussion inspired me to create 4 wallpapers that relate to the question at hand. I hope you enjoy the wallpapers, and If you have a different definition I would love to know what you think. Like I said, I don’t have all the answers, and much like the web itself the definition of a web designer is always evolving.
You can download the wallpapers here:
Click on the size you want below, and then right click on the image to save to your computer.
1920×1200 | 1680×1050 | 1280×800
1920×1200 | 1680×1050 | 1280×800
1920×1200 | 1680×1050 | 1280×800
1920×1200 | 1680×1050 | 1280×800
