Charter of the young freelance web designer

Hello. I started working on web design 6 years ago (if you count from the very first curve layout for a non-existent travel company). The first 2 years I worked in a small studio, then I left for freelancing and so far I am alive and well.

The recommendations below are not at all axioms, not rules, and not binding. I came to some myself, some peeped from others. Something I often can’t make myself do (partly why I decided to write them out and structure them). If you are just starting to engage in web design, you are likely to need at least some of the following. If you are already in business, your opinion is welcome in the comments.

1. Start working in the morning

After dinner, the head already cooks worse, so accelerate in the morning. Yes, there are people who think they work better at night. You can try this, and then return to the daily schedule.

2. No one cares how long you have reached the final result.

But the ability to do everything as quickly as possible not only saves time, but also increases the chances of still having time for something in life.

3. No matter how hard you tried - if the result is bad, then you need to redo it.

4. Always start with a pen and paper.

Sketch the idea, sketch the layout, write down what needs to be done. And yes, use a pen - a pencil is no good. The marker is also possible (if you want to brag on the Internet with pictures of your beautiful sketches).

5. First, the prototype, then the beauty

And then again the prototype.

6. The customer is always wrong, but sometimes right

7. Learn typography

Understand what fonts with which you can combine, what height of the line is the most convenient to read, how to arrange paragraphs with pictures, how to assemble blocks with different font sizes, why you need a vertical rhythm, why use no more than 3 fonts in the site. Then it can all be repeatedly violated and sleep well.

8. Don't bother too much with color matching.

You can steal the palette from any picture you like. But the basic colors are on your conscience, and the Delete button will always be red.

9. Do not abandon the project after delivery

Your every project will start with any flaws. The design may break, the layout will go, the manager on the client side will throw ugly illiterate texts on the site, the animation in the application will be a curve ... There are many options. Therefore, always try to at least ask about a couple of weeks after the change, how things are going and whether your help is needed.

10. Your ideas are worth nothing.

Do not worry that they will be stolen - no one can realize them as you would have done.

11. Learn to typeset html

Try to completely make yourself a website according to your own design. A lot of discoveries are waiting for you.

12. "You" with a little

With a big write only in a personal letter to a particular person you know, whom you really respect very much.

13. Try standing for a change

It is as hard as sitting, just being sick in other places.

14. Write about your work.

And do not be afraid to reveal your most secret knowledge of the workers - most likely, you yourself spied them from someone.

15. Once an hour, get up from the chair for 15 minutes.

16. Do not get carried away Dribbblom beyond measure

Consider that there are special people in charge who are exclusively engaged in drawing pictures in Dribbble. Such images are little related to real interfaces and, very likely, they would never work in life.

A separate line I ask: do not draw the application on the iPhone about the weather and product card with animation.

17. Try the windows background and android - it's fun too

18. Grid - last

First come up with a design without a grid at all. Then you can fix everything.

19. Redo your old work

You can and others too.

20. When you study, read everything on the topic.

You should not be limited to standard lists such as "10 books for a novice designer." Rows everything in a row, along the way you will be able to figure out which books and articles have value, and which about anything.

21. Listen to Ludwig's lectures for designers about designers.

22. Get knowledge yourself

What you have learned yourself remains with you. The fact that they are forcibly trying to force into your head will most likely fall back.

23. Draw a design with real data

Immediately take in the work of these texts and photos. Or compose something yourself. If you make a mockup where there are some stubs and “lorem-ipsums”, then it is likely that everything will fall apart on the battlefield.

24. A bad design won't spoil a good idea much. Good design does nothing to help a failed product .

25. Do not engage in creativity at work

Solve puzzles.

26. Do not dump

Know your price and keep your customers informed.

27. Do not participate in races

If the client wants you to compete with another candidate for the project, you can safely turn around and leave.

28. Don't panic

You will have periods when there will be no projects. There will be a desire to seize on any work, even for a penny. This is normal, but it is necessary to endure.

29. The cost of their work can be changed

... depending on the situation on the market, its workload, the complexity of the project, the harmfulness of the manager or the weather. Just set reasonable limits.

30. Competition is a good opportunity to work on your portfolio.

Not more.

So far, I have everything. I, most likely, lost something along the way, so it’s likely that the article will be updated soon (or the second part). Bye everyone