"Design is a response to social change"

I've been hooked on the myspace/graphics, so much that I had to have Photoshop!! I've never taken a web graphics class in my life, but I feel like I have a touch for it, even though I'm just starting out...
After looking at designs, I think sometimes "wow, how did they do that?"
So I guess I'm asking, what is the inspiration?? And after you've gotten that inspiration, how do you turn it into your own style?? How do you put a grasp on your ideas and weave into digital images... I still haven't the faintest clue on how to take the ideas I have in my head and convert them to the beautiful images on Photoshop. What steps is it that you do to design?? How do you always know what you are doing?? Where did you start??
Any opinions appreciated...

*Thanks*

Brittany

If you want to know users inspiration, there has been a topic:
http://www.createblog.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=168389

Well that post is just about "what inspires you"
I'm asking about how you *design* and what got you there
I think it's kind of different, what I'm asking...
No offense

I'm perfectly clear on what your asking, I don't need extra explanation thank you very much. I was just stating that there is a topic with users views on inspiration just INCASE you wanted to check it out.

Well the inspiration that got me into graphic design was 2 years ago when I wanted to make layouts for Xanga. And I as making banners with paint lol. My friend came along and made one with Photoshop Elements. I was amazed and invited her to the team. I bought a copy, used it and filled request. About a year later I anted to do deviant art so I bought Photoshop CS2. I just thought of my main character like last week.

You can find my gallery on cB here: BLEH

I got my character inspiration through the following

• iPod commercials vivid vivid colors. I love bright colors in artwork
• Pacman ghosts
• Surio Mario 64's mushroom enemies

I hope that is what you were searching for.

I wasn't trying to be rude, I look up to the CB staff but sometimes I feel like I'm being pushed into one place or another when it comes to the forum and it's a little discouraging at times. I want to know from the people that create the neatest layouts, where it all began. That's all Don't take it the wrong way, please?

Anywayz



ItsSelvy, one of your graphics reminded me of Plankton from Spongebob :), and you kind of have a ATHF style, cute . I can definitely see the Pacman and Super Mario, kind of took me back to when I was young. *Kudos*

I'd love to know input from everyone :)

um... haven't taken a webdesign class... and i got my photoshop from my mom... and started to mess around with it till i started creating my art on DA
as for layouts i got my 'inspiration' from the many people who post layouts here
really it was Ricky (anime.essence) who really got me into making div layouts

Well sorry, It just seemed like you snapped at me

I apologize, I never meant to come off that way...
Since you are hanging around here... Why don't you tell me what your *key* is?

She was just suggesting that thread because it's simular to what you're asking here.

Personally, I get my inspiration from lots of different places, it doesn't have to be the web. I've learned not to have a set idea in your head, because most of the time it doesn't come out that way.

Yeah I'm starting to learn that now, because I can never have the *creation* in my head come out like I want it to...

Inspiration:

• Looking at other designs, etc
• Here, CB

Personalizing:

• I do my signature stuff (as in i do certain things when i make layouts like i make my contact box with this one brush all the time, and a heart on top of it, its kinda hard to explain)
• Colors and theme are what I'M into. I use stuff I like, colors I like.
• I mix it up. If my inspiration is a MySpace DIV layout, and I'll make something SIMILAR but not the same. I'll mix up the orginization, etc. (i'm talking about the image part of DIV layouts)

Ideas:

• When making a layout, I usually draw a sketch in paint or sketch it on a piece of notebook paper (usually that when i'm school lol )
• I then go home, and start trying to mimick what i sketched in photoshop.

Knowing/Starting:

• I don't always know what I'm doing, sometimes I think I do, then I branch off with something else. But that's a good thing.
• I started in fourth grade using Microsoft Powerpoint.

Creating your own style is difficult. I've had so many ideas I've put down on paper or even just from my mind, but I can't present it well. It's disappointing, especially when you see someone else portraying the same or a similar idea/theme very well. You become envious.

You mentioned digital art but what technique do you work best with? Painting, sketching, line art, vectors, etc.? If you're not sure, browse around and try different genres and techniques to see what you're most comfortable with.

I think an important part of the process is to know that things take time. You'll most likely not be perfectly happy with what you make on the first try and you learn new ways of doing things and refining your technique until you ARE satisfied. Just let your ideas flow. Practice a lot. Even if you're not going to publish it; it's great to do something just for practice so you know what methods work best for you.

I honestly don't know the difference in all those techniques are... Is there a way to learn all that on here?

And I totally agree about the rest... I guess I better grow some patience

I thought about sketching stuff down...

I still haven't figured out my style, but I can honestly say that I'm not trying to adapt anyone else's, no matter how great it is...
BTW I love yours Mona...