

Ask HN: finding partners for hobby/experimentation projects - itay

This is my first submission ever to HN - I mostly read (avidly) and vote (sparingly). I've been in the position for the past while where I have wanted to start on a project, or have even started, but always get bogged down when it comes to the design phase of it, due to my lack of design skills. Sometimes these projects are websites, or simple applications, but my skills in this area are basically non-existent.<p>Now, if I was looking to co-found something, I can see embarking on a more serious search. Yet for things you just want to toy around with and try out and see if they lead anywhere it's not as appropriate. This is exarcebated by the fact that all my friends are developers like me, so it's not hard for me to find development partners, just design ones.<p>So my question to all of you is this: say you have some project you want to try it out, or just experiment with something: how do you go about finding someone to work with when you don't know anyone with that skill set to begin with?<p>As a sort of "P.S.", if there are any designers looking to try things out, feel free to contact me.
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sushi
I will just say like everyone is, that you should start doing designing on
Photoshop as much as possible but it takes time to learn design. I have been
doing it since last two years and only now starting to create designs that I
will use myself (since I am my own harshest critic).

I have although so far only done projects for myself but I'd love to try out
new things if it's worth it.

Shoot me an email (on my profile page) if you seek any help.

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sushi
Damn, why can't I edit my comment. I made a mistake in the first sentence
itself. Just imagine I said "I will just say like everyone else" instead of
what is written initially.

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hnkevin
I'm in the same boat. There is programmermeetdesigner.com but it doesn't seem
to be used much. I'd love to have a co-designer/entrepreneur type cohort and
bang out a couple projects.

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fleitz
Take the DIY approach.

A couple suggestions: Get a Photoshop WOW book. This will teach you how to do
the things you want to do graphics-wise.

Get a design book, the principles of design and spacing are fairly straight
forward.

WikiMedia Commons: There are lots of great graphics on that site, they are all
public domain. Combine these with the Photoshop WOW book.

Flickr: Learn to use the advanced search features and search for images that
are public domain.

However, most importantly, iterate: Like great apps, great designs don't get
there the first time. Use the wayback machine to convince yourself that it's
ALRIGHT. Look at youtube's first iteration. It REALLY sucks.

Just make something and then ask people about it. You've got the perfect
audience here at HN, throw the URL into an Ask HN and say, what do you think
of my design?

Seriously, if you can teach yourself to program you can teach yourself design.
There are a couple tricks to it but it's not really that difficult, like
programming however it IS a lot of work.

Also, buy/find a template design and then rework to suit your needs. Check
deviantart find something you like and talk to the guy about it, most of them
will even do the work for you if you're willing to pay.

If you can find dev partners, become the design guy, problem solved. Plus,
devs love to work with designers who can code.

Also, beg borrow and steal design ideas. Look at jquery-UI, jqTouch, etc,
there are lots of pre-made great looking designs that will get you by.

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froo
Completely agree.

Grab a photoshop book and get going. Another book I'd suggest is Stephen
Krug's "Don't Make Me Think! A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability" if you
want to get into it a little further.

If a site is easy and intuitive to use, people will use it. It doesn't matter
if it is pixel perfect with respect to design.

Also, I would start getting a "mood board" together which is essentially a
collection of designs, colours and whatnot that you like.

Just collect them together in a folder or better yet print them out and hang
them on a board/wall. That way, you have a visual cue on where you're heading
and it helps you out.

