Here's the truth: I am a backend developer and simply pretty useless when it comes to design and graphics. I would like to here your opinions on some good software/tutorial links to create graphics like:

http://www.techboost.com/ ( just found the link in the reviews forum ).

How does one create something like the top part? Like what program to use, where to find good backgrounds to use, fonts etc?

( I am using Windows, so no *nix/XWindows programs please )

Sorry, not actually going to give you some suggestions of software/tutorials... but I dno't think ANY software or tutorial can really help you. Maybe after the tutorials you can create really basic buttons or graphics, but if you're a programmer than you're a PROGRAMMER, LOL. You need the imagination to design graphics like a web designer. I've always had the same problem myself, I used to do web design, but not that good at it anymore, instead I'm more of a programmer.

Alan

http://www.playingwithfire.com

http://www.designdojo.com

Hi,

I would highly recommend that you visit www.bignosebird.com when I first started I used to visit their site everyday.

Once you master the HTML code and feel comfortable with it, look at other peoples' code when you see a good design, every coder has different styles and ideas, so there is no limit to your imaginations to design a good website.

As a web designer, try to master at least one graphic software, popular ones are Photoshop/PSP and many others as you need to manuplate and design customised for example buttons, 3-D text, etc,etc.

Once you feel comfortable with HTML/Graphics , the next level is to add dynamic style to your pages and for this you need Flash/Fireworks/GiF Maker/Dreamweaver/CSS/DHtml and many others. Try to master at least one of them well and a good place to look as thousands of designs by web designers at www.coolhomepages.com which I visit quite often when I was learning to design.

When you reached this stage, then you will need to learn or at least be able to use ready made scripts such as Javascript/Perl/Cgi/PHP/MySQL/ JAVA/SSI and many others, as a web designer you only need to be able to interface/incorporate it into your web page for functionality and useability.

The above is just the basic and there's many many more. Hehe, I am still learning after 4 years as there is no end to it as more and more new things/tools flood the market everyday and you will need to learn new tools and techniques to make you job as a web designer easier. My advice would be don't be afraid/lazy to learn new techniquies if you want to excel or at least create presentable web sites.

My first web page design and was so happy that I can create such a nice design, but when I showed it to some of my web designer/computer friends, they couldn't help laughing at me but I wasn't discourage and learned as much as I could and today after 4 years, I feel comfortable designing web pages.

Just my views and good luck

gimp is a lovely graphics package.
http://www.gimp.org

Its really cool and free.. Also very good for the web..
Have a great day :)

regards
amar