Layout specialist as they call it. Layout designer.

Graphic arts What does an HTML layout designer do? What is he doing html css layout designer? Layout is one of the most important stages of website creation. After the designer has provided web page layouts, it is necessary to make them understandable for browsers ( Internet Explorer

, Opera, FireFox, Chrome, etc.) view. This work is performed by a specialist in this profession. The job responsibilities of a layout designer include “cutting” the design - all elements, pictures, fonts must be prepared for subsequent layout into a web page. Then the structure of the document is marked, after which, when CSS help The design is carried out in accordance with the previously developed design. The result of the work is the correct display of the site design in different browsers and on various types

devices at different screen resolutions.

Layout Tools In his work, the html layout designer uses various programs
— for the layout designer: Adobe Photoshop
(layouts for layout are most often sent in .psd format);
— browsers (to check the finished layout); — HTML editors (designed to make writing code more convenient, as they are equipped with highlighting of html tags,);
additional functions — WYSIWYG editors (from English.WhatYouSee— WYSIWYG editors (from English.WhatIs Get

, “what you see is what you get”, are used to create semi-automatic layout, are not used by professional layout designers, because the generated code is not of high quality).

What should a layout designer know? Beyond the language HTML markup

A modern HTML coder needs to be able to work with CSS cascading style sheets and be fairly familiar with the Java Script web programming language. CSS is used to style elements on web pages. Java Script is also used for design where CSS tools are not enough for this, and is also actively used to create scripts that work on the user side (for example: mortgage calculators, galleries, slide shows, etc.).

How to become a layout designer? What is the path of a layout designer? There is no corresponding specialty in any university, however are taught in any computer specialty, and in others they are introduced to it during classes in computer science and similar disciplines. You can learn this craft either independently or by becoming an assistant to a layout designer. Unfortunately, not everyone needs such an assistant, so a beginner HTML coder without experience should first of all rely on his own intelligence and educate himself. You can find a lot of materials and lessons on this topic on the Internet, and you don’t need a very powerful computer to complete the tasks.

Web layout designer is a profession that does not require the presence of an employee in the office or at the machine. Html layout designer is a remote worker, so the work of a layout designer can be done at home.

What is the job of a website designer?

The main task of a website layout designer is the “technical translation” of website pages into the required programming language (computer language). To complete this task, the layout designer writes to installed by the computer language, various criteria for changing a web page (improving its design, changing the type and size of the font, setting indents, paragraphs, spacing, “red lines”, framing text and pictures on the page, highlighting headings and subheadings of the text, and much more). Without the work of layout designers, the Internet would be filled with web pages identical in design, similar to text “printed in a notepad.”

A professional website designer must have knowledge and appropriate skills in coding certain elements of web pages, and must also know how to make the site work the same in all popular browsers and comply with the established parameters of such search engine like Yandex, Google.

Today, the profession of website layout designer is very relevant and in demand. Layout specialists can work in large companies, constantly creating, modifying and designing website web pages. This specialty is also relevant in web design studios that carry out large-scale Internet projects. Often, layout designers carry out one-time orders from private clients on online exchanges or other Internet platforms.

How to become a website design specialist?

In most cases, the layout designer must have a higher technical or secondary specialized education. Such requirements are established by the employer for specialists in this profile. However, many layout designers have learned to process, edit and design web pages on their own (they are self-taught). Knowledge of website layout can be obtained on the Internet through special online courses or on specialist forums.

What skills should a website designer have?

The main qualities and skills of layout specialists include:

Well-developed visual memory and literacy;
Accuracy, hard work, perseverance, diligence and organization;
Knowledge of such technical programs like CSS, HTML and JavaScript.

Extra skills:

Knowledge of Photoshop and other photo processing programs.

Where can a layout designer work?

Advertising firms;
Agencies for creating various websites;
Private website developers.

Layout designer's income

The average income of a layout designer is ten to twenty dollars per hour (it all depends on the experience and professionalism of the worker). The cost of one project varies from 50 to 100 dollars.

Job search

Finding a job for a website layout designer is not difficult; this can be done in a variety of web design studios.

Additional materials:

You can master HTML coding skills through online courses at Netology (paid course);

There are also several on Netology free courses on the basics of working in HTML and CSS.

Definition of the profession of a layout designer and the specifics of this work

What is layout?

Layout is the design of printed and web publications, formatting texts, filling web pages with pictures and other necessary information. Not so long ago, before computers took over the publishing industry, layout of printed publications took a huge amount of time (it was a very labor-intensive process). Several people could do the layout of one book. But times have changed.

Who is a layout designer?

A layout designer is an employee of a web publishing house or print publishing house who is involved in arranging information. A versatist may have a specialized secondary or higher design education. The main task of a layout designer is to process all the accumulated information, correctly place texts, illustrations and headings, select fonts and other materials.

Layout designers work on personal computers in the Macintosh graphics program, as well as on the Corel Draw and Adob Illustrator platforms. Just a few years ago, the layout of printed materials was carried out manually in the following way: a sample order was assembled from many individual metal elements (spaces, letters, signs, illustrations). The finished layout was printed on special paper.

Currently, a layout specialist performs all the necessary processing of materials on a computer and submits the order in the form of a finished printed layout. After delivery, the order is sent for proofreading to editors, journalists and other publishing employees. If shortcomings arise in the layout designer’s work, the order is sent for revision, during which the specialist completes the sample in electronic form and sends it to print.

Work of a website layout designer

As mentioned earlier, the job of a layout specialist is to create various sites, blogs, and web pages. Many Internet resources available in the public domain on the Internet are the result of the work of layout designers. It is worth noting that one page of an Internet resource consists of many numbers, symbols, signs (the so-called code). The code is converted into a human-readable web page using special browser programs.

The layout designer is used to create and design web pages. HTML editors, text editors and browser programs for checking the finished order. This profession requires special perseverance, accuracy, painstakingness and a high level of technical knowledge. The work of a website layout specialist begins after developing a project for a new web resource (the designer indicates where illustrations, texts, headings, and paragraphs will be located). After this, the layout designer converts illustrations, fonts, diagrams or tables into a symbol language that browsers can understand. The result is a text sample, originally developed by the designer, but technically transformed by the layout designer. After layout, the page is given to the programmer to work on.

Initially, a layout designer is a specialist working in publishing and printing. With the advent of the Internet, a new specialty became in demand - html layout designer, otherwise known as website layout designer. Next, I will tell you what a layout designer does in the field of web technologies.

Responsibilities of the layout designer

What does a layout designer do? In short, it creates templates based on ready-made PSD layouts. I'll tell you more about the process.

The designer gives the site layout to the layout designer (necessarily in psd format). A layout is just a picture. The layout designer uses code to reproduce this layout in html format. The HTML page can already be viewed in the browser and interact with elements, for example the following:

press buttons;
scroll through the sliders;
minimize menus and pop-ups.

But this is a visual presentation of the data. A programmer is connected to work with the data.

What is the difference between a layout designer and a programmer?

A common question. The programmer works with data: calculate the area of the room and display the correct value, save the values entered into the form into the database, etc.. The layout designer works with the visual display of this data according to the layout: display the area of the room in Arial font, size 18px and red, place the form in the center of the page, make the background gray, and the cells 20px in height, etc..

I will give an example of data output without styling the layout and with the work of a layout designer:

From the example it is clear that without the work of a layout designer, the site page looks dull.

Let me give you another example. For an analogy, let’s consider a sideboard with shelves and dishes. Dishes are variables: cup, glass, plate... Shelves are the structure of the site. Without layout, it’s just a box with 4 walls where all the dishes are piled up. The layout designer's task is to make shelves and arrange them so that each dish is in its place: heavy plates on the bottom, glasses on top. Agree, it’s more pleasant to go to a sideboard where everything is organized and take the necessary thing (content) than to dig through a heap of garbage.

Requirements for a layout designer

I’ll tell you what a layout designer should be able to do and know:

Excellent knowledge of html and css;
Be able to cut a layout (basic knowledge of Photoshop);
Layout cross-browser (so that the site is displayed equally in all browsers);
Use adaptive layout (to display websites correctly on various devices, including mobile);
Be able to work with plugins for testing and debugging layout.

I'm sure many will say, but what about JavaScript, AJAX? I attribute knowledge of these technologies to the next level - frontend developer. For a layout designer, it is enough to know what is listed.

A layout designer is a specialist in layout, that is, in the arrangement of text, illustrative and auxiliary elements on a document page. Traditionally, the term is used in printing and publishing; with the advent of the Internet, it acquired a new meaning - Web page layout designer.

A layout designer is a creative profession. Such specialists are also called layout designers or web page layout designers.

Layout is the compilation of pages of a book, newspaper, or magazine from typed lines, headings, and illustrations. This compilation occurs in accordance with a pre-approved layout (scheme) of the publication and is an integral part of the pre-press process. In the simplest case, layout is simply typing text on a computer. Of course, it may seem that everyone is capable of doing this, but there is an area of human activity where layout specialists are needed. This area is printing, or production of printed materials.

Responsibilities

The layout designer places text, illustrations and design elements on the page (strip) in accordance with the pre-approved layout. It selects fonts, resizes images, etc.

The responsibilities of a layout designer may include drawing up a layout, its layout - layout (design and arrangement) of text and images, preparation for printing, color correction, communication with customers.

The tasks of a web layout designer include the layout of Internet sites.

Qualification requirements

A layout designer must have a specialized secondary or higher education related to layout; in some cases, it is enough to complete special courses, practical skills in this field, programming skills, and master basic layout programs: Adobe InDesign, QuarkXPress, PageMaker, graphic editors: Photoshop, Illustrator, CorelDraw, . The profession of a layout designer requires a person to have imagination, creativity, artistic taste, perseverance, concentration, accuracy, balance, and patience.

Personal qualities:

Responsibility

Organization

Perseverance

Accuracy

Places of work

A layout designer can work in publishing houses of magazines, newspapers, books, advertising agencies, as well as be a freelancer - a remote worker, or work at home.

The salary level of a layout designer largely depends on the place of work, degree of professionalism, and work experience. A layout designer has career prospects in large companies to the position of head of the layout department or director of an organization engaged in layout and layout. A layout designer can also realize himself as an art director or build editor.

Layout designer is a sought-after and promising profession. Labor market experts assure that the demand for these specialists will only grow, as the volume of printing products in the country increases every year and new publishing houses appear.

In book publications, there are approximately several dozen generally accepted rules for the arrangement and design of text. So, for example, on one page there should be no more than three types of different fonts, the indentation of the first line should not be longer than the end of the last, one piece of text can be highlighted in no more than one way, etc. Naturally, these rules are not observed in newspaper format publications. In addition, each edition has other mandatory rules.

Essentially, layout designer is one of the entry-level positions with which many people begin their work in the printing industry. At an earlier stage there is simply a computer typist, however, these positions are often combined. Big number specialists in the field of printing design began their activities as layout designers. In principle, it is difficult to draw a clear line between the work of an artist - designer and layout designer. They say that an artist-designer works (precisely as an artist) in any publication only for the first months of its existence, while his individual style is being found and approved, when the artistic concept of the publication is being developed. Having a printing education (and often without it), an experienced layout designer may well apply for the position of technical editor or person responsible for the publication of a publication. Strictly speaking, the responsibilities of a layout designer do not include drawing up original layouts or working with drawings and photographs, but a layout designer with extensive experience, as a rule, is quite capable of replacing both the layout designer and the designer.

Among the layout designers there are many graduates of technical universities who are well versed in computer technology. In small publications, along with the layout, such a specialist also takes on the maintenance of the computer park. A specialist knows that, starting from a certain number of pages (15-20), it is easier to work with a document not in the well-known Word editor, and in another - for example, in PageMaker. There is a certain “gentleman’s” set of programs that a computer layout specialist must master: publishing systems QuarkPress, Adobe PageMaker and graphics program Adobe Illustrator. It should be noted that printing work is usually done on Mac platform computers (Macintosh), and not PCs, with which most users are accustomed to working. The specialist should be familiar with cross-platform manipulations.