How to Become a Web Designer: 5 Reasons and 6 Steps
Here are 5 reasons why should you consider a career change and become a web designer in 2021.
6 min read
If you want to know how to become a web designer, the short answer is this: learn a handful of design and web basics, build real projects, and show them in a portfolio. You do not need a degree, and you can start with a laptop and free tools.
It is normal to doubt a career change. This guide covers what a web designer does, five reasons the career is worth considering, the skills to learn, six steps to your first client or job, and an honest look at the challenges.
What does a web designer do?
A web designer plans how a website looks and how people use it. That means page layouts, colours, typography, images, buttons and the paths visitors follow from the first click to a goal such as a purchase or an enquiry. Designers usually work in a tool like Figma, then hand the designs to a developer or build the site themselves in a platform such as WordPress or Webflow.
Design and development overlap but are different jobs. Designers decide what the site should look like and how it should feel to use. Developers write the code that makes it work. Many people start in one and learn some of the other. Our guide to web development for beginners explains the developer side.
5 reasons to become a web designer
1. Every business needs a website
The move online that sped up during the pandemic never fully reversed. Shops, clinics, restaurants, coaches and charities all need a site that works, and many need one rebuilt every few years. That steady demand is why web design remains a practical career, even as tools change.
2. There are many paths
Web design is a doorway to several careers. You can specialise in UI design, UX research, graphic design or front-end development. You can work in-house, join an agency, freelance, or build your own studio. Agencies also hire freelancers and white label teams to cover busy periods.
3. The work is flexible
Much of the job can be done remotely, as long as you have a laptop and a decent connection. That makes it easier to manage your own schedule, including time with family. Be realistic, though. Clients have deadlines, and calls still happen at set times. Flexibility is a benefit, not a guarantee of an easy week.
4. You can start without a degree
Clients and employers look at your portfolio first and your certificates second. Free and low-cost resources cover most of what you need, so the main investment is time. Pay varies a lot by country, experience and whether you freelance, so check local job listings rather than trusting a single headline number.
5. The work is creative and varied
Each project has a different audience, brand and goal. You get to solve problems visually, see your work live, and watch people use it. New tools, including AI assistants, keep changing how the work is done, which keeps it interesting if you enjoy learning.
Skills you need
- Visual design basics: layout, spacing, colour and typography. Start with our guides to colour schemes and font pairing.
- UX basics: understanding users, mapping journeys and sketching wireframes before you add style.
- A design tool: Figma is the most common choice and has a free plan.
- HTML and CSS: you do not need to be a developer, but knowing how a page is built helps you design things that can actually be made.
- Responsive and accessible design: every design should work on a phone and for people with different abilities.
- Communication: explaining your decisions, taking feedback and managing a client’s expectations matter as much as design skill. Our post on web design skills goes further.
6 steps to become a web designer
1. Learn the principles
Begin with what makes a site usable: navigation, hierarchy, consistency, accessibility and speed. Our guide to web design principles covers the basics, and visual hierarchy is a good next read.
2. Pick a design tool and learn it
Choose one tool and spend a few weeks on it. Rebuild pages you admire to learn how professional layouts are put together, using components, grids and a type scale. For inspiration, see our top 30 web design examples.
3. Learn HTML and CSS
MDN’s Learn web development pathway is free and well organised. freeCodeCamp and The Odin Project are also free and project-based.
4. Build practice projects
Design and build things before anyone pays you. Redesign a local business website, create a portfolio site for yourself, or design a landing page for an imaginary product. Aim for three to five finished projects, not twenty half-finished ones.
5. Build a portfolio
Show each project as a short case study: the problem, your process, the result. Explain the choices you made, not just the final screens. Put it on a simple site you designed yourself, since it is also proof of your skills. Keep it fast and easy to navigate, and make contact details impossible to miss. A portfolio that is hard to use tells a client what your websites will be like.
6. Find your first client or job
Start close to home with friends, local businesses and community groups. Apply for junior roles, and approach small agencies that need extra capacity. Offer one clear service at a fair price, and ask every happy client for a testimonial. Our post on how to become a better web designer has advice for the years after.
A simple 12-week starter plan
- Weeks 1 to 2: read about web design principles and study five sites you admire. Note what makes each one clear.
- Weeks 3 to 4: learn the basics of Figma and recreate one page from scratch.
- Weeks 5 to 7: work through the HTML and CSS lessons and build a simple page from your own design.
- Weeks 8 to 10: design and build a small project, such as a redesign for a local business.
- Weeks 11 to 12: write up the case study, publish your portfolio and send it to ten people who might hire you.
Adjust the pace to your schedule. The point is to finish something visible, learn from the feedback, and repeat.
Challenges to expect
Entry-level competition is real, and AI tools can now produce a basic layout in seconds. That makes judgement more valuable than ever: understanding a client’s goals, choosing the right structure, and spotting what does not work. Expect to learn constantly, to handle scope creep, and to hear that a client’s nephew could do it cheaper. Reading about common web design mistakes will save you some early pain. If you are completely new, website design for beginners is a gentler starting point.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a degree to become a web designer?
No. Most clients and employers care more about your portfolio and how you work with people. A design or computing degree can help, but it is not required.
How long does it take to become a web designer?
It depends on how much time you can give. Many people reach a junior level in about six to twelve months of regular practice. Getting good takes longer, and learning never really stops.
Do web designers need to code?
Not always, but knowing HTML and CSS makes you a better designer and a better partner for developers. Many designers also use no-code tools for simple sites.
Can AI replace web designers?
AI speeds up routine work, such as drafts and image edits, but it does not replace understanding a client, a brand and its audience. Designers who use these tools well tend to be more productive, not redundant.
Need a web design partner for your agency?
Inkyy is a white label design and development team for agencies. Our in-house designers and developers build websites that you deliver under your own brand. See our design services or book a 15-minute call.
