Collaborating with a Graphic Designer

Question

Hello,
I am going to be working on a new website for my employer and
I was
hoping some of the web professionals could give me some
advice.
I did our previous website by myself using Dreamweaver 4 and
Fireworks
4. When creating the visual look of the old site, I used
Fireworks to
create a mock-up of the way I wanted the page to look. I then
used
Dreamweaver to create a web page that duplicated the mockup.
Any fancy
graphic images (such as the masthead) were sliced up using
Fireworks and
imported as an HTML table into Dreamweaver. This worked
pretty well for
me while working solo.
However, for this new website I will be working with a
graphic designer.
What is the best way to take the graphic design that she
produces and
translate it into HTML+CSS in Dreamweaver? Can I use a
process similar
to what I used while solo? (i.e. let the designer create a
mockup in a
graphic program and then try to duplicate it in Dreamweaver
as best I
can with HTML and importing graphics as needed.) Or is there
a better way?
Keep in mind that the designer we are using is not
knowledgable about
creating websites or using tools like Dreamweaver/Fireworks.
I believe
she uses with Photoshop/Illustrator/Quark Xpress. (I will be
talking
with her tomorrow.)
Also, what software should I plan on ordering? I am planning
on
upgrading our software to Adobe CS3 Web Standard. But if she
is using
Photoshop, should I get plan on getting the Premium version?
Can
Fireworks import Photoshop files well, or do I need
Photoshop?
Thanks for you help.

Answer 1

Deaf Web Designer
Perhaps I should correct my sentence, that in my opinion
(once I was a
graphic designer) photoshop and illustrator was a great tool
for me both
to create web images for the web and for print design. The
save for web
dialog box has helped me a lot for optimizing the web images.
I also used firework for creating websites. But It seems for
me that
photoshop and illustrator is very perfect for me to create
artwork both
for the web and print design. No matter how complicated the
job, the two
programs were indeed very helpful for me.
I'm not saying that fireworks is bad for creating web images.
Since this
program is only for the web design (I really think so).
Remember that
Will's designer is only familiar with both program. I think
it would be
wise for his designer to stick with his tool rather than
learning a new
tool.
But. for years, even though I had fireworks, Photoshop and
Illustrator I
choose to stick with both program to works. So user friendly,
and both
program share the same interface.
I don't think that Illustrator is mainly for vector-based
application,
mobile developer also use its capability for creating svg
images, and
also for animation. And photoshop is not only for creating
bitmap, it
also often use for beautifying video and 3D animation.
Whatever it is, choose what you like. As long as you are
comfortable
with it.
Cheers
Deaf Web Designer wrote:
> Dreamworms,
>
> I am afraid that you provide inaccurate information
about primary purpose of
> Photoshop and Illustrator.
>
> Illustrator is mainly a vector-based application, while
Photoshop is a
> high-end image editing application (which is a
bitmap-based image editing app).
> While Fireworks is ideally a web image *and* web graphic
(including
> fundamentals of vector-based and bitmap-based app),
where Fireworks does a nice
> job in opitmize the file size that is specifically
designed for faster-loading
> web images or web graphics. To make it work, you need to
have a better
> understanding on how Fireworks works.
>
> As for workflow between Photoshop, Illustrator,
Fireworks and Dreamweaver, it
> can be accomplished. But again, you need to know and
understand the primary
> functionality and the primary difference between these
applications per se.
>
> But when you say "Photoshop and Illustrator are the
image editing tools that
> are perfect..." that is very inaccurate statement.
>
> Cheers, Brian
>
>
quote:
Originally posted by:
Newsgroup User
> Photoshop and Illustrator are the image editing tools
that are perfect
> for the web.
>
> Will G. wrote:
> > Hello,
> >
> > I am going to be working on a new website for my
employer and I was
> > hoping some of the web professionals could give me
some advice.
> >
> > I did our previous website by myself using
Dreamweaver 4 and Fireworks
> > 4. When creating the visual look of the old site, I
used Fireworks to
> > create a mock-up of the way I wanted the page to
look. I then used
> > Dreamweaver to create a web page that duplicated
the mockup. Any fancy
> > graphic images (such as the masthead) were sliced
up using Fireworks and
> > imported as an HTML table into Dreamweaver. This
worked pretty well for
> > me while working solo.
> >
> > However, for this new website I will be working
with a graphic designer.
> > What is the best way to take the graphic design
that she produces and
> > translate it into HTML+CSS in Dreamweaver? Can I
use a process similar
> > to what I used while solo? (i.e. let the designer
create a mockup in a
> > graphic program and then try to duplicate it in
Dreamweaver as best I
> > can with HTML and importing graphics as needed.) Or
is there a better way?
> >
> > Keep in mind that the designer we are using is not
knowledgable about
> > creating websites or using tools like
Dreamweaver/Fireworks. I believe
> > she uses with Photoshop/Illustrator/Quark Xpress.
(I will be talking
> > with her tomorrow.)
> >
> > Also, what software should I plan on ordering? I am
planning on
> > upgrading our software to Adobe CS3 Web Standard.
But if she is using
> > Photoshop, should I get plan on getting the Premium
version? Can
> > Fireworks import Photoshop files well, or do I need
Photoshop?
> >
> > Thanks for you help.
>
>
>
>