Stupid Questions from a beginner Options

[krausen]

Ok,

As someone who has zero web design experience except for using templates I am having a issue.

I have been learning about code and feel somewhat comfortable with it. But my question is do you design the layout of your site using a program such as Illustrator or Photoshop?

If this is the case do you design it with navigation bars in the design or do you add them later? If you add them in the design how do you add the code to them?

I have never designed a website from scratch and have been reading til my head hurts on it but I feel like I am just getting bits and pieces.

Can anyone direct me to a site or a tutorial that explains design from start to finish for the stupid people (me especially)?

Thanks in advance

[pandy]

Hi!

You think about it the wrong way. You don't add code to an image. You add images to the code, so to speak. You may make a sketch of how you want the page to look using a graphic program if you prefer. But that sketch is just a starting point . The creation of the page is all text. You can't just take your sketch and convert it to HTML. Well, some programs offer that feature but the result is horrible.

You should learn about HTML.
http://htmlhelp.com/faq/html/docs.html#about-html

[Dbosch]

not a stupid question. you can add links to images right in photoshop if you want to and add tags as well, in imageready you can make rollovers as well and in fireworks make dropwodn/popup menus if you wish, no harm done there.
personally i add tags in photoshop and create complex menus in dreamweaver but it's up to you.