how long have u guys been doing this...

i have scrolled through a lot of old posts of graphics,websites, desgins etc... and have noticed 90% of them are "mature" designs with lots of talent involved. What i mean by this is that no stupid "lightening" effects or other filtered effects are used and everything seems to have an actual meaning to it. Color schemes go well together, one graphic explains another etc.. So my question is how long have most of you guys/girls been using photoshop or been into webdesign? i myself am VERY interested in it and would love some advice, im at the stage of photoshop where i know how to make images that people seem to like, but dont know the "real" way to do things, like making channels, using the pencil tools,brushes and other things..so how long you guys/girls been doing this so i know where to compare myself in the mix...<--been into photshop for about 2 months.

I first started in photoshop about 4 or 5 years ago. Been doing web design a little less time. Only been 'serious' about it for maybe 2 years though.

Been getting paid for...about three years now. Started learning Photohop about a year and a half before that.

The real key to this stuff is the design aspect, not Photoshop. Graphic design and using software are two very different things...

Chris

ive been using photoshop for about 4 years now. i started using it at my job at a service bureau, then i started teaching myself web design techniques and programs. now im finishing up my bachelors in interactive media and working full time as a web designer. ive had this job for a little over a year now and i got it without any formal web design training. (it doesnt hurt that im studying interactive media though)

I'm pretty sure there is a thread somewhere on this forum asking the same question.

my first contact with photoshop was march this year, and i will never let it go... :D

Web design:

Just started... maybe a year or so ago...
I'm just here to learn, and I haven't found many forums I like.

Graphics/Graphic arts:

I started in 1987 stripping film and shooting and separating images on an old analog graphics camera.... This image blending and opacity changing images of today took a full morning (4 to 6 hours) of constant tweaking and regenerating film.
.... then lunch.......
and then try to get one more done by time to go home. (damn how I DO NOT miss that!)

Photoshop:

Started using it around version 3's release (mid 90's) 94/95? Those 2 images a day turned into a lot of free time after lunch...

Training:

Never had any formal training, I have however been to dang near every seminar in the southeast over the years of being employed by every commercial printer from Alabama to Florida.

i've had no formal design training, but i did go to art school. i started with photoshop and web design about 5 years ago. after freelancing for a while and working PT jobs at the same time, i got a FT job as a web designer a year ago. i have learned so much in that year, its incredible.

I've played around since version 3. I got good in version 5.

well i haev been using photoshop for about 2 years now now and im so into it that ive done everysingle tutorial there is out there they help alot i started using plugins but ahhhh i got over them now i do neet work without it:o

what is this 'photoshop' you speak of? Is it some software package? I just started using MS Paint and I learned HTML from dreamweaver.