So I've been doing html/css for alittle while now. But i feel like I can't acheive good graphics with them. When I found out that I already had Adobe Flash I wondered if I should learn it also to add more to the website. Any suggestions would be helpful.

If used properly and with sufficient knowledge of HTML/CSS, you can produce great looking web sites (see mine ) The design is done solely with CSS and XHTML 1.0 Strict (there is a tiny bit of Javascript but it's not related to the layout or anything).

I'd recommend HTML and CSS as not only is it more accessible for people without flash or people with screenreaders, but for SEO it is miles ahead of flash. Why? Because search engines can't do anything with flash - they can't read it at all so all content made using flash is as far as they are concerned, not there. HTML on the other hand is indexable and search engines can pick up the text and links placed in the code, plus people with screenreaders can use it accessibly, if used correctly.

HTML + CSS may not produce instantly a flashy, modern amazing site, but with a bit of knowledge behind you, the web's your oyster!

I meant use it in my html/css website to make the website look better and have better graphics. Any opinions on if I should?

Well if you are planning to use it in a smal amount (i.e. non-critical info on a page), then it's not a bad idea. However, if you're planning to use it a lot on every page to display a lot of the information, then it's not such a good idea.

For just improving the appearance of a page, it can't hurt that much

I agree with you that it is terrible when used for everything. But I was planning on using html/css for the meat of the website such as the information,links all that stuff. But I wanted to know if I should use it for some graphics and some animation to spice the home page up. But thanks you answered my question. I don't mine other feedback though.

Yep certainly - if you think you can improve the look of the site with a little animation, then it's a good idea. I was only a little cautious that you were going to use it for most of the site, but since you aren't, then I'd advise go for it. It can definitely make the site look better and should be used for these sorts of purposes.

The problem that i have found with flash is that it can effect the search engine placement, html is easier for search engines to pick up.

I agree that having an entire flash site is a bad idea. But if you use a few flash elements throughout your site just to spruce it up, then I say go for it.

IMHO flash should only be used for a specific purpose, ie presentations, games, video clips, or anything that can't be done with text/images. Flash elements are part of the content of a web page so should be treated as such - if there is a good reason to use it then use it.

Using it only for making a site look pretty is pointless I'd say

I think that some of the criticism that Flash has come in for - particularly regarding usability - applies only to badly designed Flash websites. If you offer a non-Flash version, for instance, that can help. It's just a balanced. Having said that, I know Flash, yet I design websites without using it. Strange...

If you just want to use flash to do simple graphics because of smooth curves and no pixel problems, I would not recommend this on the web. mostly because compiled flash files is a lot bigger then jpg,png,gif images.

But if you for example are making some kind of mulitmedia cd as I have made a couple of, then using software as flash to make vector graphics instead of pixel graphic much better.

again using it for links/navigation is not good, because google cant identify flash links, and therefore will never crawl your whole site through internal linking.

If you are looking for mind blowing look and feel and audio then flash is great.

Michael, how did you manage to get -52 karma in 20 posts? It's taken me 115 posts to get +59...

I use HTML & Flash for my clients site so that the site won't be that plain...