what exactly does that include,

JUST the image? or do you cut it up? code it?

etc


?

anyone?

Depends on what you and the client agree to. Most web designers will leave a client with a functioning website, but there are people who only design the look and maybe deliver a Photoshop PSD file for someone else to develop into a site.

Typically a client will expect a site in return so that's what usually gets delivered.

do most people code there sites? or have other code and pay them a percent?

Again it depends. I do both. I would guess most people who are one person shops do both, though I would also guess there are some that create the visuals and hire out the coding. They might pay a percent of the total cost or the coder might charge a specific fee. In a larger company you probably have people specializing in each.

You might even find a company that hires out both the graphics and the coding.

Is the idea that you're looking to become a web designer and want to know what skills to build? If that's the case I would suggest learning the graphics and the code. The more you know, the more valuable you are.

But as far as what a given company offers it really does depend. Most clients will want a finished site and not just the graphic design, so most companies will likely deliver a full site. But there are companies that deliver only one the graphics and there are companies that only do the coding. I do both and sometimes clients approach me needing only one of the other. There's isn't really an absolute answer to your question.

I agree with everything Vangogh has to say here . . . but maybe have 2 cents worth to add.

Typically, when a client wants a web site design, they want at the very least a template they can see in a browser. They may want more, such as design layering through regions of their web site, but they'll at least want a template they can use to keep building pages on their site one way or the other.

But I think you are also hinting at process.

Once you have a soilid idea of what the client is looking for in a design, the first step is to produce a (or a few) design creatives in a graphics application such as PhotoShop or Illustrator. This is just to work up design ideas and present them as an image of what the site might look like.

Once you've gone through a revision or few on the basic look of the site, then it's time to roll up sleeves and mark it up and lay it out -- that is break down the graphics into their component parts, write your XHTML markup, and pull it all together with your CSS. This phase too will probably require some revisions once the client sees it (it's rarely going to look just like the "picuture" presented in the creative phase).

That is, I'd expect that the client would be looking to you for both the artistic look of the site AND the markup/layout so they can see it AS a site.

From the way I read you, you're rather more in a "Project Manager" position. Maybe you can do one or the other of these, but clearly not both yet. So, you'll probably need to team up with someone who is an excellent graphic artist or a whiz as markup & layout, whichever one is not your strength.

And then there will be, inevitably, funcitonality issues on the site -- the site needs to DO something. Then you'll need a programmer adept at both client side (JavaScript/AJAX) funtionality and server side (PHP, ASP, .NET, JSP, CGI, etc.).

All of this said, my advise to you it to keep networking, just as you are doing here

thanks alot

i am a designer and im fine with that side, but not so good with code...

I know plenty of designers that although they know something of HTML/CSS (which I definitely recommend you do), they would rather just give me a Photoshop comp, and let me go to town. This is actually the way I prefer it, since I'd rather code things from the bottom up than have to clean up someone else's mess. Although I think it is to your advantage to be as well-rounded as possible, know that it is not unusual for people to play specialized roles.

Networking with people is a good recommendation, as given above. Finding people that are reliable and good to work with can be a major challenge. It is not difficult to find coders, but to find really qualified site-builders that don't have to be constantly managed or told what to do is a somewhat different thing.

yeah i have one guy, but he charges quite alot^ please feel gfree to pm your porfolio and prices.