Need a couple of advice from graphic designers/web developers

[narcotic]

See cliffs at the end if you can't bother?

Anyway, I know some HTML and some JavaScript (as far as web developing concerns), I've been asked/offered to make a web site for a law firm.
Now, if I had the images and all, I guess I could cut-edit it with Photoshop, and then with HTML build the table and align the images as I want, adding some js for menu effects.
The site has to be modest, and professional, i.e. it's not promotional but more a statement - "we have a professional looking web site..." which sort of means we're serious ?

Anyway, the thing is, I'm a programmer, and as you could figure, web programming is not my specialty (that's why I agree to take the project, so I can get myself a little more familiar with the subject).

So I figured I first need to draw an image (jpeg) of the web site (header + menus + content area), and then make the site from the image. I fired up Photoshop, and it after a couple of hours of playing around with it, I still couldn't find out a basic thing, such as how de hell do I draw a straight line with different thicknesses or colors across the screen...
So, my question is, should I be using Photoshop? is there a better tool for a n00b graphic designer wannabe? How de hell do I draw a straight line across the picture with Photoshop??? 🙂

Thanks.

Cliff's:
1. n00b wanna be graphics designer
2. needs tips on how to draw a straight line with Photoshop (across the picture)
3. needs tips on any better tools for n00b designer

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Take a look at http://www.oswd.org for ideas

 

[Alienwho]

uhm, try holding shift or control as you draw the line.

 

[narcotic]

Originally posted by: Alienwho
uhm, try holding shift or control as you draw the line.

Yeah, that's one of the first things I've tried, and it does draw a straight line, though I can't controll its thickness nor color. 😱

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: narcotic

Originally posted by: Alienwho
uhm, try holding shift or control as you draw the line.

Yeah, that's one of the first things I've tried, and it does draw a straight line, though I can't controll its thickness nor color. 😱

You set the thickness and color before you draw the line. If you're using lines, you're probably better off using CSS. Start reading some of the tutorials over here:

http://www.htmldog.com/

If you're set on using graphics for the interface, you might be better off using Illustrator.

 

[notfred]

Being able to draw a line in photoshop has nothing at all to do with being a graphic designer. Also, cutting up images in photoshop and sticking them in tables has nothing to do with web development in 2006.

 

[UglyCasanova]

Originally posted by: notfred
Being able to draw a line in photoshop has nothing at all to do with being a graphic designer. Also, cutting up images in photoshop and sticking them in tables has nothing to do with web development in 2006.

True that, and to answer your question you should be using Illustrator for your vectors.

 

[narcotic]

Originally posted by: UglyCasanova

Originally posted by: notfred
Being able to draw a line in photoshop has nothing at all to do with being a graphic designer. Also, cutting up images in photoshop and sticking them in tables has nothing to do with web development in 2006.

True that, and to answer your question you should be using Illustrator for your vectors.

Thanks for that guys. But I think I might've been unclear, the reason I want to draw straight lines, is to have them as borders.
The page is going to be made of 4 parts, title - logo (hence some graphics), beneath the title a menu, bottom right content area, bottom left another menu. As I said, the site needs to look 'clean', so simple square bottons (with nice color, and mouseover effect) should do. I guess there isn't much of advanced graphics there, but its plentty for a n00b.

 

[Skeeedunt]

Originally posted by: narcotic

Originally posted by: UglyCasanova

Originally posted by: notfred
Being able to draw a line in photoshop has nothing at all to do with being a graphic designer. Also, cutting up images in photoshop and sticking them in tables has nothing to do with web development in 2006.

True that, and to answer your question you should be using Illustrator for your vectors.

Thanks for that guys. But I think I might've been unclear, the reason I want to draw straight lines, is to have them as borders.
The page is going to be made of 4 parts, title - logo (hence some graphics), beneath the title a menu, bottom right content area, bottom left another menu. As I said, the site needs to look 'clean', so simple square bottons (with nice color, and mouseover effect) should do. I guess there isn't much of advanced graphics there, but its plentty for a n00b.

If you're really going for a "clean" look, try using just text and CSS for the menus (no graphics.) Also, you can give anything a border using CSS.