Okay - so I am an administrative asst. by trade that wants to starts dabbling in freelancing in graphic design. I have a good eye for design, and know Adobe DW, Ph, Illus., and Fl. I am also getting into CSS (which I like a lot too).
Biggest problem: I started to want to study PHP, MySQL, Ajax and Java because I thought that I may want to find clients that need online forms, shopping carts and database set ups. But if I want to be more of a designer than a developer - should I spend time studying PHP, MySQL, etc? I'm in mid-career, I have a family, and I'm thinking about going back to school for my Masters in Biology, so I simply don't have as much time as I did in my youth - but a part of me still thinks that there is a possibility that somehow learning these programs will give me an edge over others in the freelance marketplace.
Are the advantages of spending weeks or months learning these programs overblown for someone who is not that technical and 'dabbles' in web design - that is not making it her career, or for someone that is working toward other, bigger goals and is not focusing on these programs for more than a gig here and there? My end goal is to do some good with a MS in Biology - but get freelance design gigs to pay the bills - how useful can these programs be?
Any advice?
Biggest problem: I started to want to study PHP, MySQL, Ajax and Java because I thought that I may want to find clients that need online forms, shopping carts and database set ups. But if I want to be more of a designer than a developer - should I spend time studying PHP, MySQL, etc? I'm in mid-career, I have a family, and I'm thinking about going back to school for my Masters in Biology, so I simply don't have as much time as I did in my youth - but a part of me still thinks that there is a possibility that somehow learning these programs will give me an edge over others in the freelance marketplace.
Are the advantages of spending weeks or months learning these programs overblown for someone who is not that technical and 'dabbles' in web design - that is not making it her career, or for someone that is working toward other, bigger goals and is not focusing on these programs for more than a gig here and there? My end goal is to do some good with a MS in Biology - but get freelance design gigs to pay the bills - how useful can these programs be?
Any advice?