How does one get better at design?

Practice and experience. Follow Derek's advice and you'll eventually get there. If you want things to happen faster, then practice harder.

Tutorials can help you with the basics, inspiration sites can help you with ideas, but only experience can help you develop your own style. You should also consider reading up on graphic design, colour and artistry/composition; these all have big parts to play in web design.

tutorials teach you the tools, but that doesn't make you a good designer.

read design magazines.

I'll give you what I do best - sleep.

Put more attention when you are dreaming. How? Think of designs when you sleep, you will dream of that.

Just pay more attention to your surrounding. A little dot might lead to a great design.

Simple; play around and practice.

wow, im learning guys, keep talking please.

Thanks to all of you, and keep talking.

Originally Posted by thetarget I'll give you what I do best - sleep. Put more attention when you are dreaming. How? Think of designs when you sleep, you will dream of that. Just pay more attention to your surrounding. A little dot might lead to a great design.

You couldn't express it any better.

Before I start a fresh design, I leave my house to take a Walk.
Nature will inspire you, if you pay attention.
Nothing is better than walking around to collect Ideas for me.

I have problems applying designs personally.

I suppose that comes down to needing more practice

I really need to get to grips with photoshop a lot better and learn how to make my code cleaner. Does anyone know of some good design books you can recommend?

practise, practise and more practise

i personally found it great to look at existing designs and use them to learn.
It took many months before i became happy with what i was producing so i guess where thats patience and practice comes in action.