I'm an absolute - and I mean absolute - beginner with code. I understand a lot about graphic design and how digital design works, but this doesn't help much!
I want to use Mailchimp to send out a newsletter for a client, who has a specific brand design identity. Unlike other drag-and-drop email services (such as the Squarespace newsletter add on) there is little I can do to customise the email design.
One way I've been told to do this is to use Photoshop to design the email content (layout, text etc) and import as images into the Mailchimp template. I have reservations about building an email from images though, as the images won't be responsive and work well on mobiles. It also means I can't use hyperlinks from specific text.
So I've considered coding my own using HTML... but baffled where to start? And whether it's a good idea at all? While there's a lot Mailchimp can do to keep a newsletter looking on-brand, the main thing I'd want to incorporate is a specific font.
Two questions:
Is it a good idea for a newbie to attempt to HTML code an email? If not, how else could I work with Mailchimp to customise as much as possible?
If it is 'doable', where can I go about learning the process? Resources, tutorials?