- Tutorials! Definitely a great way to learn new aspects.
- Reverse-design ? never head of it =P
- 3rd point.. nuh uh.. people don't like the fact that you're using other peoples work (tutorials) and trying to enter them into contests, as some may say, I don't want a collection of someone else's work. So that could come back bad.
A point i would add though, inspiration websites, a well known 1 is
www.inspirationking.com - great website with all the latest and greatest of web 2.0 styles! Great inspiration and ideas are caught from those kind of websites. So I'd say look around at them kind of sites, see what people like! Talk to clients, find out whats in and what.
But.. the main main key to design, is creativity! If you don't have creativity, no matter how long you design, you just can't get that 'design' in you.
Some people have it, some don't. Its a win loose world.
best of luck (Y)