Learn how to sketch material design UX [closed]

I am what's defined a "full stack" developer, with very little sense of what's "good looking". I want to "reform" myself, and learn how to "make the leap": actually learn UIs (design, colours, etc) and mocking up. At the moment I am developing using Google Polymer (material design). To "mock up", at the moment I am actually writing up HTML/CSS, but it's not ideal and it's time consuming.

Questions:

  • What tools can I use to mock up Material Design UIs? Are Gimp/Inkscape the way to go?

  • What resources would you recommend in terms of actually learning how to design UIs, considering that I am very little visual art skills (I would need to acquire them) and poor colour coordination skills?

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