Product Description

In this text author Jennifer Niederst shares the knowledge she's gained from years of Web design experience, both as a designer and as a teacher. This book starts from the very beginning - defining the Internet, the Web, browsers, and URLs - so you don't have to have any previous knowledge about how the Web works. Jennifer shows how to build the solid foundation in HTML, graphics, and design principles that are needed for crafting effective Web pages. She also explains the nature of the medium and unpacks the Web design process from conceptualization to the final result. "Learning Web Design" covers the nuts and bolts of basic HTML, with detailed examples that illustrate how to format text, add graphic elements, make links, create tables and frames, and use colour on the Web. In addition to a rundown on each HTML tag, there are tips on using three popular authoring programs: Macromedia Dreamweaver, Adobe GoLive, and Microsoft FrontPage. The text explains whether to use GIFs or JPEGs for different types of images and includes important tips on optimizing graphics for Web delivery. It also demonstrates step-by-step graphics creation using three popular Web graphic tools: Adobe Photoshop, Macromedia Fireworks, and JASC Paint Shop Pro. "Learning Web Design" offers a tutorial on building usable Web sites that covers information design, interface design, and navigation systems. Provides dozens of web design DOs and DON'Ts, to help you make good Web design decisions and avoid common beginner traps. The book provides everything needed to create basic Web sites, and should prepare readers for more advanced Web work.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #488731 in Books
• Published on: 2001-04-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 418 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
In Learning Web Design, the author of a top-rated web authoring guide (Web Design in a Nutshell) now turns her hand to a beginner's tutorial. The result is a foundation course in HTML, and an ideal starting point for learning how to build web pages.

The book does not attempt to cover every aspect of web authoring, and you should look elsewhere for coverage of technologies like Flash multimedia, Javascript or XML. Instead, Learning Web Design offers sound and thorough coverage of the fundamentals, presented in a friendly and informal style, and underpinned by the author's in-depth knowledge and professionalism.

Some Web authors use design tools, while others prefer to work directly with HTML code. This title takes a balanced view, with how-to explanations for Dreamweaver, GoLive and FrontPage, along with the equivalent HTML. For graphics, Photoshop, Fireworks and Paint Shop Pro are specifically covered.

The book is structured as four parts. The first is an overview, explaining the Web design process. Next comes an HTML tutorial, tackling page formatting, how to include graphics, tables, frames and colours. The third part is a detailed guide to Web graphics, showing how to optimise both appearance and performance. The final section is about usability and design, showing how to create pages to professional standards. There is also a peek at more advanced techniques, showing where to go for more information. The wide-margin layout gives plenty of space for illustrations, some in colour, and there are plentiful tips and references in side-panels. --Tim Anderson

Review
'...then this should be the very first and only book that you need, in learning the basics.' www.four-runner.com 'The bestselling author of Web Design in a Nutshell now offers the perfect manual for anyone starting out in Web design.This is a competent manual that provides a good overview of the relevant skills, but don't expect details on XML. Why buy several books to get started when one is all you need". Computer Arts, July (4/5) 'From registering your domain name to cascading style sheets; with pointers at every section to help the user to find out more; this book should be in every casual web designers library.' Ping, March 2002

Internet Advisor, March 2002
By working through this book, you'll develop an impressive and varied skill set...

Customer Reviews

Easy to read with a good layout
I recently bought this book because I wanted to learn the basics of website design. It is very clear and makes for easy reading. I would recommend it to anyone who would like to start web deigning. For those of you who do not like reading pages and pages confusing text this book is great, it has an excellent layout and explains thing with decent examples in simple language.

Good book to start up your own place in cyberspace!
Do you find yourself wanting to create your own website but not sure where to start or even how to do it? This book is then a good way for beginner's and shows you how simple it really is!

By reading this book the boundaries of making your own footprint on the web are broken down into clear and concise sections. From the very beginnings of the web and how it actually works, through to the steps to take in planning, designing and publishing a site.

Basic HTML is explained clearly tag by tag, together with use of popular web authoring tools such as MicroSoft FrontPage, Macromedia Dreamweaver and Adobe GoLive to create the same steps.

Discussions on site navigation, graphical creation and general advise and tips on what makes a good site work, all give you confidence to give it a go yourself!

Now that I have read this beginner's guide I will be looking to read her more advance book 'Web Design in a Nutshell'.

A perfect beginner's guide
Having recently decided that my personal web page really wasn't up to much, heavily reliant on the functionality of an online authoring tool, I opted to take the plunge and do the job properly.

Jennifer Nierderst's book is a revelation. I've read other beginner's guides before. Some treat the reader like a moron, others like an expert. This book strikes the perfect balance and is helping me to achieve a better looking personal website.

Added to that balance is a wonderful smattering of humour and personal insight and I would recommend this to anyone looking to get into web design - be it for professional reasons or just for pleasure.