Customer Reviews

Elements of Web Design (2nd Edition)

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

There is a lot of competition these days for talented Web developers. A casual glance at the classified section of any major city newspaper or online job bank will list a number of related job openings. Many of these positions require a good understanding of Website design to effectively convey client product and services information. While many schools and workshops offer various levels of Website design instruction, good books on the subject are still essential investments everyone should make.

Elements of Web Design by Darcy Dinucci, Maria Giudice and Lynne Stiles offers an excellent introduction to the art and science of this very sought after skill. The book offers an excellent overview of the entire process of designing Websites. Readers will pick up on goal setting, mapping out and incorporating information, effective interface design, content creation, scripting and programming, testing, publishing, and publicizing.

Readers are also taught the basics of Website interactivity, HTML programming, layout design, typography, Web graphics, and multimedia. As readers thumb through this book they will grasp the importance of each one of these topics and understand how they work together to convey over all Website content. Excellent HTML and Web browser reference charts at the back of the book lists all the latest tags and compatibility issues for Web browsers currently in use today.

This book does not offer quick solutions in the form of ready-to-use scripts, graphic images, sounds, and tips offered in most books. What this book does offer is sound Website design theory and concepts that when learned and properly applied can be used to launch a promising and successful career. The book is well-illustrated, easy to follow along, and offers the best in the way of practical instruction. The authors have done well!

Readers will get started in the right direction with this book. It will open up the world of creative Website design for both fun and profit. It is must reading for all aspiring Web developers and highly recommended for classroom use!

I was extremely dissapointed after reading all the wonderful reviews of this book, to find out that all it includes is a brief synsopsis of html and web features. I am a web page developer and was hoping to sharpen some of my skills, however all this book did is waste my money. If you already know html and how to put together a web page, DON'T buy this book. It may be ok for an absolute beginner, but I'm not willing to waste my time reading it to find out.

I highly recommend this book. Its information delivery is enhanced by a beautiful and accessible book design. The book includes lots of great information, designer's quotes, visual examples of creative web design, and useful color-coded descriptions of key terms and glossary items are presented on almost every page. As a web design book author myself, I am highly critical of other's books. I bought this book for my own design library and I have yet to tire of reading its contents or enjoying its beautiful layout and presentation

Totally empty on content, mostly promotional material . Similar level to X-Ray, free magazine mailed to all registered users of Quark XPress. Get Designing Killer Web Sites if you were attracted to the title of this book.

I finally had a couple of hours to sit down with Elements of Web Design last night. Wow! I've never seen the fundamental principles of Web design laid down in such a concise, all-emcompassing manner. As someone who has spent and will spend a great deal of time working with non-Web-savvy designers, this book is going to be indispensible.

I keep a few books on my desk right by the keyboard for quick reference. These are my 'bibles' of Web creation. I'm movin' out the bookends to make room for 'Elements of Web Design' now.

Better than the first edition ( which was great), everything has been updated with the latest developments, information and relevant illustrations. Designers are faced with the task of designing fluidly (being accustomed to traditional media) in a medium that has many restrictions, and this book is the most up to date, concise and inspirational source out there right now. There are plenty of illustations / pictures to see how other real designers have combined their vision and technical expertise to create what has to be termed an exemplary marriage of form/ function. All of the key concepts are clearly and concisely presented as that is the specialty of the books' designers. This is the book to get right now.

This is the single "must have" book for anyone who is involved in web design, from the content creative side to the programming side, to the final marketing. Covers issues from the background technology of the web, information delivery methods, and beautiful color samples of a wide range of site designs. Inspirational.

Finally, a book written by design professionals that takes the intimidation out of making the transition of designing for traditional print to designing for the digital web environment.

The book gives a comprehensive understanding of how to plan and manage your project from concept to publication while avoiding the common (and some not-so-common) design pitfalls. It's easy to follow format explains web terminology as it applies to graphic design. Examples of some of the best work currently being done on the web are used throughout the book and many useful tips and opinions are offered from top web development professionals.

Every graphic artist making the transition from print to the web should own this book. Coming from a print background I can attest that the wealth of knowledge shared by its authors will make the transition from print to the web easier and more profitable.

It's not a book you should borrow from a library -- you'll want a copy for your permanen! t collection.

Thanks to the authors for a job well done.

Dan Millsip,
Webmaster, International Association of Printing House Craftsmen

Yes, the pictures are beautiful, and yes the layouts are good. But um...Darcy Dinucci, you forgot this is a "book", not a photo album.

I have a copy of the first edition, which is by now dated for both style and technology, but I still occasionally use it as an HTML 3.2 reference. This is a great introduction to website design for non-techies especially people with a visual bias (e.g. artisits). [I am a techy, but I still liked it -- a bit thinner on info. than I am used to, but it was what I was looking for at the time] I bought a second copy for my artist brother-in-law -- who now designs websites, major TV ads, album covers, etc.. I haven't seen V2, but hopefully it addresses the "dated" issue by simply revising the examples, technology references (e.g. to cover Microsoft's .NET technology revolution) and business changes. Recommended.