A good design title practices what it preaches, and Designing Web Graphics 2 is on its second round of showing off how elegant web graphics can be. Significantly expanded in its new edition, the book is a superb overview of the web design process, rich with examples and illustrations, and very practical and hands-on when offering advice.
Unlike similar books, it offers software-specific advice on getting tasks completed. Many screen shots from programs like PhotoShop and Fractal Design Painter, and step by step screen shots from both programs and web sites, help Lynda Weinman walk between the theoretical and practical in very compelling fashion.
Weinman plans to update this book annually, which is both a warning and sign of an interesting phenomenon. This is one of the few books for which I've not hesitated to purchase the 2nd edition, and won't feel resentful purchasing a third. The new version adds so much to the original and makes so many improvements, it's keeping the subject alive while at the same time keeping pace with graphics tools that have a lot of new functionality to offer. Word processors have pretty much evolved as much as they can at this point in history, but graphics tools are still making some big leaps and offering some exciting upgrades. Weinman has devoted herself to keeping pace with the change and promises to persist in adding value to each new edition. From the looks of her first revision, she'll keep the promise.
From Library Journal
Weinman is a one-woman graphics factory turning out essential web-design guides. Coloring Web Graphics is a simply beautiful description of browser/platform safe colors. Anyone who has carefully designed a web site only to view what looks like a bizarre parody on a friend's machine will welcome this work. The CD is full of color palettes and clip art. Deconstructing is a total case study approach to understanding web design. This hands-on, backwards look at existing web sites includes examinations of the site code in html, Java, JavaScript, ShockWave, and even PhotoShop that produced the sites. Designing Web Graphics is a total approach to building a successful web site, from advice on buying hardware to animation techniques. Especially clear discussions of graphics formats (e.g., jpegs vs. gifs) and navigational graphics are augmented in this second edition with updated information on frames, interactivity, and more. In early summer, look for Preparing Web Graphics (ISBN 1-56205-686-7. $39.99) and Creative HTML Design (ISBN
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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