Beginner Web Design Books for Learning Web Design: HTML and CSS
A foundation in web design starts with understanding how to code web pages with HTML then learning how to style the web pages with CSS. Beginner web design books are helpful for brushing up on modern code standards and techniques. Picking up quite a few beginner web design books for my personal curriculum, I began a must-read list by scouring pro web design blogs, reading top book review sites, and researching web design syllabus’ and course textbooks from various universities. Approaching my list first with what I found most suitable for my skill level as well as interest. Here a few beginner web design books I found as the most notable for budding web designers.
Learning Web Design: A Beginner’s Guide to (X)HTML, StyleSheets, and Web Graphics (4th Edition) by Jennifer Robbins
In my opinion, this is an essential beginner web design book. A very thorough reference, Jennifer Robbins approaches Learning Web Design: A Beginner’s Guide as a text book. In fact, this book I found most as required reading for web design courses at colleges and universities.
The Principles of Beautiful Web Design by Jason Beaird
As a follow-up to Learning Web Design I would highly recommend The Principles of Beautiful Web Design. Jason Beaird focuses less on the technical side of web design and explores more of the graphic design aspects, including sketching, layouts, color, typography, images, copyright particulars, and how it all comes together. Easy-to-read, with an added personal touch you will follow a start-to-finish design process.
Albeit out-dated, I would still recommend this as a beginner web design book for understanding the principles of constructing a beautiful website design. The Principles of Beautiful Web Design only scratches the surface of design principles, so further reading on the more technical subjects, such as wireframing, layout & grid systems, color theory, graphic design principles, etc, will be required but easier to grasp.
HTML and CSS: Design and Build Websites by Jon Duckett
A very basic coding manual, HTML and CSS: Design and Build Websites is a beautiful book for level 1 web designers. The magazine style layout has a less intimidating feel when you’re learning code. By the sheer simplicity of this book and the explanations, I recommend this as a beginner web design book or someone looking for an HTML and CSS refresher. However, I did feel there was minimal to learn for the intermediate to advanced web designer as well as a more modern implementation of techniques using HTML5 and CSS3. Not a must-read but definitely check it out if you’re having trouble learning how to code from other resources or you would like a simple reference to brush up on particular tags. Amazon Book Review – HTML and CSS: Design and Build Websites by Jon Duckett