50+ Articles to Make You a Better Web Designer
By Steven Snell | Published August 12th, 2008 in ResourcesThis post is a collection of some of the best articles that I’ve come across on various topics related to web design. These are excellent, insightful, thought-provoking articles that may be able to help you in your own design career. Some are new and some are a few years old, but they all have something valuable to say.
To make it easier to digest, I’ve categorized them according to topic (with a general category at the end). Choose a few areas that are particularly challenging for you and see what you can learn from these experts.
For more design resources from DesignM.ag please see:
CSS:
Which CSS Grid Framework Should You Use for Your Web Design? – NETTUTS
6 Keys to Understanding Modern CSS-Based Layouts – Jonathan Snook
Faux Absolute Positioning – A List Apart
Creating Sexy Style Sheets – Vitamin
Efficient CSS with Shorthand Properties – 456 Berea St.
CSS Float Theory: Things You Should Know – Smashing Magazine
CSS Specificity: Things You Should Know – Smashing Magazine
Top Reasons Your CSS Columns Are Messed Up – Warpspire
100% Height Layout Using CSS – Dave Woods
Typography:
Typography Essentials – A Getting Started Guide – Freelance Folder
Typographic Contrast and Flow – Web Designer Wall
10 Examples of Beautiful CSS Typography and How They Did It – 3.7Crea.tv
Layout:
Grid-Based Design: Six Creative Column Techniques – Smashing Magazine
Five Simple Steps to Designing Grid Systems – Mark Boulton
Building a Semantic 4-Column CSS Layout – Mirificam Press
Indestructible Website: How to Build an EM Based Layout that Won’t Break – Mirificam Press
Multi-Column Layouts Climb Out of the Box – A List Apart
Setting Type on the Web to a Baseline Grid – A List Apart
An Introduction to Using Patterns in Web Design – 37Signals
CSS Layouts: 40+ Tutorials, Tips, Demos and Best Practices – Noupe
The Incredible Em & Elastic Layouts with CSS – Jon Tan
Whitespace – A List Apart
Color:
Color for Coders – Color and Design for the Non-Designer – SitePoint
Choosing Color Combinations – Veerle’s Blog
Creativity:
12 Ways to Tap Into an Endless Well of Creativity – PSDTUTS
8 Web Design Tactics to Help You When You’re Stuck – SEOmoz
Usability:
Why and How: Styling TeXt Links – Andy Rutledge
Design Decisions vs. Audience Considerations – Digital Web Magazine
Practical Usability Testing- Digital Web
The Ultimate Web Design Usability Checklist- Not Usable
10 Usability Nightmares You Should Be Aware Of- Smashing Magazine
30 Usability Issues to Be Aware Of – Smashing Magazine
23 Actionable Lessons from Eye-Tracking Studies – Virtual Hosting Blog
Usability 101: Introduction to Usability – Jakob Nielson’s Alertbox
Business:
A Simple Guide on How to Effectively Talk to Clients – Six Revisions
Getting Design Approval: The Single Mockup Theory – Fadtastic
10 Ways to Get Design Approval – 24 Ways
Free Resource: Pre-Design Questionnaire – Outlaw Design Blog
Design Processes and Why Every Designer Needs One – Positive Space Blog
Accessibility:
Evaluating Website Accessibility Part 1 – Background and Preparation – 456 Berea St.
Evaluating Website Accessibility Part 2 – Basic Checkpoints – 456 Berea St.
Evaluating Website Accessibility Part 3 – Digging Deeper – 456 Berea St.
10 Colour Contrast Checking Tools to Improve the Accessibility of Your Web Design – 456 Berea St.
7 Accessibility Mistakes Part 1 – Digital Web Magazine
7 Accessibility Mistakes Part 2 – Digital Web Magazine
Standards:
Developing with Web Standards – 456 Berea St.
5 Most Common Misconceptions About Web Standards – CSS Globe
Portfolios:
Creating a Successful Online Portfolio – Smashing Magazine
Build a Killer Online Portfolio in 9 Easy Steps – Freelance Switch
General:
10 Principles of Effective Web Design – Smashing Magazine
12 Steps to Creating a Professional Web Design – Chromatic Sites
9 Essential Principles for Good Web Design – PSDTUTS
25 Ways to Improve Your Site in 5 Minutes – Fadtastic
35 Designers x 5 Questions – Smashing Magazine
Web Design-isms: 7 Surefire Styles that Work – Vitamin
20 Pro Tips .Net Magazine
7 Crucial Tips for Designing and Maintaining a Large Site – NETTUTS
Design Cheat Sheets for Front-End Web Developers – Six Revisions
Understanding YSlow: What Matters; What Doesn’t – Templature
