Your best source for learning about Web design, is on the Web. Learn by studying pages that you find to be effective, and read about Tips from the pros.
W3Schools-Best things in life are free
Library of Congress Web resources
On-line html tutor
Web tutor download
HTML Writer's Guild
Webcoder
Webtechniques
Ruleweb
DevXProjectcool
Killer Web sites
Wired
Web pages that SUCK
Webmonkey
Microsoft's Business Central
You may construct pages using any text editor (e.g., Notepad, vi, or BBEdit), but this will be a lot of work for complex pages. You may wish to install and use a WYSIWYG editor (or one that is nearly so). Examples are Microsoft Expression Web or Sharepoint Designer, Macromedia Dreamweaver, Iron Spider free html editors, Arachnophilia, and scores of shareware examples. Choose whatever is best for your personal needs and level of expertise. Microsoft SharePoint Designer and Dreamweaver will be used in class to demonstrate development of a site in a near WYSIWYG presentation. To extend Web design beyond html, check out a framework environment such as Microsoft Visual Studio which integrates ASP.Net applicaiton services, multimedia interactivity and back-end data.
The best graphics for use on the Web will probably be your own creative images, that you have scanned or drawn using some of the many great imaging packages. With your own original resources, you have no concern about copyright issues or ownership of any kind. However, you do have to do the work, so if you just don't have the time or expertise, there are many resources available online, from books on included CD-ROMs, and from commercial packages. To help get started, links below will point you to some images for use in quick pages. Almost all these sites have both free graphics for download and commercial collections that can be ordered. Several also have links to more obscure locations for graphic sources. But of course you must use all these elements judiciously on your pages. Just because you can, does not mean you should. The elements should add to a page to make it more visually appealing, and easier to navigate.
Send e-mail to
RandySmith@mpc.edu