Learning Web design - Jennifer Niederst

In Learning Web Design: A Beginner's Guide to HTML, Graphics, and
Beyond, author Jennifer Niederst shares the knowledge she's gained
from years of web design experience, both as a designer and as a
teacher. This book starts from the very beginning--defining the
Internet, the Web, browsers, and URLs--so you don't have to have any
previous knowledge about how the Web works. Jennifer helps you build the
solid foundation in HTML, graphics, and design principles that you need
for crafting effective web pages. She also explains the nature of the
medium and unpacks the web design process from conceptualization to the
final result.Learning Web Design:

• Covers the nuts and bolts of basic HTML, with detailed examples that
  illustrate how to format text, add graphic elements, make links, create
  tables and frames, and use color on the Web. In addition to a rundown on
  each HTML tag, there are tips on using three popular authoring programs:
  Macromedia Dreamweaver, Adobe GoLive, and Microsoft FrontPage.
• Explains whether to use GIFs or JPEGs for different types of images
  and includes important tips on optimizing graphics for web delivery. The
  book also demonstrates step-by-step graphics creation using three
  popular web graphic tools: Adobe Photoshop, Macromedia Fireworks, and
  JASC Paint Shop Pro.
• Offers a tutorial on building usable web sites that covers
  information design, interface design, and navigation systems.
• Provides dozens of web design DOs and DON'Ts, to help you make good
  web design decisions and avoid common beginner traps.

Unlike other beginning books, Learning Web Design leaves no holes
in your education. It gives you everything you need to create basic web
sites, and will prepare you for more advanced web work. If you are
interested in web design, this book is the place to start. After
finishing it, you'll be ready for the author's bestselling
companion reference,
Web Design in a Nutshell.