Basic Guide to Web Design

Unlike a couple of decades ago, today adults and kids alike spend plenty of time online. It might be for work, studying, research, shopping, communication, or just for fun. Being able to create and design your own website is a massive benefit. Websites have become one of the main ways that we express ourselves today, or publish information. More than simply creating a website, it is also vital to know how to design it well. A well-designed website can help to attract new visitors and keep them browsing for longer. It also makes it much easier to look through all the information on the website and digest it. There are many elements to web design. Among the most important are the layout and navigation, the text styling, colors, and images. Web Layout, Navigation, and Usability The way in which content is arranged on a web page is especially important. It is one of the main factors that determines whether or not a visitor will stay or leave. Pay careful attention to the navigation too. Ideally, the navigation bar or buttons, as well as any links, should make it easy for users to reach all parts of the site. A good point to remember is to make the site easy for people to use.

• Website Layout Tutorial – Follow a step-by-step tutorial on web page layouts and navigation.
• Alignment and Spacing – Avoid cluttered pages and odd alignments on your web page.
• Using Columns – Learn how different columns change a page’s appearance.
• Tables and Layout – Tables are a fantastic tool for fine-tuning a site’s layout.
• Layout Tips – Get some professional tips for making a website easily readable.
• Accessibility – Find out how to make a site accessible for disabled people too.
• Navigation – Review the different types of links and navigation methods.

Typography and Font Fonts play a major role in web design, primarily because text usually forms the bulk of website content. Simple fonts like Arial or Verdana may seem a bit boring to beginners. However, they are most used for web pages since they are easy to read. Similarly, header fonts should also be kept tasteful and simple, to avoid looking tacky.

• Types of Fonts – Learn about typography, and serif or sans serif fonts.
• Typefaces – A typeface’s characteristics can lend different subtle effects to the context of the text.
• Common Fonts – Look at some of the most common fonts for web pages.
• Best Fonts – Stick to these fonts for large bodies of text.
• Font Rules – Read a quick guide to the main rules of using fonts properly.
• Designing Text – Text can also be used as a design element.

Using Color Many new web designers make the mistake of going over the top with colors in their web pages. Visit a few major news sites, blogs, or corporate pages, and you’ll notice black text on a white background is the web standard. Use color to create accents and to draw the viewer’s attention to certain areas. Color is also helpful to make links stand out.

• Color Theory – Discover the basics of color harmony and contrast.
• Web Colors – Find the codes to colors that can be used online.
• Color Resources – Access several resources on HTML colors for online usage.
• Color Combinations – Preview text and background color combinations.
• Color Schemes – Learn how to develop and implement a website’s color scheme.
• Web Color Theory – Read how we interpret colors and how to apply them to a website.

Graphics and Images Websites in the late nineties were notorious for flashing animations and heaps of images added haphazardly on pages. Web standards have changed tremendously since then. Today we favor sleeker styles. Use graphics to illustrate a point or tie in additional information. Always make sure to obtain permission from the creator first and to credit them below the image. Some sites also offer free clipart and stock photos. To ensure that your webpage loads quickly, save the image as a JPEG and keep the file size low.

• Image Size and Formats – Find out how to convert image formats and reduce the image size.
• Types of Formats – It is important to know about the different image formats and use the most appropriate one.
• IMG Tags – IMG tags can help to control certain characteristics of the image’s formatting.
• Web Graphics Tutorial – Read some of the main rules of using images online.
• Image Tips – Browse some useful tips about online graphics and explore the related resources.
• Dos and Don’ts – Learn about selecting, editing and adding images online.

Check out more great eCommerce products, services, and resources from IWD