Create Fullscreen HTML5 Page Background Video

Check out Dudley Storey's informative overview of responsive techniques for configuring a video as a full-page background at "Create Fullscreen HTML5 Page Background Video".

Five Current Web Design Trends

Check out the overview of the five current web design trends at http://www.webteacher.ws/2015/10/01/pros-cons-5-current-web-design-trends/

Configuring Text for Mobile Devices

Check out the useful tips about configuring text for mobile devices at http://www.creativebloq.com/web-design/how-choose-right-fonts-small-screens-91516966

Overview of Image File Types

Check out the informative infographic at http://makeawebsitehub.com/image-formats-mega-cheat-sheets/ about common image file types that describes their origins, characteristics, and best uses.

Using Color Theory to Improve Website Accessibility

Great tips on color selection and use in the article Using Color Theory to Improve Website Accessibility! Topics include: color combinations to avoid, importance of contrast (including warm/cool contrast), selecting complementary colors, using a monochrome color scheme, creating accents with texture and thickness, and an overview of tools and resources.

Nine Principles of Responsive Web Design

Check out the infographic overview of nine principles of responsive web design at http://blog.froont.com/9-basic-principles-of-responsive-web-design/

Flat Web Design

The article, The Future of Flat Design, highlights characteristics of this design trend: bright color palettes, simple typography, minimalism, ghost buttons, and long shadows.

Promo Trailer for 3rd edition of Basics of Web Design: HTML5 & CSS3

Check out the promo trailer for the 3rd edition of my book, Basics of Web Design: HTML5 & CSS3

Tips for Choosing a Domain Name

Check out the tips for choosing a domain name at http://firstsiteguide.com/choose-domain/

An Event Apart Web Design Conferences

Looking for ways to develop your skills after taking a web design/development course? Check out the conferences offered by An Event Apart. ‪

Psychology of Color Infographic

Colors evoke emotions and can help to engage your website visitor. Check out this psychology of color infographic:
Infographic by WebpageFX

New 3rd Edition for Basics of Web Design: HTML5 & CSS3!

New 3rd Edition!

It's exciting to announce that my new book, the 3rd edition of Basics of Web Design: HTML5 & CSS3, will be available at Amazon in late January! 

The popular Basics of Web Design: HTML5 & CSS3 textbook provides a foundation in the skills and concepts that web designers need:

• Internet and Web concepts overview
• Create web pages with HTML5
• Configure color and text with CSS
• Configure page layout with CSS
• Configure images and multimedia
• Explore new CSS3 properties
• Apply Web Design Best Practices
• Design accessible and usable web pages
• Design for search engine optimization
• Choose a domain name
• Publish to the Web

The third edition builds on the textbook's successful earlier editions. With the widespread support of HTML5, this edition introduces HTML5 structural elements early (in Chapter 2). Chapter 5 now provides an overview of color theory and an expanded treatment of the use of color in web pages. 

Comprehensive instructor materials are available for the the book from the publisher, Pearson Addison-Wesley. Instructors and faculty can access free downloads of:

• sample syllabi
• exercise solutions
• case study solutions
• PowerPoint presentations
• sample test questions
• website project activity with milestone assignments
• a group website design evaluation activity
• a group WebQuest activity

New Microsoft Browser with Windows 10

Computerworld reports that Microsoft will unveil a new browser code-named "Spartan" with the release of Windows 10.

The Book of CSS3 NEW 2nd Edition

Just got a copy of Peter Gasston's new 2nd edition of The Book of CSS3! There is detailed information and examples of CSS3 properties including transformations, flexible box layout, grid layout, and more! It's a great book to have on hand for reference, too!

HTML5 in W3C Proposed Recommendation Status

HTML5 has been moved from W3C Candidate Recommendation Status to W3C Proposed Recommendation Status — effective September 16, 2014!

Everything You Need to Know About the Color Blue

Check out the Coolness of Blue in Web Design infographic to find out what types of websites use the color blue, which brands use blue, how different cultures perceive the color blue, and more!

Free Stock Image Resources

As a web design student builds a portfolio of website projects, it can be quite time-consuming to create images. TNW provides a curated list of the best free offers a list of the best free stock image resources on the Web.

New 7th Edition for Web Development and Design Foundations with HTML5

It's exciting to announce that my new book, the 7th edition of Web Development and Design Foundations with HTML5, is available at Amazon. 

Building on the textbook's successful 6th edition, the 7th edition continues to integrate HTML and CSS topics such as text configuration, color configuration, and page layout with an enhanced focus on the topics of design, accessibility, and Web standards.

 Updates for the 7th edition include:

• Expanded coverage of new HTML5 elements and attributes 
• Expanded coverage of designing for the mobile web with new sections on responsive web design, mobile web design best practices, viewport meta tag, CSS media queries, flexible images, and testing mobile display 
• Expanded coverage of CSS3 properties, including CSS3 flexible box layout 
• New sections providing an introduction to jQuery 
• Updated code samples, case studies, and web resources

The textbook companion website has a page for each chapter in the text containing the links for URLs listed in the book, information on emerging trends, additional examples, corrections, and review activities.

Comprehensive instructor materials are available for the the book from the publisher, Pearson Addison-Wesley. Instructors and faculty can access free downloads of:

• sample syllabi
• exercise solutions
• case study solutions
• PowerPoint presentations
• sample test questions
• website project activity with milestone assignments
• a group website design evaluation activity
• a group WebQuest activity

New generic Top Level Domain (gTLD) Names

It often seems like all the best .com domain names are already taken, but that won't be a problem much longer with ICANN's release of new generic Top Level Domain (gTLD) extensions. New gTLDs that were announced late 2013 and early 2014 include a wide variety of options such as .photography, .technology, .voting, .tips, and .guru. A complete list is available at http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/program-status/delegated-strings. Major domain registrars, such as GoDaddy, are offering preregistration for many new gTLDs.

Wondering about UTF-8? Check out this video....

Computerphile presents a video of Tom Scott explaining what you always wanted to know about character encoding in ASCII and UTF-8.