Great variety of content coverage

The amount of content that is covered by each author in the Smashing book was one of the aspects that pushed me to order. From typography and color to marketing and server set up, there is plenty to keep you well informed and updated on the latest best practices. And the full color pages are clean and well laid out.

Each chapter is written by a different author and I suppose they were chosen because of their expertise in a particular area of web design. Some of the information included may already be somewhat obvious to veteran designers but I found many small tidbits of information that were not only helpful, but were things I previously did not know.

The following are the chapters contained in the pages of the Smashing Book:

• User Interface Design in Modern Web Applications
• The Art and Science of CSS Layouts
• Typography: Rules, Guidelines and Common Mistakes
• Usability Principles for Modern Websites
• The Ultimate Guide to Fantastic Color Usage
• Optimization for Websites
• Design to Sell – Increasing Conversion Rates
• How to turn a site into a Remarkable Brand
• Learning from Experts – Interviews and Insights
• The Smashing Magazine Story.

So as you can see there are a wide variety of areas that are covered throughout the book. I really enjoyed the last two chapters which include interviews with industry leading designers and the story of how Smashing Magazine came to be. To get advice and tips from some of the best designers in the industry was a great addition and the insights were very helpful.

The actual story of Smashing Magazine is amazing and they give readers a peek into how the guys started, how they grew the site, the process of finding content and authors and just how much hard work is put into deliver the massive amount of content on a daily basis.

Unique Packaging

The book arrived in the post and at first glance I thought they had just wrapped the book in some clear plastic wrap and mailed it off. Once I pulled off the packing wrap I figured out the book was actually inside of a box that looks exactly like the book itself. I have ordered my share of design books online and this one was the first to come in such a unique package. Not to mention it will keep the book safe from my two year old which is always good, right?

You should pick up a copy

This book would make a great Christmas gift, but would also be a great self purchase. The authors spent a great deal of time on each of their chapters and the advice is flying at you from the time you open the front cover.

Make sure to visit Smashing Magazine for ordering information.

I hope this review is helpful and please feel free to leave a comment below if you have something to say. Hopefully by using some of the new tips I learned from the book my site will benefit and maybe even load a bit faster!

Of course, my expectations were proceeded and I wasn’t let down!

First off, if you have read any of my past reviews, you will know that I don’t like to give away the full details of any of the books I have read. I think this ruins it for anyone who hasn’t read the book yet. So with that said here are a few of my thoughts on Handcrafted CSS

One Word: Craftsmanship…

The book jumps right into and continues where Dan left off in his previous book Bulletproof Web Design. It has the same type of writing style, where Dan will explain a problem and then give multiple examples of a solution. I really enjoy this approach and it makes the book a joy to read and also gives a bit of insight into how a very talented web designer tackles problems on a daily basis.

Dan does a really awesome job of explaining different scenarios and all the different things that should be taken into account when designing websites while also keeping flexibility in mind. He also refers to being a web craftsman and how its the small details that turn good design into great design.

Progressive Enrichment

This term refers to things we can do to enrich our designs for users who are using the most up to date versions of a browser. With CSS3 on the horizon, Dan goes into detail on a plethora of techniques that can be used today! Now as a true craftsman, he also shows how to create a backup plan for older browsers which helps to ensure the design still works for users who’s browser may not be the latest available.

A lot of really cool techniques are touched on throughout the book. Some I was already aware of but some were new and provided a great introduction to what’s going to be available in CSS3.

Video Edition

There are couple different versions of the book available. I purchased the video edition which comes with a DVD of 10 awesome guidelines. Filmed at Simplebits Studios, Dan goes into detail and shows a wide variety of examples based on these guidelines. The DVD is well worth the few additional bucks in my opinion.

Final Thoughts

Overall I am very impressed and pleased with Handcrafted CSS. My expectations were surpassed and this should have been no surprise! I would highly recommend this book to everyone involved in web design. It will teach you the zen like ways of constructing sites like Mr. Cederholm. (I mean just view source on any of the guys work… it is zen like!!)

Oh no, I almost left out one thing that I really wanted to mention…

Chapter 6

The book also contains a chapter by the equally talented Ethan Marcotte (Chapter 6.). I don’t want to spoil it for anyone but I read this chapter multiple times as to get my head around the entire process. Ethan goes into detail on using fluid grid layouts and I was totally impressed. His process blew my mind and this was one a hell of an addition to the book.

So if you are searching for a great web design book to read, head over and grab a copy of Handcrafted CSS – you won’t be disappointed!

I have just finished reading a great new book called Sexy Web Design by the awesome web designer Elliot Jay Stocks. Although I read a lot of web design related books, I usually don’t write reviews about them but I thought this one deserved a mention.

I am not going to get into the exact details of the book because I wouldn’t want to ruin it if you haven’t yet had the pleasure of reading it.

What I will say is that this book is one awesome read and really details the process of creating SEXY website designs. There are a lot of tips and detailed descriptions on how to create a stunning design from start to finish in a very professional and structured way.

Elliot covers everything from receiving the first brief from clients all the way up to the final deliverables and everything in between. This book is not a technical reference on how to build websites which was actually one of the reasons I found it so enjoyable to read.

So if you are looking for a new web design related book to read I would highly recommend picking up a copy of Sexy Web Design. It is a quick read and full of some great tips and advice for both rookie web designers and professionals alike. The entire process outlined in the book has definitely helped me to create a more structured approach when working on new designs.

The book is available from Sitepoint and Amazon. You can also learn more about Elliot by checking out his website at http://elliotjaystocks.com