Are you looking to gain a little experience in web design, coding or typography? Lucky for us, we no longer have to go through lengthy and boring books to get started on becoming a web designer. There are now plenty of good e-books available that will provide you with tips and examples to help you get into and flourish in web design.
To that end, I have put together a collection of 15 informative web design e-books that are available for free on the Internet. Most of these books contain first-hand tips from web design experts. Some are also available in multiple formats, so you can read them on your laptop, e-book reader, tablet, or smartphone.
Web Design Book of Trends, 2013-2014 by Marcin Treder
This is a very good e-book for those who want to keep themselves updated with the latest trends in web design. 11 current trends and 165 visually attractive examples are featured in this e-book.
Learning Web Design, 3rd Edition by Jennifer Niederst Robbins
This 480-page e-book will teach you how to build professional websites from scratch. From learning the fundamentals of how web pages work to building CSS layouts with multiple columns, you can find it all here.
Taking Your Talent to the Web by Jeffrey Zeldman
Although this book was written in 2001, a lot of its suggestions and guidance on the topic of transitioning to the World Wide Web are still applicable today. The paperback version has a 5-star rating on Amazon.com.
How To Be Creative by Hugh MacLeod
This is a lighthearted e-book featuring 26 first-hand tips on how to harness the creativity in you. Each tip is accompanied with a cartoon illustration, making this a really delightful read.
Web Designer’s Success Guide by Kevin Airgid
This e-book is a guide on how to turn your freelance work into a source of profit. Topics covered in the book include project management, marketing, and pricing decisions.
Web Design and Mobile Trends for 2013 by Awwwards Team
Get an insight into the latest trends in web design and mobile technologies with this collection of interviews with 28 of today’s leading figures in the industry. It’s available in 4 formats: PDF, EPUB, MOBI and AZW3.
Design Your Imagination by WebGuru Infosystems
Although this e-book is mainly written for beginners that are still learning the ropes of web design, seasoned designers will also get some useful advice from it. There are 28 chapters with numerous backing examples.
Time Management for Creative People by Mark McGuinness
Although this e-book is a little old (written in 2007), I’m sure we would all agree that good time management principles will always stand the test of time. In just 32 pages, this e-book will help you improve your time management and get the most out of your day.
UX Design for Startups by Marcin Treder
This 127-page e-book will provide you with practical tips and a list of more than 60 tools for UX design. Written in a large font for easier reading, this e-book is available in 3 formats: EPUB, MOBI and PDF.
WordPress Meet Responsive Design by Michael Pick
With so many different devices (with different screen resolutions) that we can use to surf the Net these days, responsive web design (RWD) is clearly an important topic to cover for web designers. This e-book is about RWD in the context of WordPress design. It’s available in 3 formats: PDF, Kindle, EPUB.
The Design Funnel: A Manifesto for Meaningful Design by Stephen Hay
In just 12 pages, this e-book will show you how to understand the often ambiguous requests of your clients and build creative websites that will stand out from the crowd.
The Vignelli Canon by Massimo Vignelli
If you want to learn or understand more about the role of typography in web design, this 49-page e-book will help you do just that.
Pixel Perfect Precision Handbook 2 by Gyppsy AKA Tony Dones
In this 165-page handbook, you will find useful quick tips and lots of illustrations on how to make sure your designs look good down to every pixel, so to speak.
The Principles of Beautiful Web Design, 2nd Edition by Jason Beaird
This 170-page book is very good for those who already have some experience in creating websites. It will equip you with the essential knowledge and techniques to make beautiful visual enhancements for your site.
