Sexy Web Design: How to Design Great Websites with Good Concepts by Elliott Jay Stocks Synopsis What is sexy? A lot of skin and tight clothing can be sexy for many people, but beauty is in the eyes of the beholder so they say and that is how Elliott Jay Stocks describes it here. For him, "sexy" inspires a comfortable, contented feeling, usually with a smile and a desire for “more.” He asserts in his book Sexy Web Design that we can create websites according to his instructions which will cause this emotional state when the mouse is clicked on the URL. For Stocks, “sexy” has nothing to do with art. On the contrary, “sexy” is the result of good craftsmanship and the application of rules. Confused? Well, from the user perspective, this is logical, because the bottom line will be a site visit, and the “sexiest” feeling of all is to feel at home. That’s where the rules come in. We are creatures of habit, and the habits are given by rule-based web design. Is it that simple? “Sexy” is when we get what we expect? And we want more of it? With Sexy Web Design Stocks says yes. So read Stocks, learn the rules and follow. Tinkering with web design is sexy.

Review 1 Start looking for a web designer and you will find a wide variety of vendors. It is often difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff, as it requires no training to work as a web designer. A "normal" designer is not even a web designer. There are many things you need to come to a successful overall picture of a website and a good web designer will know what to look for. This book is aimed primarily at designers and offers an introduction to the issues that are important for web design. With lots of screenshots and graphics, the author shows what is important in web design, and gives the reader a good overall impression. Thus the book should really be required reading for anyone who wants to be called a web developer. If you already have some experience in web development, there are only a few spots that offer something really new. In that case you should not even bother, just as if you come from the area of usability, because this issue is only touched on. The book is easy to read and has plenty of spark, so it will not be boring. Colored screenshots and graphics round out the overall very good design for the book. On the positive side, the author also enters into the communication and contact with the client and thus describes the entire design process. A good book for designers who want to earn extra income with little web design contracts, with the emphasis on "small", because for larger orders you need more knowledge and above all lots of experience. (Posted by Ivan)

Review 2 There are now numerous books on good and successful web design. Accordingly, the subject is highly differentiated as are also the expectations of a new work. Here lies the problem with many web design books: the subject is so complex that you could easily fill 1000 pages. Elliot Jay Stocks' book omits code snippets, new CSS tricks and clever script collections. And that's good. At 150 pages, the book provides insights into the fundamental work and views of the author. His approach is pragmatic and focuses attention on the procedures for creating "sexy" designs. Based on an example, the typical project workflow is presented. Many aspects of web design are touched on only briefly here. In some places one wishes for more depth and a few more details .Nevertheless, the book is refreshing to read, different and never boring. After all, he gives the reader plenty of tips and tools to use. If you are expecting a textbook or step-by-step instructions in the practice of coding and designing, that's not the purpose of Elliot Jay Stocks’ book. The book is more of a personal account of how a design is created - a recommended reference work for the inspiration that has earned a seat, despite the hefty price, next to the textbook "Modern Web Design" by Manuela Hoffmann and "Transcending CSS" by Andy Clark. (Posted by Lulu)

Review 3 There are so many books out there on web design and web development that the idea of reading another one made me yawn. But I have to say this was a good read. Nothing new here if you want details of widgets or whatever, but it's nice to sit back and take a broader view of what web design is all about. Sexy? I'm not so sure. (Posted by Web Design Shrewsbury)