Is linking is an art or not? Well, in order for you to understand my specific angle, here is a brief description of what I think art means in a hypertextual environment.
Art in a hypertextual spaces has a double meaning. Art in the sense that the author should be skillful and resourceful in how they use their links. And another interpretation is that art involves being creative, thoughtful, and having links which visually work This page will examine both of these definitions and look at the downfalls of both. And have subsequent links as examples.
Of course linking is an art. The author must carefully choose the right text, state where the browser is going, and decide how important that link really is to the whole document. However, creating a page that is purely for the browser to link to other gathered information is different. But the author still must be creative in highlighting the giving information so that the browser can quickly find what it is they are looking for. Some examples......
In my personal opinion, links should be something which catch your browsers attention and complement the colors or graphics which are on the page. Although some authors prefer using an obnoxious color on a toneless back, this effect is hideous. You need only to look at the link and don't even bother with the rest of the text. As an author plan on doing this, just create a page of links. Some examples.....