Web maps needn't be dull and this talk will show you how you can take your cartographic skills from the desktop GIS to the web using SLD and GeoServer. The initial part of the talk will introduce desktop tools such as QGIS and UDig and how they can help novices get started with styling maps. Moving beyond the basics it will continue with a look at the use of functions to modify the features being drawn. It will include an in depth look at how to control the placement of labels to enhance the readability of the map especially when using tile caching to speed up map service. The talk will finish with a discussion of using GeoServer's composite and blending modes to provide pretty effects that can enhance your web mapping.