These types of sites are where I too learned most of the graphics programming I know. My favorite when I was young was "The good-looking textured light-sourced bouncy fun smart and stretchy page" still available here:
Good old Hugo Elias :) When I first visited the UK in 2003 I made a trip to London to visit him, guy bought me lunch at a Thai restaurant. Quality bloke, and yes we all (graphics programmers from that generation) learnt so much from his page.