Customised Background Image Question
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Hello
I would like to have a customised background image designed by an illustrator on my Chateau theme site. I want the same header on every page.
I have done some research and seen I need to-
1) Have the right measurements/size of image
2) Install the right plug inRegarding no.1 is it ok if the size is at least 1600×1200 px, if so what is the maximum measurement?
No.2- which is the right plug in to use and how do i install it, since I cant see a tool that does this on the Dashboard.Thanks for your assistance.
BikiThe blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)
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There is no FTP access to WordPress.COM blogs and we bloggers cannot install any plugins or third party themes.
http://en.support.wordpress.com/ftp-access/
http://en.support.wordpress.com/plugins/
http://en.support.wordpress.com/themes/adding-new-themes/There is no upgrade you can purchase here that changes that reality.
If you want FTP access and to install plugins or third party themes into a site then you will have to hire a web host http://wordpress.org/hosting/ and set up your own WordPress.ORG install. WordPress.ORG offers free software that you can install on a web server. You can create themes, upload and install themes and plugins, run ads, and edit the database, etc. http://en.support.wordpress.com/com-vs-org/
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Hello, thanks for your response. I am a bit confused.
Reason being, at the moment without hiring a webhost server, I can upload a customised blog header.
So to clarify, does this mean that in addition to that, I cannot upload a customised background image? -
You can upload both a custom image header and a custom background as stated on your detailed theme description page at http://theme.wordpress.com/themes/chateau/ without any upgrade purchase. The relevant support doc link is http://en.support.wordpress.com/themes/custom-backgrounds/
Chateau is a responsive layout theme http://theme.wordpress.com/themes/features/responsive-width/
A responsive layout theme adapts to different screen sizes so that your website will work (and be optimized for) iPhones, iPads, Android and other mobile devices. When responsive width themes are viewed on mobiles sidebars appear below the posts in order to provide as much space as possible for reading.
I would like to have a customised background image designed by an illustrator on my Chateau theme site.
Then that person needs to keep in mind the fact that the theme is a responsive layout theme when they create a background image.
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Hi. Here’s a screenshot of my custom header page on the Koi theme. I presume yours will look something like it. You upload an image and use the cropping tool to cut it to the portion of the image which will fit into your header. Your custom header, if it is like mine will have one specific size. Your present header is 960 X 260 pixels. All of the custom headers that you create will be of this size (I think). The cropping tool will cut them to this size.
You can begin with much larger images, but a portion of the original will be lost in most cases be lost. You can prepare the original image with photo-editing software such as Microsoft Paint prior to uploading it to the custom header page for cropping.
Custom Backgrounds (See http://en.support.wordpress.com/themes/custom-backgrounds/):
Here’s a screen shot of my custom background image page. There are more options with the custom background than with the custom header. Unless your chosen image is enormous you’ll probably want to have it tiled across the background, with the rows of tiles repeating down the background. With a combination of imagination, searching, and trial and error you can find lots of images that are suitable for tiling.When I first began using custom backgrounds I found some sites that offered free background images which when tiled appear like wallpaper, without abrupt splices apparent where the tiles join. Later I made my own background images, and have stuck with a single background for the past few years (with minor modifications).
Please ask if you’ve any questions. Best of luck. — doc
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@myfashionslashlife,
Your custom background page will probably also have an option for setting the background color. The background color selecter is very easy to use. It’s an alternative to uploading an image. -
@ musidoc, thanks very much for your prompt response. Regarding the custom header and the instructions to give my illustrator- I understand the size requirements etc.
I have read your links regarding the background header, and can see no mention of pixel min/max size. I understand that Chateau cuts the image to size – but so as not to lose major details, when advising the illustrator: can you pls tell me what pixel size measurement to use for the background image, so that no detailing is lost?
Thanks
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@ Timethief. Thanks for your detailed response. You mention that for the background image, the illustrator needs to bear in mend that the Cheateau theme is responsive.
However, what are the pixel measurements I should give her size wise, so that the whole image can be seen on the background when uploaded?
Thanks -
I have read your links regarding the background header, and can see no mention of pixel min/max size.
Check out this relevant WP forum thread: Background Image: recommended size? A couple of key quotes from the thread follow:
sensuousinkspiller said,My understanding of background image size is exactly what you said, that since there are so many monitor sizes, with so many resolutions, and so many devices, it isn’t possible to give a true “use this size” recommendation.
Let’s add zoom settings and maximum width allowed by the theme to the variables mentioned.
Happiness Engineer thesacredpath said,
If you notice on the theme you are using, it has a maximum width for the content area of 1000px. That is so the content area doesn’t get too wide to make reading difficult (typically text areas should be around 500-600px wide. The 1000px was very likely chosen to allow people using 1024px wide monitors to not have to scroll horizontally, and there are still about 20% of the webbing public on 1024px wide resolutions. [read more]
For the following results I’m using a 12″ wide monitor, browser FF 33.1.1, with resolution set at 1024 X 768 pixels. I don’t know what the pixel density is on the monitor.
I think the maximum width of the custom background on The Chateau theme is about 1000 pixels. I arrived at this figure, before reading thesacredpath’s comment quoted above, by testing larger images on two different inactive blogs of mine, using that theme. I don’t know where to find the maximum width for a theme, but it is not a constant figure across theme. Koi, the theme I’m using on the site connected to my username, appears to have a maximum of around 1400, though I found unexpected variation between two blogs using the same theme.
The Chateau’s custom background max resulted in approximately 37% being cut off a 1600 pixel image I tested, and over 45% off a 1920 pixel image.
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The following may be a consideration. Do you care how many times your image repeats on the front page, and on pages 2, 3, 4, and so on? I tested an image of 1732 pixels length on my site. It took 20 tiles to fill the front page, or 34,640 pixels. The number of vertical repetitions or vertical tiles needed to fill your WordPress page will vary depending upon the following factors.
For viewing the front page, or older pages:
- The number of posts you’ve chosen to display in Reading Settings, and
- the combined length of your posts on each page
For viewing individual posts or pages:
- The length of the post or page, or
- the length of the sidebar, whichever is longer
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@musicdoc1
Thanks for doing the research, I am really not good with all this pixel stuff. So regarding the background illustration, it will have to be trial and error. I have told her the measurements should be at least 1600 x 1200 and I’ll see what happens and go from there.
Thanks a lot for the help. -
myfashionlife,
I could have made it simpler. I think your max is around 1000 pixels. So you’ll lose about 600/1600=37.5 % of a 1600 pixel image uploaded to the background. What portion is lost depends upon whether you position it to the left, center, or right. Position is chosen with a click. Good luck. Let us know how it works out. -
After all this long discussion about it, I will for sure let you know how it turns out! Have a good day!
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