Need help picking base theme to customize

• 

  programmingpraxis · Member · May 30, 2009 at 9:34 pm

  • Copy link
  • Add topic to favorites

  My blog is programmingpraxis.wordpress.com. I have set up a test blog at progpraxtest.wordpress.com to experiment with new themes. I am new to WordPress CSS customization and am having trouble picking a theme to use as a base for my desired customizations. Here are the features I want:

  1) Basic layout is single-column flexible-width. Text should expand and contract relative to the size of the window. No sidebars. The blog should look reasonable even when viewed on the small screen of an iPhone (I know it won’t be perfect, but it should be at least reasonable).

  2) A custom header containing an image with a tagline below it. The image encodes the blog title in a logo and is 594×180 pixels on a white background. I would like the image and the tag line to be centered on the window. The tag line is not too long, but should wrap if viewed with a narrow window.

  3) Immediately below the header a one-line menu bar with a half-dozen selections. Most of the menu items simply cause a page to open. One (maybe two) of the selections open up to a drop-down menu containing additional items that each cause a page to open.

  4) A search box to search for items on my blog. It could be directly on the menu bar, if space is available, or more likely immediately below it.

  5) Below the header is the main body of the blog. Most often the blog has two entries per week. Occasionally there may be more or less, and very occasionally more than one entry on the same day. Most of the blog entries are multi-page using the –nextpage– comment.

  6) Below the blog entries there may be a handful of widgets, no more than two or three. Or maybe none. I haven’t decided. The widgets could include a hit counter, a button for an RSS feed, and perhaps a Paypal DONATE button.

  7) At the bottom of the page a footer containing custom text (my copyright notice, Creative Commons attribution non-commercial share-alike) and contact information.

  8) The styling of the theme should be minimal. Plain white background, since some of the blog entries contain embedded graphics. No unnecessary lines or bars. No borders between page elements. Plain black text, some dark color for hyperlinks, titles, and other “structural” items, a lighter color for “navigation” items such as links to comments.

  Are all these things possible? What theme is the best theme to use as a base for CSS customization? Are there any particular pitfalls I should be aware of?

  Many thanks,

  Phil

  The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)

• 

  raincoaster · Member · May 30, 2009 at 9:57 pm

  • Copy link

  There is very, very little support for CSS in the forum. You should assume that unless you’re very lucky, you are essentially on your own for answering CSS-related questions.

  Looking over the questions briefly, I’d suggest you do some more poking around the FAQ before beginning. Some of these don’t have anything to do with CSS, such as #6.