Aug.18.2007
CSS Gallery Theme Research
- Filed under: Wpdesigner.com
WordPress can be much more than a blogging platform. Thanks to its easy to modify template system and wide range of plugins, you can use it to power almost any type of site, a CSS gallery site for example. The next big WordPress theme I’ll be working on is a theme built to power a CSS or web design gallery site.
I spent last night browsing the top CSS galleries on the web and took notes of some features that I like. Here they are:
- Pagination - Top and bottom navigation by page number
- Large screenshot thumbnails
- Larger screenshots for full view
- Color scheme information of featured sites
- For each feature site, list related feature sites with similar styles, colors, and structures
- Prominent comment form on single post view
- Random site feature on front page
- Register only contact / site suggestion or submission form
- No extra information like date and name of site
- Simple layout, to not anything away from the sites being featured
- Flashy hover effects when you move the cursor over a thumbnail
- A page dedicated to CSS and web design resources
- Lots of spacing in between thumbnail rows
At this point, I’m only brainstorming. I can’t guarantee that all those features will be included in my CSS gallery theme. Also, this theme will be my first paid / premium theme.
Sounds good SP!
Wordpress is most definitely powerful and flexible enough to power a CSS gallery. Should be interesting if you could build a “generic” WP theme that could be implemented as a design showcase.
Good luck!
You know, I may just be buying this theme and using it for one of my sites. Looking forward to it’s release.
hahaha SP, now the concept is paid.
Keep Going
when the theme will be available and for how much ???
Well it does look like you’ve done your home work! I have recently done a CSS Gallery site called CSS Candy which does have some of those features, so it’s definitely do-able.
I’m sure your theme will 10 times better than mine, so I’m interested to see what you can come up with! Good luck and hope to see more from you soon.
Michael - Your CSSCandy and Nate’s Designers Pub are two of the most easy-to-look at galleries. My theme will probably end up looking cluttered
Giovanni - I haven’t decided on the price yet. As for the date, around the beginning of September.
right!
I’m almost crazy here….
I read two articles here on wpdesigner about custom fields, 15 minutes of tests and bugs… and now I created a css gallery theme :)))
I only have to finish the design…
but, when I finish a link to thank you will be there with sure broder !
[]s
SP- Thank you.
As for pricing of this theme, I would say no lower than $50.
Sounds interesting, I’ve tried to built one, but unfortunately failed. Maybe I can learn something from yours.
Btw: what do you think of Kineda’s redesign?
I love CSS Gallery theme, to tell it again, wordpress is a cms, not only a blog script. your custom teaching course also can help more.
Milo - It’s a nice a design. I like that they put the content first. However, much like when Kineda.com released the Akon theme that was heavily based on Chris Pearson’s Cutline theme, this is the second time Terry of Kineda.com managed to not credit his inspiration.
Ouch, didn’t know that…
I think Kineda lost its brand completely with the redesign.
Thre is absolutely nothing in common with the previous one.
Btw: what about a next post/home link underneath here?
this sounds good,, and that thing about Kineda’s redesign sucks.
I’m thinking of making one too but its going to be free.
Seems like gra-/avatar is down, anyway, good new stuff on top header!
Btw: did you read this review?
Milo - Please use the forums for off topic comments. I didn’t read the review until you linked to it. Pro Blog Design looks like it has lots of good content.
Hi SP - you’re definitely doing your homework man, been watching your work taking shape and you’re doing alot for us little guys out here coming to terms with wordpress. This CSS gallery is a fantastic idea. I’m using one of your themes, modified to power my website http://www.nomad-one.com. I’m a designer with alot less development and wordpress knowledge than you have and have been agonising over how to get my portfolio onto my blog in the best way. Been using a flickr album plugin which is a bit complicated to style, is slow and nto behaving well in my sidebar either. Would this CSS gallery theme have aspects which could be integrated into other wordpress themes eg special plugins. I’d definitely pay for something I could easily add to my existing site to disply my design work better. Anyway maybe take a look at what I’ve doen with your quadrupal blue theme and leme know what you think, I’ve just hacked & smacked it a bit for my own purposes, hope you don’t mind. Looking forward to studying your e-book and skilling myself up on customizing wordpress much better. Keep up the great work and excellent support. Peace
Nomad - You could try using a combination of category template and custom fields to set up a gallery like I have with the free themes gallery on this blog.
As for pluggable features from the CSS gallery theme for other themes, there’s none right now.
Thanks for the advice Small Potato, though I haven’t the first clue of how to start using custom fields. You know any good resources which explains how these work or should I just check out the wordpress site? I’m still interested in the CSS gallery theme. How is it going to work in terms of categorisation, uplaoding and organising different types of sites?
Nomad - I actually have a several posts about custom fields on this blog. Do several searches and you’ll find theme.
As for your last question, nothing is set in stone yet so I’ll let the demo answer that questions for you.
Hi Small Potato,
I have designed a wordpress gallery my self.
Currently, I have same thumbnail at my index page and at single post page. Because post contains only a thumbnail of the entry.
I want a large image different from thumbnail at single post page.
How can I do ?
You don’t need to tell me in detail. I need just hint..
Thanks.
Asony
use custom fields to control which version of the image you want to show on a certain template