What is a theme?
The theme is a predefined site layout, sometimes - but not always - this extends to colour schemes, fonts and font sizes. Some though are configurable, even in the free versions.
The fact that WordPress almost takes away the users need for knowing HTML and CSS, if you do happen to know it, some themes give you plenty of options to add little niceties that make your site look less like it's an off-the-shelf, pre-made item that you have filled with your blog, online shop or static site.
As a 'Top-Down' designer, I feel it's important to convey the right look and feel to whatever front-end is being designed. Whether it's for a stand-alone application, system or web site, the look and feel provides the user with something that conveys the information in the company's livery.
For some, this is as important as the information inside. Ferrari for instance, has a world-wide look with its classic red and for some, if it's not sporting that 'Rosso' colour, it's not a Ferrari.
With upwards of 10,000 themes out there to choose from, it can be a little overwhelming to try and find something you want for either your own site or your customer's.
Finding a theme is a little like house-hunting. Many people want the house that looks right for them from the outset. They are unable or unwilling to look past artificial things like decoration and instead, may actually overlook something that's perfect because it needs some cosmetic changes.
Themes are very similar. If you can look past the colours the designer has chosen in the example and look instead at where the bits that are important are, then likely as not, the rest can probably be changed.
The fact that WordPress almost takes away the users need for knowing HTML and CSS, if you do happen to know it, some themes give you plenty of options to add little niceties that make your site look less like it's an off-the-shelf, pre-made item that you have filled with your blog, online shop or static site.
Choosing a Theme
Finding the right theme can be difficult.As a 'Top-Down' designer, I feel it's important to convey the right look and feel to whatever front-end is being designed. Whether it's for a stand-alone application, system or web site, the look and feel provides the user with something that conveys the information in the company's livery.
For some, this is as important as the information inside. Ferrari for instance, has a world-wide look with its classic red and for some, if it's not sporting that 'Rosso' colour, it's not a Ferrari.
With upwards of 10,000 themes out there to choose from, it can be a little overwhelming to try and find something you want for either your own site or your customer's.
Finding a theme is a little like house-hunting. Many people want the house that looks right for them from the outset. They are unable or unwilling to look past artificial things like decoration and instead, may actually overlook something that's perfect because it needs some cosmetic changes.
Themes are very similar. If you can look past the colours the designer has chosen in the example and look instead at where the bits that are important are, then likely as not, the rest can probably be changed.
What is a Plugin?
Plugins can be image galleries, image sliders, or can give your site the functionality of an on-line shop, social media site or similar.
Plugins can be a nightmare, especially if like me, you're not familiar with them, or don't have experience of a particular plugin.
So when choosing a theme or plugin, which do you choose?
Good question.
Both the themes and the plugins share a common issue - the sales pitch and the claims of what it can do.
Some themes and plugins are completely free and then there are those that are free, but are in fact cut-down versions of premium versions.
Most of them tell you they are the best thing since sliced bread, which is understandable. No-one is going to downplay their own product, but very often the reviews are not for the free versions, but the premium versions. If you're going to try something, you're probably not going to want to buy unseen, you're going to want proof that it's going to do what you want first.
You can sometimes get a feel for the product in question by how many people have it installed and are currently using it. The more people have it, the better it is, right? That could be the case, but whether it's right for you can only be decided by whacking it in your site and giving it a go.
That's how I came to the conclusion that the theme I have chosen to use for my first attempt at WordPress was right for me.
Both the themes and the plugins share a common issue - the sales pitch and the claims of what it can do.
Some themes and plugins are completely free and then there are those that are free, but are in fact cut-down versions of premium versions.
Most of them tell you they are the best thing since sliced bread, which is understandable. No-one is going to downplay their own product, but very often the reviews are not for the free versions, but the premium versions. If you're going to try something, you're probably not going to want to buy unseen, you're going to want proof that it's going to do what you want first.
You can sometimes get a feel for the product in question by how many people have it installed and are currently using it. The more people have it, the better it is, right? That could be the case, but whether it's right for you can only be decided by whacking it in your site and giving it a go.
That's how I came to the conclusion that the theme I have chosen to use for my first attempt at WordPress was right for me.
The route I took
I installed three themes before I settled on one I was happy with.
Knowing before I started that I wanted to display a logo cut out a whole bunch of themes and not being able to change colours or other settings without paying for the premium version cut out even more.
I saw some that were visually pleasing, but not right as the producers focused on the blogging or e-commerce aspects of WP, not the ability to make static websites, which is where I wanted to begin.
I settled in the end on a Kadence Themes free copy of Virtue. This theme has been an absolute Godsend as it allows the free user pretty much carte blanche over fonts, colours, positions and even the inclusion of elements. The ability to add extra CSS and HTML to further customise this theme is a definite pro point.
The site I have created with it is slick and very professional-looking, which is testament to the ease of use this theme has as standard for the novice.
As for plugins, well the jury is still out on that one.
I had intended to use a gallery or a carousel for the site I was building, so obviously, I went to the plugin gallery on WP ad typed in the appropriate keyword.
My first concern was the number of these plugins available.
I tried Robo Galley to begin with, but it didn't do nearly what I was led to believe it would and I quickly realised that unless I wanted to pay for it, I wasn't going to get the finish I was after. I also tried JetPack thanks to the fact that it said it had an image carousel that would work with a gallery, but that didn't do what I'd hoped either.
My first concern was the number of these plugins available.
I tried Robo Galley to begin with, but it didn't do nearly what I was led to believe it would and I quickly realised that unless I wanted to pay for it, I wasn't going to get the finish I was after. I also tried JetPack thanks to the fact that it said it had an image carousel that would work with a gallery, but that didn't do what I'd hoped either.
So, as far as images are concerned, I have stuck with static images. I trawled through countless carousel, gallery and lightbox plugins, to try and find something useful and in the end, backed off completely as I really didn't know who to trust and settled on the Muldur/Scully concept of, "Trust No-one."
I have HTML/CSS3 code I used in other websites I have produced that give me something along the lines of what I want, but because this site has a time limit, I haven't had the luxury of being able to try out whether I can insert it and make it work.
Maybe next time.
In Conclusion
You would be very lucky to just grab something 'off-the-shelf' and be confident that it will work. I would suggest that you need to test it in its environment before committing to it. I was lucky with the theme, but I could have spent ages going through plugin after plugin, some of which - if the reviews were to be believed - may potentially have harmed my system, but it means both I and the customer are pleased with the end results.
Next Time...
Site structure
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