WordPress.org

1. kagemitsu
   Member
   Posted 2 years ago #

   Hey all,

   sorry for being a totally ignorant pretentious n00b since the first post, but I really need some pointers here.
   I just finished my basic studies in web design (from photoshop to coding) and would like to start creating websites using WordPress as a CMS platform.
   I've been reading tutorials and guides here and there, but the amount of information is so atrociously overwhelming that, honestly, I still don't have a clue on how to get started.
   I know how to install WP, I know how to use themes, but when it comes to creating a completely customized page I just don't know what to do.
   I've tried downloading famous WP framework themes such as Thematic or Sandbox but it's very hard to dig through the code and realize what does what.

   I'd just like to be able to transform what I design in photoshop into a full working website using WP. Can you people point me in the right direction? Good stuff to read? Advices on how did YOU get started? >.<
   The WP Codex just isn't doing it for me.

   Thanks a lot for any feedback.

2. JLeuze
   Member
   Posted 2 years ago #

   Hi kagemitsu, welcome to WordPress. Creating original themes from your own Photoshop designs is a tough job, But if you know how to do the Photoshop to HTML/CSS part of things you are off to a good start!

   I usually go directly from Photoshop to a creating the WordPress theme. But to learn how creating WordPress themes work, it would be easier for you if you convert your Photoshop design into a static HTML/CSS page. Then it's just a matter of breaking that static page up into the various WordPress template files.

   I would say avoid a theme framework like Thematic while you are learning, they add an extra layer of abstraction. You create a child theme on top of the framework so there are more CSS conflicts and you need to know a bit more PHP. I think it is easier to learn by directly editing a regular WordPress theme.

   Typically you would pick a theme that looks as close as possible to your final design so that you speed things up a bit. But for the learning process a basic clean theme with very little extra design to it would help you out.

   Sandbox is not a bad choice, plenty of people use that as a starting point. It has all of the WordPress templates and PHP functionality with none of the HTML and CSS so that you can use all of your own.

   But you're also completely on your own with the design, so you may prefer something a tad bit more finished to start from. I don't have any good recommendations, but you might check out some of the themes tagged as minimalist.

   It does take some time to figure out how to work with themes well, there are a lot of details. To get started, I would checkout WordPress.tv, Chris Coyier has a great three part series that explains how to create a theme.

   Best of luck to you!

3. kagemitsu
   Member
   Posted 2 years ago #

   Thanks a lot jleuze, you've been very helpful. :)
   I'll try getting my hands dirty with some simple theme that looks similar to my final designs.

   Thanks again!

Topic Closed

This topic has been closed to new replies.