Title: Newbie needs customization help Last modified: August 18, 2016 --- # Newbie needs customization help * [cybernianyc](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cybernianyc/) * (@cybernianyc) * [20 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/newbie-needs-customization-help/) * Sorry if this seems like a no brainer question, but I’m at a loss here. I’m trying to customize the default theme, but I can’t figure out where to make the changes. For instance, how do I insert an image at the top of the page, which I guess would be a header image? * I looked through the online documentation but I can’t seem to find anything geared towards idiots. I’m not completely unsavvy since I managed to do it in Greymatter. Any help would be appreciated. * Thanks, * Bernie Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 16 total) 1 [2](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/newbie-needs-customization-help/page/2/?output_format=md) [→](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/newbie-needs-customization-help/page/2/?output_format=md) * [MichaelH](https://wordpress.org/support/users/michaelh/) * (@michaelh) * [20 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/newbie-needs-customization-help/#post-223164) * This might help: [http://codex.wordpress.org/Designing_Headers](http://codex.wordpress.org/Designing_Headers) * Thread Starter [cybernianyc](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cybernianyc/) * (@cybernianyc) * [20 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/newbie-needs-customization-help/#post-223185) * Thanks. It didn’t help. I made the changes like they said and nothing. I’m about to give up here and stick with my existing site. I can’t believe how I’m just not getting it. * [ryoken](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ryoken/) * (@ryoken) * [20 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/newbie-needs-customization-help/#post-223215) * a link to your site may help? * [wee](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wee/) * (@wee) * [20 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/newbie-needs-customization-help/#post-223216) * I am also a newbie and am having some serious trouble customizing my page. I can’t even get the colors to change. I have changed every single color I could find in all of the php’s but nothing changes, it is still the basic boring grey and white witht he blue title. * Wee * [mequodallie](https://wordpress.org/support/users/mequodallie/) * (@mequodallie) * [20 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/newbie-needs-customization-help/#post-223219) * Have you worked in the CSS? That’s where the colors are. * [wee](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wee/) * (@wee) * [20 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/newbie-needs-customization-help/#post-223221) * hmm CSS? the onlything I have accessed is the admin section, I am using the stuff there to update the themes. Me thinks I am missing something important 🙂 * [moshu](https://wordpress.org/support/users/moshu/) * (@moshu) * [20 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/newbie-needs-customization-help/#post-223222) * Don’t go to the admin section. Work on your computer: open in a text editor the` style.css` file from the theme you’d like to modify. Edit the colors there, then upload it to your server. * Thread Starter [cybernianyc](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cybernianyc/) * (@cybernianyc) * [20 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/newbie-needs-customization-help/#post-223226) * The site isn’t up yet but here’s the temp url: * [http://cybernia.net/form/index.php](http://cybernia.net/form/index.php) * You might see a real corrupton of the code, but at the end I was trying anything. I still have the original file so I do have a clean copy. * And here is the site that’s up now, done in Greymatter: * [http://iblognewyork.com/](http://iblognewyork.com/) * I’m basically happy with Greymatter but I was hoping to add a few new features, such as RSS which GM doesn’t support. * [moshu](https://wordpress.org/support/users/moshu/) * (@moshu) * [20 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/newbie-needs-customization-help/#post-223228) * 1. First of all. If you have a nice clean site design – never ever use the Default( a.k.a. Kubrick) theme to try to imitate your design. 2. Find a simple theme ( click on this page on the Extend link at the top) – and work on its stylesheet. * I’d advise you to read in the [Codex](http://codex.wordpress.org/Main_Page) the Design and Layout section. Also, here is a post where I tried to help a new user how to make WP to look as his site: [http://wordpress.org/support/topic/36570#post-207507](http://wordpress.org/support/topic/36570#post-207507) * [oriecat](https://wordpress.org/support/users/oriecat/) * (@oriecat) * [20 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/newbie-needs-customization-help/#post-223230) * Changing the colors in the default theme may not help because it is made up of background images. You need to change or delete the images. For those new to WP, I think the Default is confusing to learn on, personally. * [kickass](https://wordpress.org/support/users/kickass/) * (@kickass) * [20 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/newbie-needs-customization-help/#post-223236) * Kubrick, though it has its problems (like embedded css in the header file) is actually a good theme to work from because NONE OF THE PIECES ARE MISSING. If you want to customize starting with the Kubrick theme, just follow the directions here, it explains how to deconstruct and reconstruct Kubrick: [http://www.urbangiraffe.com/2005/04/12/themeguide1/](http://www.urbangiraffe.com/2005/04/12/themeguide1/) * [focusbeyond](https://wordpress.org/support/users/focusbeyond/) * (@focusbeyond) * [20 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/newbie-needs-customization-help/#post-223237) * Well, hope I’m not screwing things up here, but couldn’t find another place to post my question. * How or where in the world here at WP do a find a way to add my Adsense code onto my blog? * Please advise….. focusbeyond * [MichaelH](https://wordpress.org/support/users/michaelh/) * (@michaelh) * [20 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/newbie-needs-customization-help/#post-223240) * Please start another thread for that question. Thanks. You might also see info at google about this subject. * [wee](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wee/) * (@wee) * [20 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/newbie-needs-customization-help/#post-223249) * Yes I was adjusting the css, and I do not have a text editor on my machine the closest thing I have is Microsoft word. * [moshu](https://wordpress.org/support/users/moshu/) * (@moshu) * [20 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/newbie-needs-customization-help/#post-223264) * [@wee](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wee/), MS Word is a big no-no 🙂 [http://codex.wordpress.org/Glossary#T](http://codex.wordpress.org/Glossary#T) Viewing 15 replies - 1 through 15 (of 16 total) 1 [2](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/newbie-needs-customization-help/page/2/?output_format=md) [→](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/newbie-needs-customization-help/page/2/?output_format=md) The topic ‘Newbie needs customization help’ is closed to new replies. * In: [Installing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/installation/) * 16 replies * 9 participants * Last reply from: [wee](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wee/) * Last activity: [20 years, 11 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/newbie-needs-customization-help/page/2/#post-223281) * Status: not resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics