In the video above I demonstrate how to do some basic editing on the default WordPress themes (Twentyten and Twentyeleven) to reduce the header size and remove some of the items that, in my opinion, take up way too much space in the header. In the process, I show the basics of setting up a child theme and provide a glimpse into how I use local copies of WordPress running on my computer to make theme editing a lot quicker and simpler. I also demonstrate how to preview changes in Firebug and then copy those changes into your theme css file. This tutorial is intended for non-techies…if you are an expert, then this isn’t for you. Enjoy!

Related posts:

1. Basic Editing of WordPress Twentyten Theme — For Non-Techies TweetIn the video below I demonstrate the basics of how...
2. How to Edit the Kubrick WordPress Theme TweetIn the following videos I demonstrate how to edit the...
3. Basic WordPress Theme Editing for the Non-Techie: Part 1 TweetThe following video is intended for the non-techie who wants...

WordPress 3.0, due to be out around mid-2010, will be getting a new default theme. So, if you love Kubrick, I’m sure you will still be able to use it and customize it, but it won’t be the default with the next release–at least not in its current form. If you would like to provide input on what the default theme should be, look like, features it should have, etc., then be sure to stop over at WP.org and post your 2 cents.

http://wordpress.org/support/topic/342819

Since I don’t participate in those forums any longer, I’ll just provide my thinking here.

In a nutshell, I don’t really care what the default theme is. The first thing most people do once they get WP installed is change to a custom theme anyway. So putting a lot of thought and effort into what is the “default” theme may be important to WP and its image or brand, but it’s not important to end users…in reality, the default theme is really nothing more than just one of over a thousand GPL themes anyone can install in just a few seconds through the theme installer in the WP admin.

Now don’t get me wrong…I’m not trying to throw a wet blanket on the theme initiative and I’m sure it’s important for WP to show that they are staying “up to date” and on the cutting edge. Simple fact is, WP is hands-down the best blog software (and fast becoming the best CMS software) available today–open source or proprietary. So, best of luck with the default theme initiative, but I’m far more interested in how WordPress MU will be incorporated into WordPress–which is also due to happen in 3.0.

Related posts:

1. Customized iNove Theme for Download — 200px Header TweetI’ve customized the iNove theme — Version 1.2.2 — to...

I’ve edited the WordPress Pixel theme (1.9.7) a bit to change the colors. You can download the files below…I’ve only included the changed files, so you will need to download the original theme and then add files from the zip below. To make the changes, simply download and extract the zip, open the original theme and replace the footer.php, style.css, and screenshot.png files with the ones in the zip. Then copy the educhalk folder from the images folder in the zip and add it to the images folder in your theme. That’s it…refresh your browser and you should see the changes. You can preview the themes by using the theme switcher dropdown in the header of this site.

Pixel Red Downloaded: 854 times.

Pixel Blue Downloaded: 778 times.

Pixel Green Downloaded: 748 times.

Pixel Yellow Downloaded: 737 times.

Related posts:

1. Download Customized iNove Theme Files TweetI’ve done a little customization of the iNove theme —...
2. Customized iNove Theme for Download — 200px Header TweetI’ve customized the iNove theme — Version 1.2.2 — to...
3. Custom iNove 1.4.5 Theme Files — New Colors TweetI’ve customized some of the files in the iNove 1.4.5...

The following videos demonstrate creating a custom WordPress page template. These videos cover the very basics as a starting point for non-techies…if you are already an expert, then there is nothing here for you . More detailed information about WordPress templates can be found in the docs on wordpress.org

How to Create a Custom Page Template in WordPress — Part 1 of 2

How to Create a Custom Page Template in WordPress — Part 2 of 2

Related posts:

1. Stepping Into WordPress Templates TweetNote: The following is made available under GPL from http://codex.wordpress.org/GPL....
2. How to Edit the Kubrick WordPress Theme TweetIn the following videos I demonstrate how to edit the...
3. WordPress Pages — The Basics TweetNote: The following is made available under GPL from http://codex.wordpress.org/GPL....

Commenting is a great WordPress feature and is one of the key things that really makes a blog a blog. However, more and more people are using WordPress blogs for things other than blogging. Many people are now using WordPress very effectively as a content management system or as an easy-to-use web site. As a result, a lot of people are wanting to remove the commenting feature from their WordPress blog (web site). The following video tutorials provide step-by-step instructions on how to remove the commenting feature from the default WordPress Kubrick theme. The techniques I demonstrate in these videos can be applied to virtually any theme. Enjoy!

Part 1 of 2

Part 2 of 2

Related posts:

1. Basic WordPress Theme Editing for the Non-Techie: Part 1 TweetThe following video is intended for the non-techie who wants...
2. How to Edit the Kubrick WordPress Theme TweetIn the following videos I demonstrate how to edit the...
3. iNove 1.4.5 Theme for WordPress– How to Increase the Header Size TweetIn older versions of the iNove theme, increasing the header...

In older versions of the iNove theme, increasing the header height was difficult because the header, nav bar, and footer were all part of the same image. However, in iNove 1.4.5 the header is now a single image, so increasing the height is simple. See the following video for step-by-step directions.

Related posts:

1. Customized iNove Theme for Download — 200px Header TweetI’ve customized the iNove theme — Version 1.2.2 — to...
2. Custom iNove 1.4.5 Theme Files — New Colors TweetI’ve customized some of the files in the iNove 1.4.5...
3. Changed WordPress Blog Address in Settings–Locked Out? How to Fix! TweetSee the video below for step-by-step directions for “fixing” this...

I’ve customized some of the files in the iNove 1.4.5 theme to change the theme colors a bit. You can view the changed themes by clicking the dropdown in the header and selecting a theme. I have only included the changed files below, so you will need to start with the complete theme (download at NoEase) and then add the files below. I’ve created a short video to show you how to make the changes.

iNove Red Downloaded: 2889 times.

iNove Blue Downloaded: 2941 times.

iNove Green Downloaded: 2763 times.

iNove Purple Downloaded: 2654 times.

iNove Yellow Downloaded: 2560 times.

Related posts:

1. Download Customized iNove Theme Files TweetI’ve done a little customization of the iNove theme —...
2. Customized iNove Theme for Download — 200px Header TweetI’ve customized the iNove theme — Version 1.2.2 — to...
3. WordPress Pixel Theme — Four New Colors TweetI’ve edited the WordPress Pixel theme (1.9.7) a bit to...

If you have tried searching for themes in the WordPress database, you’ll know it can be a bit frustrating…not the best search features in the world. Fortunately, if you are searching for themes in the new themes upload directory in WordPress 2.8, you can simply leave the search field empty and browse all 850, or so, themes directly in your admin area. Not ideal, but it actually doesn’t take long to scan the 34±, pages of thumbnails to see if any capture your interest.

No related posts.

The following video is intended for the non-techie who wants to learn a little about editing a WordPress theme. I’ll post follow-up videos over the next few months covering several tips for editing WordPress themes. If you are an experienced coder, then this is not for you, but if you want to remove the comments link from your WordPress theme and have no idea how to go about it, then this, and future videos in this “non-techie” series may be for you.

Related posts:

1. How to Remove the Commenting Feature From Your WordPress Theme TweetCommenting is a great WordPress feature and is one of...
2. How to Edit the Kubrick WordPress Theme TweetIn the following videos I demonstrate how to edit the...
3. How to Create a Custom Page Template in WordPress TweetThe following videos demonstrate creating a custom WordPress page template....

The following video shows a couple of nice improvements coming out in WordPress 2.8. I think the new theme uploader is going to please a lot of WordPress users.

Disclaimer: This is not any type of official release or feature notice…I am not affiliated with WordPress…I’m just a WordPress user who has installed 2.8 and am showing you a couple of features I consider to be cool improvements.

Related posts:

1. Upgrading WordPress to 2.8 — Running into Problems? TweetI just upgraded this site to WordPress 2.8 yesterday and...