01.30.2011
After using the same website design for four years, I decided I wanted to update it. I knew that I wanted to use WordPress software, so I started looking at what WordPress themes were available and how I could modify them to suit my needs. I wanted a very basic site and it seemed like it would be tough to strip down an existing theme so extensively, so I decided to make my own.
I had previously heard about this 1140 pixel wide, 12 column CSS grid framework and figured I would try and use it in my theme. It is extremely adaptable to all sorts of screen sizes, which is probably overkill for my purposes, but still neat. Try resizing your browser to see it in action.
I began by building a design in Photoshop using the grid template. For the design I stuck in a background based on a pattern I had seen on an old vase, and a header based on a logo I occasionally use. I then went to work figuring out how to create my design as a static page with dummy content. Once I had the static version created and the grid framework tested, I started replacing my dummy post titles and text with the equivalent WordPress PHP functions. It took some trial and error, but eventually I pieced together something that worked and looked close to the design.
Total the site took me about a month to complete since I would only work on it a little at a time, but I am happy to now have a place to post my projects.