Big decision point, I want a premium WP theme now ... and as I can never decide what I want I expect to change the layout/look several times over the next few months. I do not have a visual eye at all and won't be fiddling with code. I want something easy to use, easy to change, with lots of choices. I hate dark designs. So, should I choose Artisteer or Flexx? Why? Are there others/better - and why are they better? Thanks
There are a lot of really nice themes out there, but there are so many average themes they get buried in the mass. Studiopress, Arthemia, Gabfire, Elegant Themes, Woo Themes, just to name a few. Its tough to know how "good" they are until you work with the back end. Its worth taking the time to really figure out what theme matches your project goals before you jump in so you don't have to change it later.
Thanks. I'll look into the others, but, as you say, it's not until you work with the back end that you find out if it really does what you need/expected. My main problem has always been that I have a complete and utter blindness for what looks good and what doesn't. And I end up with a hotch potch of "s0d it, that'll do" after many days of looking/faffing, then a few weeks later it'll annoy me again and I'll spend another fruitless 3 days looking/faffing around until I reach the "s0d it" stage again It's not rocket science, but I work with the raw text files for layout too, no fancy web design software for me ... oh no, faffing around in the appearance/editor section is how I do it.
Well, there's the thing.... if I knew that it'd be easier. I like the idea of a magazine layout - but that would require more images than I am prepared to get ... because it'd take me hours to find one I liked (I am 100% graphically retarded!). So I really want one that I can try a few things with .... and play until I get the look/layout/functionality that I am happy with.
I wouldn't go with a Magazine theme right out of the block. you can always change or upgrade later, but not only are the images necessary to pull it off, but most layouts require multiple categories of information for the different sections. That can be overwhelming to keep up with for a single blogger, if you don't really have a game plan. It's like updating 4 or 5 blogs, within a blog. You really are going to have to look around...it takes time picking a theme the first time out, and you should take your time. Once you are blogging for a while, when you make theme changes, you will already have the next one picked out weeks before you change. You should look around where people have suggested, and here are a couple more for free themes: http://www.freewordpresstheme.info/ http://web2feel.com/ http://wordpress.org/extend/themes/
Back End? If you care about it, nothing is better than Thesis theme. Its well coded and almost same price as Flexx. Avoid Elegant themes, their back end is not good, you will have to edit lot of code!
Hmmm - still trying to decide. Thanks for that, I don't want to be fiddling with code as I have to do it all in notepad... it took me 1.5 hours just to get an ad block placed correctly because I couldn't work out what the layout was in one theme.... so I'm not fast I now have to look up who Elegant themes are ... as you didn't use the name I used. I hate decisions, they're so final.
It looks like DIY Themes is "the one" I'll be choosing ... might as well go for the developer edition as that's just 2x the cost of a personal licence and I have about 6 sites I could use it on - and another 30 domains sitting round that need to be brought online, so it'd work out best to do that. Not actually BOUGHT it yet ... just slowly coming to "the decision". The theme will be the last thing I buy, need to set up the framework of what I am trying to achieve first, then make it look good as the last part of the jigsaw.
Im not sure if you said but if you are using drupal, Artisteer works great. Of course there are so many free drupal themes available you might as well use them first. http://www.drupalthemesonly.com has a bunch of artisteer made themes for free plus some custom ones as well all free.. If your using another cms there are sites for those as well. Good luck, Oh I would say Artisteer is totally worth the money even if you are an advanced themer it will give you great starting points.
I am also agree with TheRookie, yes Artisteer workd great if you are using drupal. It is definitely worth a try.