WORDPRESS, WOOHOO!

They really do make it easy for you to sync up a url to a wordpress blog. Awesome!
But not php. That is not easy.

Check it out!
http://www.thisplaceprojects.com

• It’s all placeholder content, but you can get a good idea of the format.
• Does the format feel good? Is this the right theme for me to use? Click around, try to get back to things, is the navigation acceptable?
• I will change the blue type and try to add my own header. Trying to get the posts in the right place, haven’t even started with CSS yet!
• Working on making sense of the categories, how many i really need, and where the posts go when i write them.
• Ack. If anyone is a php wizard, shoot me an email. I need you. Can trade baked goods, design work or nature walks if you want to be the web friend that I exploit for your skills. (That sounds terrible.)

WORDPRESS THEMES

I definitely didn’t find exactly what I wanted to find, but there are WordPress themes out there that almost fit my high expectations! Here are a few that I’m considering. These were all found on Best WordPress Themes. Many are considered “magazine” style themes. I think I might need to take Art 342.

Top of the list. Would have to kill the orange if possible. Allows for categories.

Another top contender. I like that it allows the images to be the main content, but there might be some trouble with navigation and people wanting to zip through posts like a regular blog.

This is closest to what I had in mind, though it might be frustrating to have a whole column of navigation that I don’t have control over. (far right) I like that this has a place for a featured image. Futurosity Eos.

THE QUEST FOR THREE-COLUMN EASE

I would really love to have my site be a three-column, all-content site.

Navigation, links, information, etc on the far left.
Main blog in the middle.
Mini blog to the far right featuring new This Place Projects releases.

Can I do this with a WordPress theme? Does one exist? (IF YOU KNOW OF ONE PLEASE TELL ME.)
Can I make a beautiful site without COMPLETELY ripping off Public School and the Post Family?
I’m just so enamored with their pure content: there’s no flim flam filling up space, no weird navigation links overwhelming the content, the pictures speak for themselves.

Here are some snapshots of sites that I like. In descending order: ideal site layout comes first, and what is less ideal but more realistic comes last.

The Post Family: Simple, white, pure goodness. Four columns, actually, one too many for my needs. But still my favorite in terms of simplicity. The structure fades to the background, the content does the talking. Developed by The Black Hole.

Public School: One, two, three columns of goodness. POWERED by WordPress, which gives me hope. Designed by something/someone called Bossa Nova chips and salsa.

Thinking for a Living: Not enough images for what I’m looking at, and too much color (gendered=no go for this place) but: “Navigation, Blog, Resources” is what I’m looking for.

The people who made the Thinking for a living site. Many columns.

Gavin Potenza’s portfolio site. Content is images, but is still in columns with headers. Seems like each is editable as a separate item, which I like.A blog that came up when I searched for “Three Column blog” Not looking at it for its visual aesthetics but instead its organization. Looks more do-able for me with my limited tolerance of building site. Html freaks me out and I don’t know any of the other acronymns.

Pikaland: Gemma Correll’s lovely site focusing on illustration. Now we’re getting more into blog territory, which is great, though these sorts of readymade templates just lack some of the simplicity i’m looking for.

Stuart Hobday’s portfolio site/blog. Nice looking. Too dark for me but i like the really modular layout.

OKAY. Now, how do I create this magical perfect site that I’m dreaming of? Where are you, free wordpress theme?

PLANNING A WEBSITE.

I feel like I’m stuck in this string web. Mine isn’t as beautiful, though. It’s grey and internet-colored. Borrowed from Flickr.

STRUCTURE OF SITE
I’m currently planning the structure of the website for This Place Projects.  This is hard.

I’m struggling to decide: Does the whole project function as a blog, or do I need both an exhibition site for This Place Projects projects, and a blog to highlight other peoples’ projects?

APPROACH ONE:
• The project consists of an exhibition website that links to a blog.
• On the website are the different projects TPP releases, documented beautifully and with links to the artist site. This will only be updated when new projects are released. The site features an “About” page. Will likely be indexhibit because it is beautiful and i hate html.
• The blog will be updated regularly with content. It will feature existing projects, reviews, interviews, guest posts, photo essays of place, and news of releases and events.

APPROACH TWO:
• The project is entirely contained in a blog format. All content is here. Reviews, interviews, news, etc. Releases of new projects will take the form of a blog post with all relevant information. “About This Place Projects” will be its own page on the blog.

What do you think?

I also have to consider the best way to integrate a store where TPP projects can be purchased.