New 5 column theme named Gazette

I’m not really sure because it seems “busy” to me, but I kind of feel that way about 3 column themes.

I will say this that the graphic at the top that is continuously changing and the graphic in the middle behind everything are *very* distracting. I found it difficult to focus on anything else.

If you’re going to have that background image like that, the text in the center column needs to be thicker, bolder, easier to read. Or the background needs to be more uniform, less colorful. Maybe lower the saturation a bit.

Thanks nmallory and Otto42 for your input.

I will see if I can adjust the fonts in the center to be a little thicker to make it easier to read.

I have tried the other way of making the saturation on the background image less, but then it hardly shows through at all, so I’ll try the bolder font way.

The PCB

For something named “Gazette” I don’t think there should be any bg image… but that might be a matter of personal taste ??
And to be honest it looks anything but a “newspaper” page, though the name would imply that. It seems to “busy” for me, too.

Thanks Moshu,

I have adjusted the fonts in the center and set them at 500. I think Otto42 was correct that they needed to be a little thicker.

Good job in keeping it all together, I think its the first 5 column I’ve seen.

I’m a fan of the three column, and never use adverts so don’t see the need for more columns. I suppose people who use adverts might take this up, or it might be useful for some trading project.

Thanks LiverpoolLad!

I don’t use google ads either but I do advertize some select books on the left outer column.

It has lots of possibilities like the news feeds on the outer right column.

Is it possible to test it on local, please?

If you can contact me using the information in my original post, I can send you the beta that I am currently using on my site. It has code in it referencing several plug-ins that I use, and they will have to be commented out and the original code uncommented for it to work unless you install the plug-ins.

For those who commented earlier, I am working on lightening up the background image, changing fonts, to make it look more newspaperish, and I am working on a sanitized (free of plug-in code) version, and hope to have the dedicated Gazette blog up soon where I will make available for download by everyone.

For nmallory, Otto42, moshu, I have adjusted and lightened the background image, changed the fonts, and changed the background colors of the headers.

The stock theme will not have the flashfader header. It will have a header image with The Blog Name in Huge letters News paper style.

Please let me know if what you see now is more in line with the Gazette idea, and if it appears a little less busy.

I hope to have the stock site up tomorrow or Friday.

From a designers view it doesn’t look nice. As mentioned before, it’s to crowdy. I also lacks composition.

In the past I designed two sites in the same category as your site (all using WordPress):
https://www.watchtowerinformationservice.org/ (religion)
https://www.filosofie.info/ (in Dutch)

Rado Vleugel
designer

Hi RadoVleugel,

Thanks for your input.

A lot of critique comes from personal taste. I looked at your two sites mentioned above, and I didn’t think they looked “nice” either, but that is my personal taste.

That is the purpose of a theme and having it open-source is that the person getting the theme has the choice to leave it as is, or change it to their personal taste.

Most themes are chosen because they have 1, 2, 3 or more columns and colors.

This is simply another choice to be added to the list.

The layout of the 3 basic columns was designed by some of the best designers on the web. I merely followed their instructions.

Will it suit everyone? No. Will it be used. I am ceratain of it.

I am looking for help with finding design flaws of which I am certain there are plenty.

Since you already have five columns I’d try to reduce the clutter in other ways – like nixing the background image.

I found it disturbing.

Thanks VeronicaRose,

I might take out the background image in the one offered for the public, but leave the option there for someone to turn it on if they choose.

I won’t take it out of my live blog. It is part of the concept for my blog.

Hm, the option to have it or not would be good.
Options are always good.