I dedicate this post to the person on the internet (whoever you are) who wrote “using a template to design your blog would be like using a tax form to write poetry”. Amen. For me, having something to say comes easy, but making it look good on a platform I know nothing about is not easy. Don’t get me wrong, if you happen to love a template and would like to use it to express yourself then that is awesome – be free! As a visual person and graphic designer, I believe that the look of a blog is just as important as the content. Especially if you are blogging about art and design. New to the blog world, I was lucky enough to have some friends who have done this before to point me in the right directions. I had the design sketched out, now for the fun part. These are some of the resources that helped me bring designer droppings to life:
wordpress.org Start with a blogging tool and publishing platform such as WordPress to get you started. I found that WordPress has an abundance of fun templates that you can use for the look of the blog. I have an open mind, but as a graphic designer, the tax form analogy kept creeping into my mind. I wanted full control over how the blog appears.
headwaythemes.com This is a theme you can use with WordPress. A friend told me about it and it saved me from going insane. This theme is great for customizing the look of your blog and will give you full visual control. It is compatible with WordPress and has a wonderful support network. It’s very user friendly meaning that I could take deep breaths and concentrate on the designing instead of the cursing. Changing elements and quick color tweaking is quick and easy, leaving time for blog thoughts (or BS) to flow.
After you get the blog looking great, check out resources for tips and how-to’s. Build up a list of sites to visit frequently to collect the latest information, rules (there are those), and fun options.