Visual: The WP Theme for Passionate Bloggers

Visual is a WordPress theme that provides a different approach to blogging. Instead of the usual post listing, Visual makes use of thumbnails and post excerpts to display what I like to call a “snippet”. Displaying more of these snippets on the homepage and category page allows users to quickly scan the page and choose the article they wish to read.

Theme Features:

The theme doesn’t use a complicated admin panel and it doesn’t use a lot of effects either. It does however provide an easy way to edit all the content, as well as the look & feel. For more info please check the instructions provided with the theme. Here are some of the theme’s features:

• Three built in color schemes and and a very flexible skinning system that allows you to create your own skins, while keeping the layout intact. And you can do it in under 5 min!
• Very clean and simple artice carousel, allowing you to bring back some of your favorite articles or the articles you really want your users to read.
• Easy way to edit the categories that should be part of the main menu, the category blocks featured on the homepage as well as the posts that should show up in the Featured Articles section.
• Smart scripting that prevents duplicate article links, ensuring more of your content will be featured on the homepage.
• Two widget ready sidebars (one for the main category pages, one for the single pages and archive pages), as well as customization for WP-Polls and FlickrRSS.
• Clever visual navigation inside the single article page and thumbnail integration for the archive pages, both ensuring more page views.
• sIFR implemented for block and widget titles, for an even nicer look and feel
• You get all the main design source files (6 files), both in PSD and in layered PNG (I personally use Fireworks)

Please Note:

The theme doesn’t have an admin panel of its own and it’s more for people who know a thing or two about web page editing. Basic stuff really, using a config.php file, but please read the description carefully and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask before making a purchase. It’s probably why the theme has a price tag of $25.

Theme Requirements:

• Visual uses TimThumb for automatically generating all the thumbnails. TimThumb requires the GD library, which is available on any host sever with PHP 4 .3+ installed. NOTE : Images need to be on your own server.
• You might need Museo 700 in order to properly edit the PSD files provided with the theme.

Theme Support:

Don’t hesitate to leave your comments right here. I’ll do my best to answer all questions and provide solutions to your problems. It’s also a good idea to stay tuned for updates, as you’ll be getting those for FREE , once you buy the theme.

In an effort to facilitate the flow of information from user to user, I created a Support Forum. See you there!

Bug Fixing Log:

• 30 June 2009 – Fixed a bug in the archive pages (same articles shown on pages > 2)