Magazine Style WordPress Themes are "In"

Share Your Thoughts ↓
10.10.2007 - 6:55 pm

Lately, there is a growing trend in the WordPress theme design community to produce high-end, premium, magazine (or webzine) style work. This was to happen sooner or later, it was only a matter of time before users discovered the full potential of WordPress to power sites outside of their blogs and when that happened, the quest for better themes followed. The obvious progression for designers was towards themes that looked and worked like anything but Kubrick, the result is this new trend. So in recognizing some of the fine work out there, I wish to list in chronological order a few of my personal favorite magazine styled WordPress themes. Note that I personally never got my hands into either creating or using any of these themes (at least as of now), I’ll let my friends at wpSnap dissect it for you in terms of usage and codes.

What is currently out there?

If my memory serves me right, Eston (Bond) of Hyalineskies was one of the earliest to venture into uncharted waters. His “Gridlock” theme did not receive as much attention from the rest of the design community, but users no doubt caught on to it and fondly continue using it to this day.

gridlocks

Sub-pages: 1 2 3 4 5

Magazine Style WordPress Themes, Search Engine Optimization, SEO, WP

Design, Projects, Resources, WP

Sunny

October 11, 2007 • 9:25 am

@ SP

Worked to your advantage! Do you have a demo for this theme, I would love to see it.

Small Potato

October 11, 2007 • 9:12 am

Thank you for the JWM plug . Although the color scheme was unintentional, it definitely helped to separate JWM from the rest of the magazine-styled themes.

October 12, 2007 • 9:46 am

No, I don’t. I have to update my demo install first. I’m lazy to update my demo to 2.3 right now because I have a lot of other stuff to do.

Suzanne of Angled Reviews

October 12, 2007 • 6:54 pm

Hi, this is a great review of the magazine style themes, I’ll be linking to them on a different blog.

I have a workign version of Small Potato’s new theme, linked from my Name on this comment.

I love it and you are right, SP is painstakingly perfect in his coding. Thanks all!

Jack Dawson

October 13, 2007 • 4:49 am

The current themes are nice but i think it is not compatable with google adsense. I think it is better to design wordpress themes with google adsense.

Tim

October 13, 2007 • 6:38 pm

I don’t understand the comunity that is enamored with Wp Designers work. It’s garbage and always looks rushed. There are always bugs, and it’s simply trashy compared to everyone else.

Also Block Magazine blatantly jacked Arun’s work on the Morning after theme. Why is no one calling him out on this? I mean he didn’t even try to hide it. He stole every aspect of it, tweaked a few things and added some color to an otherwise black and white theme. That is shameful and I wouldn’t be supporting him if I were you.

Justin

October 14, 2007 • 9:00 am

Yes, I can definitely see where Block Magazine ripped off The Morning After. It’s so obvious. [insert sarcastic smiley]

These are some great themes, and I always look forward to what Small Potato is releasing next. He is one of the top WordPress designers out there. You couldn’t ask for a more dedicated designer.

October 14, 2007 • 6:04 pm

@ Tim/Justin

I have not seen the theme files myself and as I say in the review, I was merely complimenting and identifying the frontrunners of this growing trend and how it could overall help improve the quality of WordPress themes, and frankly, I wrote this post for a friends blog but published it here instead due to some delays. Besides, the real question is, how does Arun’s licensing word such derivatives?

Izaias

October 16, 2007 • 9:25 pm

Anyone know how i use adsense with gridlock without visual bugs?

October 18, 2007 • 7:24 am

@ Izaias

Unless you are comfortable working with php/XHTML, I suggest you look into the Adsense Deluxe plugin.

Joseph Hollak

October 28, 2007 • 8:30 am

I’m recognizing some themes in here that are, IMO, being used very successfully.

WordPress is very powerful and moving towards more of a contact management system (CMS) for more than just blogging.

Our student-run newspaper is running something similar although I didn’t see the theme we use listed here. It is proof that running a web-zine or online newspaper with print, photos, video and slide shows is very possible even with a hundred or so guest bloggers (e.g. reporters).

Joseph Hollak
Multimedia Editor
http://collegin.csufresno.edu
http://solomojo.blogspot.com

ralph dagza

November 1, 2007 • 6:46 pm

hahahaha

“CMS- CONTACT management system”

Lolcats!

Øyvind

November 2, 2007 • 6:39 am

hehe be nice Ralph! And where is your img of the CMS-lolcat!? I look forward to caturday!

November 2, 2007 • 7:47 am

@ ralph dagza

I think I should use the comment edit plugin after all! Typos happen.

November 4, 2007 • 10:15 pm

come on guys

i was playing

November 9, 2007 • 3:35 am

hehe Ralph.. its important to play around a bit, what would life be without.

I have initiated using The Morning After Theme, but I struggle with the look. I am no designer and I’d like to do something with it. Can someone comment or help me?

November 9, 2007 • 8:01 am

@ Ralph Dagzu

I did activate the Edit Comment plugin, I figured it’s needed especially if people spell like me.

@ Øyvind

I did visit your site. Frankly, I am not digging the shades of green used, but looks fine otherwise.