50+ Business and Corporate WordPress Themes

Published March 25th, 2013 in WordPress - 2 Comments

As WordPress has improved and evolved over the past several years it has become a more viable option as a CMS for corporate websites. It’s no longer just an option for bloggers, as it is capable of doing everything that is needed by most business websites.

Part of the reason that WordPress has become a more popular option for powering corporate websites is the quantity and quality of available themes that have been created specifically for corporate websites. In this article we’ll showcase more than 50 themes that present great options for businesses that want to quickly have a professional-looking website at an affordable price.

Ultra Responsive Multipurpose Theme – $45

How to Migrate from Google Reader to Feedly

Published March 22nd, 2013 in Tools - 23 Comments

If you’re a user of Google Reader you probably know by now that Google has decided to shut down the service as of July 1, 2013. Many people, myself included, use Google Reader on a daily basis and have found it to be the best RSS reader available. The good news is that other viable options have started to get more exposure in the past week since Google made the announcement as people look for alternatives. Feedly is an excellent alternative, and you may even find it to be better than Google Reader. The best part is that Feedly has capitalized on the opportunity by making it super easy to import all of your feeds from Google Reader, so you can continue to follow your favorite websites and blogs without interruption. In this post we’ll look at this process.

Free Download: Noise Texture Overlays

Published March 21st, 2013 in Free Resources, Textures - 3 Comments

Today we have a set of 3 free noise texture overlays from our friends at PhotographyPla.net. These textures are created specifically for the purpose of adding grain/noise/texture to photos. You can add the texture on top of a photo in Photoshop and set the blend mode to “screen”.

Each of the textures is 3600 pixels by 3600 pixels at 300 dpi, so they can be used for both print and web-based projects. You can see the full set of Noise Texture Overlays that is available for purchase at PhotographyPla.net.

Showcase of Lomo Photography

Published March 20th, 2013 in Galleries - 4 Comments

Lomography is an analog camera movement that creates interesting photos (the effects can also be replicated in Photoshop). The Lomographic Society International was founded in 1992 by a group of Viennese students after they discovered the Lomo LC-A camera created by LOMO PLC of Saint Petersburg, Russia (source).

The characteristics of lomo photography or lomography include cross processed colors, increased saturation, and blurred edges and vignetting. Here we’ll showcase 23 different examples of lomo photography for your own inspiration.

Photo credit: Danx Garrido

20 Surreal Photo Manipulations for Inspiration

Published March 19th, 2013 in Galleries - 7 Comments

Many of us love fantasy and seeing photos that cannot be or aren’t real, as they tell us that we can be more than this. As many of us know, such photos are called surreal, and now in this article I am going to present some awesome surreal photo manipulations that you might not have seen before.

So, don’t wait and start scrolling down to see some wonderful and astonishing photos that might leave you wondering why these things cannot be true.

The Flying Saucer

35 Amazing Gig Poster/Flyer Templates

Published March 18th, 2013 in Design - 0 Comments

Posters and flyers are an integral part of promoting concerts and music festivals. A well-designed gig poster can help any band to look more professional and can help to generate interest for upcoming events and shows. Getting a quality gig poster doesn’t have to be expensive and doesn’t have to involve hiring a designer for a custom design. There are a lot of great-looking templates available that can be purchased and used to create your own gig poster for an affordable price.

If you’re a designer, using one of these templates as a starting point for client work can also help to reduce the amount of time that you have to spend on the project, which can also allow you to reduce the cost.

Here we’ll take a look at 35 gig poster/flyer templates that are available for less than $10.

Alternative Flyer Concert Template – $6

Free Download: 4 High-Res Concrete Textures

Published March 14th, 2013 in Free Resources, Textures - 5 Comments

Today we have a set of 4 high-res concrete textures that are available for free download. The textures are at least 3264 pixels by 2448 pixels, so they can be used for a wide variety of purposes.

Build a Single-Page Sliding Navigation Bar with jQuery

Published March 13th, 2013 in Tutorials, Web Development - 11 Comments

Many web design studios and freelance portfolios will incorporate the popular single page navigation technique. The benefits of such a layout allows visitors to go through all your main content without needing to reload the website. Additionally this helps to keep the interface very simple and easy to maneuver.

In this tutorial I want to demonstrate how we can build a demo single-page layout with sliding navigation effects. I will be using the jQuery One Page Nav plugin which offers more control onto each of the page elements. Additionally the layout is standards compliant with HTML5 and CSS3 specs and the nav will still load properly in browsers where JavaScript is disabled. If you want to catch a glimpse of the final product we are building check out my demo page below.

10 Effective Custom Facebook Landing Page Designs

Published March 12th, 2013 in Marketing, Social Media - 4 Comments

Facebook allows advertisers to create a custom page where clicks from their promotional content will lead to. A landing page ensures that your customer finds a more focused and targeted message. The more focused the advertising, the better the chances of converting leads to sales.

When it comes to landing page designs, there are some stunning examples out there. Those that use the functionalities of a landing page combined with great graphics. We’ve selected 10 stunning one’s for you here:

1. Starbucks – Blonde Roast

Starbucks’ Blonde Roast campaign offered coffee drinkers a free cup with their regular coffee. Each cup had an illustrated “Light Note” on it – a simple message to brighten your friend’s day. The campaign was so successful that even after Starbucks ran out of actual cups; it launched a Facebook application where people could send cards to their Facebook friends with the same messages and illustrations. The application is easy on the eyes and the mind. It’s simple and elegant with a big green button to get you started.

Comparison of WordPress Theme Clubs

Published March 11th, 2013 in WordPress - 13 Comments

In recent years the popularity of premium/commercial WordPress themes has steadily increased. With the huge number of websites using WordPress as a CMS and with the demand for quality themes constantly increasing, the market for quality themes includes a large selection for buyers. Many designers/developers have an interest in WordPress theme clubs that provide access to a selection of themes rather than paying for each individual theme that they need. Likewise, many people who own several websites also prefer theme clubs as a way to get quality themes for all of their websites.

While there are a number of good options, things can get a little confusing when you are trying to decide which theme club to join. This article takes a look at the specifics of 11 different theme clubs with the goal of helping you to compare the options. You’ll also find a table at the end that shows the details in a summarized manner for easy comparison.

Before we start looking at the different theme clubs, let’s talk about that factors you’ll want to consider, and what you should expect from any theme club. For starters, any theme club should provide customers with:

• Professional-quality themes
• Support
• Theme updates (specifically for compatibility with new versions of WordPress)

While things like pricing are important factors to consider, even a low price doesn’t make it a good deal if themes are of low quality, if they are not updated as needed, and if you can’t get support.

When comparing the specifics of each theme club we will look at the following factors:

• One-time fees to join the club
• Recurring fees to keep your membership active
• Length of membership
• Number of themes available
• Usage restrictions (can they be used on unlimited domains?)

All of the information about the specific themes clubs is up-to-date as of March 11, 2013. Details of the theme clubs can change frequently, so please be sure to verify the specifics with any theme club before joining. We’ve attempted to have the most accurate info here, but check it for yourself before signing up.

Elegant Themes