Lesson 3: Custom Themes

In this class, students will be introduced to the concept of building a custom theme based on a PSD and a starter theme. What templates need to be included and what theme should they start with will be discussed. A PSD of a simple website will be provided and converted into a WordPress site.

Topics Covered

  • What’s a theme?
  • What’s a template?
  • Choosing the right starting base for you theme
  • Templates needed
  • Step by step theming

Accompanying Materia

Resources

Teachers Notes

The speed at which a PSD can be converted into WordPress will depend on class size and level of CSS/HTML expertise. Advanced students may be encouraged to move at their own pace and alter the design while others will need more hands on. Converting the whole design into a working site will more than likely take two classes. The steps used to convert the PSD into a WordPress site are outlined in detail in the tutorial.

You may also want to introduce a few plugins if you feel that there would be useful.