Need help? Check out our Support site, then


WordPress.com Forums » Themes

Matala - specifications for custom background theme

  1. elnidobabe
    Member

    I love the design of the Matala theme (the torn paper design behind the titles, etc.) but was hoping to change the big paisley design at the top and bottom but keep the paper-like design in the middle. Is this possible?

    If not, what size should the new custom image background be so that it fits the width of the screen and the length of the blog entries? I tried changing the custom header but that only changes the design in the small area behind the blog title.

    Any help would be very much appreciated

    The blog I need help with is islandergirl.wordpress.com.

  2. thesacredpath
    Member

    It would take the Custom Design upgrade and some CSS experience and some of the images sort of interlock and interplay with each other, so you might end up having to create and/or modify more than one or two.

    Here are all the different images that are used in the theme (I think).

    body: http://s1.wp.com/wp-content/themes/pub/matala/images/bg-body.jpg
#page: http://s1.wp.com/wp-content/themes/pub/matala/images/bg-site.jpg
#wrapper: http://s1.wp.com/wp-content/themes/pub/matala/images/bg-wrapper.jpg
#access (menu): http://s1.wp.com/wp-content/themes/pub/matala/images/bg-menu-2col.png
#inner-wrapper (content/sidebar): http://s1.wp.com/wp-content/themes/pub/matala/images/bg-content-2col.png
#colophon (footer): http://s1.wp.com/wp-content/themes/pub/matala/images/bg-footer.jpg

  3. elnidobabe
    Member

    Thank you for your help!

    One last question: if I make a regular custom background that replaces everything (the paisley design and the paper background), what size should it be?

  4. thesacredpath
    Member

    On backgrounds, I always recommend making the basic graphical elements just larger than the general content area and then design it so that it fades out into a solid color left, right and down. That way the image does not have to be too big (which means it loads quickly) and then you specify the color that the image fades into as a background color.

    You can't really determine a "size" for a background image since it all depends on each person's monitor resolution and how wide they have their browser window set. Trying to accommodate the crazies (such as me with a 2560px x 1600px monitor resolution) will bring your site to a crawl. You want to keep images in sites down to under 100k if at all possible, and if their are lots of images, I would probably recommend that the average be down around 75k. Search engines take site loading times into account when determining search engine ranking and it is best to stay on their good side.

  5. elnidobabe
    Member

    Okay, noted on everything that you said. Looks like I'll be switching back to the Mystique theme then for easier configuration. Thank you so much for all your help! :)

  6. foggyphils
    Member

    I downloaded the theme from wordpress.org and then took the different elements I needed for the custom background. It doesn't look as good as the original but an alternative for not having to get the css upgrade. You can see it on my blog- campingwithaview.wordpress.com

  7. kathleenstavert
    Member

    hey elnidobabe - it looks like you're still using matala but the squiggle navigation around the buttons aren't there anymore. did you remove those purposefully? I'd like to get rid of them and can't figure out how...

  8. elnidobabe
    Member

    Sorry but which buttons are you referring to? I haven't done anything special - just replaced the default background with a new one. Maybe the squiggles come with the default background?

  9. interialdesigns
    Member

    How do i make the title description "Just another wordpress.com site" smaller or completely delete it?

    I tried in CSS under Header > Title description, and at one point it removed it, but then reverted it back and now will not change at all.

  10. timethief
    Member

    @interialinspiration
    You don't need a custom design upgrade to remove a tagline. If you don't type one in on this page and it won't appear > Settings > General > Tagline

  11. soulamantalvanos
    Member

    hello, i'm wanting to change the white background behind all the text. i want to have a tiled transparent image to get a layered paper effect. i've had a few attempts at it through custom css but haven't had any luck.
    thank you

  12. seabedhabitats
    Member

    Matala is definetely a really cool theme, but some of my fussy critics have commented the colors are too bright for my subject matter. Hence, I would also like to change the matala big paisley design. I am new to wordpress.com. Is it via custom header or custom background?? I would like to have just the top banner (replace wrapper.jpg??) but prefer to keep the squiggly circles! I am not planning to get a css upgrade, but what are the benefits of doing this?? How much technical skill is required??

  13. seabedhabitats
    Member

    Sorry, the above post should say " I would like to have the top banner just blue...

  14. thesacredpath
    Member

    It is an image declared in #wrapper in the CSS so it would require the Custom Design upgrade to be able to remove it. You can see what it looks like without the paisley on my test blog here: http://flippintestblog.wordpress.com/ .

  15. seabedhabitats
    Member

    Thank you for the example! I will consider a CSS upgrade. I have only recently upgraded domains so I am not sure if how much I would use CSS, but still. Many Thanks

  16. thesacredpath
    Member

    You are welcome.

  17. seabedhabitats
    Member

    Hello- just another simple question about posts in matala:

    With multiple posts, how can you switch from the "post book" view where you have to click "previous post" to one where multiple posts are viewed on the same page...

    http://matalademo.wordpress.com/

  18. foggyphils
    Member

    Hello Seabedhabitats!
    I got your email and decided to post a "how-to". I've received a few inquiries on this so hopefully this will help others as well. Good Luck :)

    http://campingwithaview.wordpress.com/about/modifying-the-matala-theme-for-wordpress-com-blogs/

  19. tomdye
    Member

    Thanks Holly for that link to campingwithaview where you expain "how-to" customize some of the Matala Theme without having to buy the Custom Design upgrade. I'm very happy with my results.

    http://tomdye.wordpress.com/

  20. foggyphils
    Member

    Your welcome Tom..just glad it was useful! Took a peak at your blog and enjoyed the stop sign post ;)

    Also check out http://wpbtips.wordpress.com/ for some other tips ( the springboard for some of the techniques I use.)

  21. charlottesvillechiropractor
    Member

    I'm also looking to change the background behind the text box (see post from Sept. 11). Has anyone tried http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/custom-post-background/ ?

  22. timethief
    Member

    @soulamantalvanos
    Yours is a WordPress.org install running on different software then ours here at WordPress.com and the version of the Matala theme you have is coded to run on your software not ours. You must post to http://wordpress.corg/support We cannot help you here. WordPress.com vs WordPress.org: The Differences

  23. timethief
    Member

    Darn! That support link is wrong. It ought to be http://wordpress.org/support/

  24. timethief
    Member

    @charlottesvillechiropractor
    You are posting to the wrong support forum. We cannot help you here at WordPress.com with your site as it is not being free hosted by WordPress.com. Please post to http://wordpress.org/support as that's the correct support forum for your software. WordPress.com vs WordPress.org: The Differences

  25. charlottesvillechiropractor
    Member

    I'm not asking for my site. I'm updating a site for a friend, she liked my theme so she installed it on her wordpress.com site.

    I just used the plugin and it seems to work fine.

  26. timethief
    Member

    @charlottesvillechiropractor

    just used the plugin and it seems to work fine.

    There is no FTP access to free hosted WordPress.COM blogs and we cannot install individual plugins into them Those found on the internet are for WordPress.ORG installs which run on different software.
    http://en.support.wordpress.com/ftp-access/
    http://en.support.wordpress.com/plugins/

    WordPress.com vs WordPress.org: The Differences

Topic Closed

This topic has been closed to new replies.

About this Topic

Tags