Monochrome Lite is a free widgetized theme for Wordpress packaged with an author archives page, seven random rotating header images, posts with thumbnail and pullquote custom fields options and a CSS framework to aid in customization.

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Now you can get all Graph Paper Press themes for only $99.99. This offer includes all “premium” themes on sale today and in all of 2008. When a new theme is released in 2008, you will receive a link to the theme download via email. Currently, Graph Paper Press plans to release one theme per month. Pretty neat, huh?

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Installation

1. Unzip the downloaded file
2. Upload the entire “Monochrome Lite″ folder to your “/wp-content/themes/” folder
3. Log in into your WordPress control panel
4. Click the Presentation tab
5. Select the “Monochrome Lite” screenshot

Configuration

1. GETTING STARTED: By default, Monochrome Lite displays the latest entry, followed by the excerpts of the previous five entries.
2. PHOTOS, PULLQUOTES, CUSTOM FIELDS: This theme uses custom fields to manage all photos and thumbnail photos. In your Wordpress settings, you can change the dimensions on both thumbnail and medium sized photos. Change the thumbnail width to 128 px wide by 128px tall. Change the medium photo size to 575 px wide. Save the settings. Wordpress will resize every photo uploaded to the dimensions described above. After uploading the photo into Wordpress using the media uploader, copy the link to this thumbnail photo and paste it into the custom field value, with a key called “thumbnail.” Copy the link to the medium photo (575 pixels wide maximum) and paste it into the custom field value, with a key called “photo.” Here is a screenshot of all properly filled out fields. If you want pullquotes, then simply create a key called “pullquote” and type your pullquote into the custom field value. Here is a screenshot of all three properly filled out fields.
3. YOUR AUTHORS PAGE: Monochrome Lite comes packaged with an author archive (authors.php), which will display some author specific info pulled from the Users page in your Wordpress installation. In order for the author’s image to show up, you’ll need to place a jpg of the author titled by the author’s last name in the wp-content/themes/monochrome_lite/images/authors/ folder. For instance, mine is Allender.jpg, sized at 75px X 75px. Here is an example author page.
4. STYLES.CSS: Unlike most Wordpress themes which plug all the css in one file called styles.css, Monochrome utilizes the Blueprint CSS framework to help separate positioning, typography, forms and what I’ll refer to as custom or Monochrome specific styles. To edit all custom Monochrome specific styles, you’ll need to edit the file style.css in your wp/wp-content/themes/monochrome/ directory.

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SUPPORT

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The best way to receive support for this theme is to visit the forum.

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ABOUT BLUEPRINT

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This theme utilizes a CSS framework called Blueprint. Who is credited for the ideas behind Blueprint? Some of the best designers on the web. They include Jeff Croft, designer for Blue Flavor, Khoi Vinh, design director for NYTimes.com, Nathan Borror, Christian Metts, Eric Meyer, Wilson Minor, Angus Turnbull, Olav Bjorkoy and a few others. Most major websites use some form of css framework to allow for rapid, consistent development and design. Take the Blueprint 101 course to learn about all the possibilities.

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