As you can tell, plainbeta looks a little different!
While it doesn’t look like I previously talked about, its new, and custom. So I’m happy.

Why didn’t I use that grid that I was so excited about?
It wasn’t working for me. It’s a great idea, I’m just not ready for it. So that theme will come later.

At any rate.
This design.

The Theme - Pier 3

I have dubbed this theme Pier 3. The three columns and the way they’re formatted just reminded me of a pier jutting out into sea. When I get sick of it I’ll make it available for download as a Wordpress Theme.

Half the time I like it, half the time I don’t - so I’ll probably end up making another one by the end of summer, or the end of the year at the latest.
I already am tossing a few ideas around in my head…

What’s Special about Pier 3?

If you haven’t noticed, the search bar, RSS links, and category links are all contained in a lightweight javascript accordion - though I am considering switching.

Other than that, the color scheme, and the inclusion of PIXELATED, Pier 3 isn’t that different than what I had before.

It’s a nice change, and I hope it keeps me happy until I come up with something else.

It’s still new, so there may be a few bugs here and there - if you see any, let me know.
Further more, I’m still working on it… so it’s not quite done… I still need to format the comments a little more. I don’t like how they are now.

I also updated my “comprehensive” list of design showcases - it now includes 77 showcases!
I’ll be submitting plainbeta to them all today or tomorrow…

Yep.
The time has finally arrived.
I am seriously going to have a fully custom look for plainbeta.com.

I have it drawn up in PSD format and have a static XHTML and CSS version.
Over the next few weeks I am going to start putting it in a format for Wordpress. It’ll take a while because I have a bunch of custom feature I am going to employ.

In the mean time I thought I’d share a preview.

plainbeta’s new look is going to be a dark grid based layout.
The grid is absolutely beautiful, I am surprised I came up with it.

There it is - though I have all of the content fields covered. So it doesn’t look that great… but the grid is still beautiful.
It shall be employing a few elements I have never seen used and several that I rarely see.
So this layout could be considered an experiment - I hope it goes well.

I am also still working on the World Design Association and the blog should be ready by the end of the week with the launch to come a few weeks after that.
I’ll keep y’all updated on that.

Until next time!
brianpurkiss

Design

Well, not much to report on my new design.
But, I believe I have all the visual quirks worked out.
However, I shall be busy for a bit, and thus, it may be a week or two before I finish the PSD.
When I finish that, I’d like to have some of my readers review it.
Again, if you’re interested in reviewing my design, let me know.

Logo

After much deliberation and some input (thanks kristarella), I have decided not to branch out too far from my logo. I’m reverting to a version I had before, and adapting it a little.
More input would be greatly appreciated.

Even so, I am entering it into Logo Design Love’s Blog Logo Competition.
Wish me luck!

Guest Writers Plea

Towards the end of February I shall be going on a ski trip with my family and some friends.
Thus, I would like some guest writers. :-)

If you’re interested, get in contact with me and we can discuss it more.
I’m looking for posts on design or blogging.

Etc…

I had a few things I wanted to say here…
But I forgot them all but one.

How do you write this blog’s title in plain text?

I have been starting to get a few more links as of late, and I have seen many ways to write plainbeta.
It’s one word - plainbeta.
Not two (Plain Beta), not two joined together (PlainBeta), nor anything else (plainBETA, PLAINbeta, etc).
Ultimately, ‘plain’ should be grey, and ‘beta’ should be blue - but even I’m too lazy to do that. (Though I shall incorporate that into the new look)

So why plainbeta?

Ok, lemme let you in on a little secret.
I’m not perfect.
Shocking, I know! ;-P
Thus, the idea behind plainbeta is I am simply a work in progress - I’m still in my beta stage.

Simple as that.

Until next time,
Brian Purkiss

Photo by yoppy