A few weeks ago I launched a new minimalist design here on my site. As you can see from the comments in that post, most of you liked it.
In typical fashion, as I did with the eleven40 theme, I’m giving it back to you — the Genesis community — as a way of saying thanks for being so loyal.
This time I’m making you guys sweat a little less and not wait the months I normally do. Grins.
So if you like what you see here, you can grab the new Minimum theme over at StudioPress.
Portfolio Page Functionality
As part of the new Minimum theme, we’re introducing the Portfolio Page — which was originally thought to be available by way of a plugin.
However, the code to register the Portfolio custom post type was less than 20 lines — so in the end we felt it wasn’t worth it to create a plugin just for that.
Besides, now that it’s part of the theme, you get a chance to change any of the arguments in there without them being overwritten in a plugin update.
What Are You Waiting For?
So get going, go purchase the Minimum theme from StudioPress.
Apparently some folks like it — just ask my friend Sarah Kay Hoffman.
Brian… you have outdone yourself.
I think this is the most elegantly communicative blog design I’ve ever seen.
I have a new project, and this is purrrrfect.
Sure glad I blundered into your genius way back in the Pre-Revolution days….
Your friend and fan, ==>jim
Thanks so much Jim, I really take it to heart when there are people who’ve stuck with me/us the whole way — even all the way back to the pre-Revolution days.
Cool.
I am indeed a pre-revolutionary.
Can you make the big beautiful photo on the home page a clickable link? People do click on photos. With this tiny, tiny little caveat… this is one of your finest themes ever.
Friend, and fan… JIm
The more I use this theme, the more I love it. I hadn’t even noticed really sweet way that the theme worked with featured images. Imagine my surprise and delight… I threw in some big new pics of my scary face… children and small animals scurried away,….
But…… http://www.kinwonderful.com/about/
Thanks Brian
Oh.. one more thing, sometimes minimal
really is maximal…I keep forgetting that… your design reminded me – Gracias!
Hi Brian,
Thanks for releasing your theme to the wild. With respect to your decision to keep the CPT in the theme, what happens when you bring out a new theme we like even better? When we change themes we’ll lose access to those portfolio items, unless of course all your themes going forward will have support for a portfolio post type.
That’s a fair question, and something that we’ll probably start adding into all of our themes for that very reason.
I’m sure you’ve considered this, but isn’t maintaining 1 codebase in a single plugin easier than maintaining multiple codebases across many themes?
Yes, we did consider that – and the code is so simple we can’t imaging changing it. On the flipside, it didn’t make sense for us to make this into a plugin where anyone could download it and *think* it would just magically work on their theme. It requires template files and CSS, and this was the best way we thought to make sure that things stuck together.
Just a thought on how to avoid random folks thinking they could use it on their theme: Package it as a plugin on SP’s server and use something like TGM Plugin Activation in the theme ( http://tgmpluginactivation.com/ ), pointing to the “private” address of the plugin.
I’ve been following the debate, mainly about ThemeForest themes and included functionality as well.
I really love this theme!
I have to decide if change my mindstream theme with this one…
+1, Brian!
Hey Brian!
Really love this theme! I’ve only had it for 10 minutes and I’m learning so much more about what’s possible with Genesis. Love that you added the custom post types in there!
Awesome look. Very simply, clean and big!
Now I am thinking to switch my expose theme to this one. I guess I can easily switch the home page image to a huge slider … Maybe not a good idea to slow down the page load.
Or should I wait for the new Expose theme to come out?
To be honest, I don’t know how long it will be until we update the Expose theme. I’d say go fresh and use Minimum and make a few mods for it to suit your needs!
With every theme you release I hope it is the one I can use as a base. But you keep adding better ones. Already working with this one. I would’ve liked the big photo in a widget, but still it is great.
Please, please, please add the CPT to a plugin. Many of us are already fighting in other places to get theme authors to add post types to plugins where they belong. Doing this on StudioPress hinders efforts because its a leader in the commercial theme community.
I’m also building a base portfolio plugin and would love any feedback on what theme developers need for it to work. I’ll try to get the project up on GitHub this week.
While we see your point Justin, what pushed us over the edge in this was:
1. The mere code that was used to register it
2. The fact that as of right now, Minimum is the only theme that has the proper theme files and CSS to work with the functionality
Imagine the support headache that would transpire with 80,000 users and 50 themes… if people thought they could just activate the plugin and they’d magically have a portfolio page.
I have been waiting for this theme so looooooooooooong! Thank you so much. Beside, when will you plan to release Pintheme child theme?
Hello Brian
I’m one of the 80,000 StudioPress users. I bought your pro plus theme pack as a birthday present for my self. It was a big investment for me at the time and I hummed and harred before buying.
Boy did I make a good decision. Some Theme packs would have been out of date by now and many are so restrictive in their uses but, yours has turned out to be the gift that goes on giving.
Thanks.
PS. this is just the sort of theme many people are wanting right now.
Hey Phillip – sorry for the delay in response, your comment got marked as spam for some reason. That’s great to hear about the “birthday present”, and really glad to know that you like the theme. Keep humming!
Hey Brian, this looks insanely beautiful my friend, thanks a lot for a wonderful job and I’m going to check this one out ASAP!
Sergio
As they say, ripping off is the best compliment. Wait… Anyhow, I LOVE the new design, and couldn’t be happier with it. Thank you! Indeed, you have outdone yourself. God Bless.
Yeah, the good thing is that I’ve never been overly exclusive with my designs, so I don’t mind giving away what I’m currently using. Besides, this just gives me a head start on the next redesign here.
Brian,
I’ve been debating over where to “sink my roots” in committing to a company with themes that I can use to build for potential clients. 2 days ago, I took the plunge and bought the Pro Plus Package from StudioPress. I have my first 3 clients as of last week and I couldn’t be more excited about StudioPress themes. This new Minimum theme is perfect for one of those clients. Thanks for making such great clean themes and with a user forum that has been SUPER HELPFUL for a newbie like myself.
God Bless,
Dominic
Hey Dominic – that’s such great news, and thanks for the purchase of our Pro Plus package. Here’s to many more clients that a) you get, and b) that you put onto Genesis.
Downloaded and played with… love it.
Just putting a review together.
I may not use it on my main site, but I have one of my old Elegant Theme sites that I shall use it on.
Brian,
OK… go ahead a label me a newbie.
Where are the settings for the home page? (Photo, large icons at bottom)
Or is that something you have to custom setup?
Thanks,
Craig
PS – I run my main site on Minimum 1.0. Love it!
Are you registered with the forum?
You get registration info when you purchase a theme so check what you’ve been sent.
Link to Minimum forum page is…
http://www.studiopress.com/support/search.php?searchid=2735637
I hit the forums. Thanks.
Keep hitting the forums… and you won’t be a newbie for long.
Going with Genesis is the best call you’ll ever make.
Best of luck Craig
I like it, Brian. But now that you’ve put it out there, and everyone will begin using it, you’re just going to have to redesign your own site that much quicker.
But that’s the fun part of it, anyway. Kudos!
Brian
I bought minimal theme and cannot figure out how to change the sample image 1600 x 600. I try to change the background image, and the header but when I change one it changes the other, both are for the header.
See whether you find this link from the forum helpful
http://www.studiopress.com/support/showthread.php?p=592571#post592571
Thanks for this design Brian, I’ts a ripper!
Will be using it for a site this weekend.
P.S. Can you let the cat out the bag with respect to Agent Press and Lifestyle being updated with a responsive design? I hope existing sites can be upgraded easily.
I purchased the Minimum theme and can’t get the orange rollover circles to display. The rest of the theme is great.
What could I be doing wrong?
Thanks,
Brad
You need to assign link classes within text widgets. From our demo:
Ok, I got that. And I can link to the pages I want to link to.
But, how do I change the image inside the circle? Are there images I can manipulate in photoshop?
Sorry, but I don’t write code and am lost without something to work from.
Thanks.
This was very helpful. Thank you, Brian. And, thank you for creating the best themes on the market.
Howdy-same question- I am probably not going to use PInterest but I would like to have my social buttons be the same, so I wish there was one with an Email icon, one with an RSS icon, one with a LinkedIn icon adn one with a video of some sort so people can click to watch my intro vid. Thoughts?
Thanks! ( I tried 4 themes before yours-I dig it. Thanks)
Hopefully we’ll be updating the plugin soon to have a few more icons.
I liked the first version, but this totally blows it out of the water. All ready updated my site! Thanks for sharing with us.
No big graphic homepage Ryan?
Hi Brian…
As a pre-Revolutionary soldier,
you surely know I have geek-love for your work.
This theme is my favorite of all you have produced so far… by far.
It is also the theme that I,
as a non-geek, cut and paster, have had THE most problems setting up.
I say this not as criticism,
because the hassles are totally worth the elegant site design…
but in the interests of supporting you and your deep and thoughtful work.
It took 2 mods (Andrea and Medic 911)
and dozens of back-and-forth forum posts
for me to get the front page right.
Here’s a link to the second thread, with Medic 911 (new mod – fine mod)
(you do NOT want to see me and Andrea go geek)
http://www.studiopress.com/support/showthread.php?p=594571#post594571
Best wishes to you and your company,
May blessings shower you and your loved ones,
==>DelightedlySatisfiedJimmy
Now, I have your New Minimum Theme under http;//www.alexextra.com. Thanks.
I see that you changed the four images inside the rollover circles. I know this is not your theme, but can/will you tell me how you changed the four images inside the circles? I see the icons.png but it is just four images in a flattened .png. I also see the photoshop file icons.psd with layers for each layer. I am lost. Do I need to rewrite the css somehow or is there a simpler fix. I am not a programer but have done other sites and just can’t get this.
Thanks,
Brad
Brad, just change the four images on the icons.png using photoshop. That’s it. You don’t need to change any CSS codes.
Good luck
Ram
I love the theme but can’t figure out how to change the images inside the circles. I thought I could find the images and change in photoshop. I was looking in side the theme wp-content/images.
What am I doing wrong?
Thanks,
Brad
Inside wp-content\themes\minimum\images\ you should have a file called icons.png. Edit this in photoshop to change the images inside the circles. You may find the icons.psd in the icons directory useful.
Ram
I always like to see what you come up with and then consider if it is worth the jump from my “Streamline” theme which I have tinkered with ever since 2.0 was launched. What I am noticing now is that your themes are getting wider which is nice since my screen/monitor is wider. Is that the trend for future releases?
That’s awesome. However, I’d really like to legally rip off the actual Studiopress website. IT’S AWESOME!!!
Heh, you’re not the only one. Just wait until we do a redesign, and it’s possible we release the current design as a theme.
How do I change the subscribe now button under the homepage image?
Brad
Appearance>Editor>Page-title.php
On the first line, change the “subscribe now” text to whatever you wish. You can also add the new url link on that line here: href=”http://YOUR NEW ADDRESS HERE”
Hot theme, hot Sarah Kay Hoffman, just about everything here is hot as the sun. Major kudos, @bgardner – this is one epic piece of work.
I really like this theme. Where do you find the icons you used in the ‘featured’ images? I like their look and simplicity.
I tried to find something similar on istock.com, but the site is so large it is impossible to find.
Thanks
Are you talking about the social media ones that come with the theme or the ones on my homepage?
Brian,
The ones on your home page. I think they are really cool.
Hi Brian, I’ve always loved minimalistic design and your site in no exception. It’s brilliantly designed and is easy on the eye! Well done.
Thanks Shameer, really appreciate that!
You are welcome!
Hey Brian,
What plugin are you using at the bottom of your post for the newsletter opt-in?
It’s not a plugin, rather code that I wrote to get it there.
Hat’s off. It just another awesome theme. Really like the arrangement and simplicity. Keep it coming Brian. Love u r work very much.
I’m really digging the minimalist look! Quick question. Can you have featured photos show up for the blog posts on the homepage?
Yes, inside the home.php file, look for this code:
‘grid_image_size’ => 0,
And you’d replace the 0 with the featured image that you want to display like so:
‘grid_image_size’ => ‘featured-image’,
Brilliant theme! I’d been looking for an excuse to get my new site up and running, rather than trying to repurpose an old blog with a primary focus that has nothing to do with who I am today, and Minimum 2 provided just that – I’m using it on my brand new site, and I couldn’t be happier with it!
I have almost got my website finished using the Minimum 2 theme; just not sure without registering a widget area I can give the blog posts at the bottom of the home page a title; say My latest Articles?
How do I get the custom footer menu and the copyright at the bottom?
I figured it out. Thanks.
Hi Brian, do you have the code to put a Youtube social media icon on my front page?
It wouldn’t be code, rather you’d have to edit the image that’s included for the social icons.
nice theme… i’m looking forward to learning how and getting this theme to work for my new site… thanks!
)
Hi Brian,
On your front page here you have an “About Me” section to the left of your image with that text “n 2008, I created the WordPress premium theme market. You might disagree, but history doesn’t lie.”
Is that section something custom you created or is it a part of the Minimum Theme that I missed somewhere in the instructions?
Looks great!
The theme is so awesome. But can you please tell me how to change the position of navigation menu beside header just like your friend has it
Brian, I love the new theme, but I was wondering how you placed the text box over photo on your homepage (on the previous minimum theme)?
Thanks and keep up the great work!
Alex