Creating a new theme, what should be the base style?

[faeronsayn]

I am looking into creating a new theme/skin for my own site and I was wondering what is usually the best base style to start off from? I am assuming the default style would be the best choice.

But for theme developers, do you guys simply start changing the default style, or do you use addons like TMS and do all the modifications there. What's the usual procedure that one should go through when theming for xenForo.

 

[Shelley]

I am looking into creating a new theme/skin for my own site and I was wondering what is usually the best base style to start off from? I am assuming the default style would be the best choice.

But for theme developers, do you guys simply start changing the default style, or do you use addons like TMS and do all the modifications there. What's the usual procedure that one should go through when theming for xenForo.

I personally just jump into it styling the forum_list, forum_view, thread_view first and designing the elements in photoshop (slicing if required) and then coding it up. I mainly use EXTRA.CSS for my edits, and also use some of the SP. I don't think there is a specific procedure as people will do things differently and style in their own way. Sometimes if required I'll make direct template edits because there are some edits that can't be done via css but that's briefly how I go about styling.

 

[faeronsayn]

I personally just jump into it styling the forum_list, forum_view, thread_view first and designing the elements in photoshop (slicing if required) and then coding it up. I mainly use EXTRA.CSS for my edits, and also use some of the SP. I don't think there is a specific procedure as people will do things differently and style in their own way. Sometimes if required I'll make direct template edits because there are some edits that can't be done via css but that's briefly how I go about styling.

So you wouldn't start with styling the header / page_container first? Before you get into other templates like the forum_view and thread_view.

 

[Shelley]

So you wouldn't start with styling the header / page_container first? Before you get into other templates like the forum_view and thread_view.

It's really your call what you want to style first. I always personally start designing the navigation first, slicing the many areas of it and then coding it all up in EXTRA.CSS (you can see some of the styles I've done) http://www.bbsmiley.com/ all of the navigations were done in EXTRA.css and style properties (about 5% of the code is SP). But it's really entirely up to you where you want to start.

Edit: Personally, i never had to touch the page_container template.