Dependent on what your likes and dislikes are, there are several different ways you can look at the headers on some of the WordPress themes.

The biggest problem with a write up like this is the fact that good bloggers change their themes and headers pretty regularly so it might not be there any more.

With the result, the photo shown here might not be the one on the website any longer.

Matt Mullenweg

The first one is the header on the theme of Matt Mullenweg, who was the original developer of WordPress. This gentleman’s profile reads like a who, who of the internet. However, the actually graphic which is a gif file at the header of his blog is an interesting mix which includes his name. Interestingly he has chosen his name to include the country extension to round of his name.  http://ma.tt

Number two in my list is Web Designers Wall

Again this is a graphic and a gif. It was designed by Nick La. It is one of the best on the web as far as easy on the eye is concerned. It is well balanced and doesn’t hit you in the eye but gives you a sense of business efficiently.
No harsh contrasts are in the design, but you have many colors without it being over busy.

Third on my list is Web Designer Depot

This design was created by Radim Malinic. It is in a jpeg and it is a little large in file size probably because of the strong colors used. Decreasing the colors would alter the effect of the design. Although it was created as a graphic, the final save was done in jpeg probably to save in a smaller format as a lossy format is a lot smaller in pixels.

A blog for Ayaka Ito

The creator of this blog is a media designer, and you can see why. This is more than a header it is the complete page. It is truly brilliantly done. This young lady is definitely going to go far. I really liked the work she displayed on her blog.

Another lady this time Deborah Cavenaugh

For the second time, it’s not just a header it’s a full designed page. She has used her talents well with the soft colors in this design. This is another really good header from a true artist, correction page.

A design studio is the next one up Ndesign.Studio

This again is a soft design. It’s just a pity they didn’t size it properly to the page as you can see the page on the left should still be going somewhere as it has the cut off effect. I know its Nick La again, but I was a little disappointed that he didn’t check that. And yes Nick we do notice.

The next is Jason Bradbury

This is a bit slow loader because it is interactive. It’s a bit on the bold and brazen side for me but the design itself is good. He is obviously a keen game player with all the videos he has on his blog. I am a little undecided on this one.

I am straying away from wordpress.org today to wordpress.com. This is mainly a blogging platform which does the whole gamut from providing you with the software and themes to actually hosting the blog for you. There are actually far more things you can do on this site than you imagined. There are ways to extend the system although you are still hosted on WordPress.com and you have adhere to all their rules.

The way you can extend your wordpress.com to be your personal domain is by upgrading at the cost of 17dollars per domain and registering your domain through wordpress.com. If you want your name hidden from view: In other words to make it private you need to do it at this stage for the extra cost of $8.00. You can also do this later but if you are sensible you will do it to start with.

If you go to the domain registration on WordPress.com they give you full instructions on what to do. This is called domain mapping. They support .com .net. and .org at the moment. It is possible to use other extensions but you need to use some other company to register them. If you do, you will be required to pay the domain mapping fee of $12, but follow the instructions on the page listed above. You may not advertise on any of your sites on WordPress.com.

If you already have a website elsewhere you can map your blog to website with a sub domain. Once you have set up your blog on your site and you register your domain mapping for the sub domain what happens is that wordpress.com diverts the traffic to your website blog without interruption of your service.

Something to remember is that WordPress.com does not accept incoming transfers of domains so you have to do it through Domain mapping if you want to do it.
Now you need to use your web pages in a different way to a normal blog. Choose one of the static pages by going to the settings and choosing Readings and then choose static page to show first. This is a good way to display your home page which has info about the site and doesn’t change too much. It is a good idea to turn the comments off so that you don’t allow people to post comments as you are not really using it as a blog but as a website. Do this by going to your pages section and turn it off under the discussion section.

Now make your site visible to everyone on the internet by going to your Privacy section under settings and changing it “Make visible.” It is now time to publish your site and you are away. That is your basic site. Additional pages can be added with more information to tell more about your company and what you do. It might be an idea to give useful tips as an added bonus about the product or sport or what ever you do. This is not an advertising medium but meant to be of help to your visitors so keep the advertising for the main site if you are using a sub domain set up.

When blogging took center stage as the newest form of personal expression, designers rushed to adapt and improve on the normal templates offered by blog sites. All that creativity has produced some excellent departures from the traditional styling of yesteryear. Now designers must find inviting ways to make blog sites stand out from the herd, and they’re in need of increasingly authentic ways to do so.

These days a blog site is just as versatile as any other, but with the advent of cookie-cutter templates and mediocre styling it may be difficult to find good inspiration for original design. Below are a few great examples of what happens when elegant design meets authenticity. Enjoy!

Authentic Blog Showcase

Web Science Man

This colorful site speaks volumes with bright color and smart design choices. Both add to the fun and uplifting feel of the site creating a stimulating environment for readers. The horizontal menu of categories up to top keeps the site clean and organized.

Chengis.me

This site’s cleverly pulled together design displays a clean and pure look and feel. Navigation is upfront and bold with style that accentuates the simplified design. Color choice is also very easy-on-the-eyes making the site an excellent example of elegant blog design.

Good Little Wee Blog

This blog design is packed with information, but the page never feels cramped or cluttered. The eye-catching cork bulletin board background complements the childlike theme nicely. Simply-sketched cartoon figures keep readers engage and entertained.

Neural Net Effect

It’s hard to say, which feature of this blog design comes out on top – there’s so much to choose from. The typography is rich but never overdone. The graphics are imaginative and even moving. Maybe the best feature is the stylish structure of the site – clean and sleek with a natural flow and charm. All in all, the design is definitely an authentic one.

Amour Chaleur

This site takes simplicity to the next level adding both Zen-like calm and charm. The artwork is refreshing and original, and the one-column layout keeps blog posts well-organized and uncluttered.

Retinart

The clean lines and excellent typography choices here give this blog a classy flair. Simplified navigation finds a perfect spot in the upper right-hand corner. Plus, excellent attention to the tiniest details leaves a memorable first impression.

Alpha Aesthetica

Design is not always about graphics. Sometimes typography takes center stage, and works! Here, the grid is full of tantalizing reads in interesting and lively fonts. The well-space type functions well against the simplified color scheme. Everything seems to have its own place keeping things neat and clean.

Ma.tt

This site takes the comic strip theme to a whole other level with each image perfectly customized so that the reader really gets a good feel for who and what the blog is all about. Bold colors and centralized design scheme give the well-organized structure and added lift. Furthermore, excellent use of the one column design works well and flows easily within the theme.

When you stand out in the crowd or stand above them and people look at
you in awe. Then you are unique.

While you follow the norms of design principal but create something superlative that constitutes being unique.

That is the pinnacle of successful achievement in web designing.
How does one achieve this?

You don’t get it by turning web design on its head. Innovative ideas which achieve the object of getting the message across to the user while holding his or her attention are a mark of success. The standard website format, while working well, will not be regarded as unique. In terms of function it is effective and easy to follow but there are literally, millions of sites built on those principals, and they won’t stand out in the crowd. Doing things a little differently will help you along the way of standing out. If you do a good job people are bound to copy you, but being first to do it will make you remembered.

 A few things you can do:

 Visual impact is important, even if it isn’t essentially part of the design. Create a brighter accent.  Provided the accent is a positive one, you have gone a long way. Jazzing a website up while still having clean clear lines makes it stand out. Type faces used and the way you lay them out can make all the difference. Just writing a few sentences is all good and well, but putting thought into how to present them in the best possible light, so that people actually want to read them, is very important in improving your layout.
If you apply the principals of photography to your webpage using light and shade, drawing the subject in like Jesse Bennett does, you will have a new
way of looking at your webpage. Detailing of design elements is a clear indication of the thought that has gone into his designs.  

Create your own style

By creating your own individual style you will be instantly identifiable. This is
your ultimate goal. Your ego will be stroked. One such person that uses this principal is Elliot Jay Stocks. His style is unique. They are instantly recognizable but not both are same in any way although his style gives you the impression of previous knowledge of that site.

Use of illustration can make your site something unique:

The chances of being both a great illustrator and a web designer are rare.
Sometimes this is where co operation between two parties might succeed better.  If you can’t be the best yourself, get the best to work with you. One of the best is Nick La. Perfection in illustration flawlessly integrated into a website, is really the work of a master. The illustrations he produces are characters in themselves. You can identify with them and they have a meticulous use of detail.

Take the time to do it right  

It doesn’t matter how small the item. Put effort into all of them. It’s the way
to impress both your customers and the web. Your personal touch is what will
make the websites you produce stand out in the crowd.