PASSIONATE Themer/Designer Wanted. Creative Project. Paranormal Organization.

Project: Develop a THEME (note: NOT a full site, unless you really want to help us out, or have some creative ideas) for my non-profit educational organization.

Current Organization URL: http://www.psionicsonline.net (.com and .org also work.)

What You Can Contribute Back to the Drupal Project: GPL/Creative Commons the Full Theme After Completion and Place in the Themes Section of Drupal.org. This might be a great way to build a portfolio.

Budget Information: I know im asking for a lot, but I want the developer to be passionate about his/her work. I need someone that is going to be able to do a GOOD job for $300 or less. I realize that most custom themes go for $3000-$5000, but as a non-profit organization that is REALLY hurting for funding, and is REALLY trying to make it, $300 is even a bit of a stretch. PLEASE someone who wants to be CREATIVE.

Time Frame: Im Generally Lenient. I want you to be CREATIVE. I also want to see your BEST work. I want your BEST work to be contributed back to the drupal community. 4-6 Weeks is what I'll give you to complete the job (more if you need it, but not an insane amount of time, like 3-4 months). Please make it great. Drupal really needs some GREAT free themes to show off. (after this project is over, the theme gets GPL'd, unless you request it not to).

Pay Information: If job is over, you get paid on December 18th, give or take a few days. If not, you get paid when your work is finished. Pay will be made with paypal.

How to Apply: Reply to this forum topic with your quote, your ideas(if possible, it can be brief.), your thoughts and a PORTFOLIO. A portfolio isnt required, but it allows me to gain a better idea regarding if i think you are right for the job.

My Experience: 2 Years of Drupal Experience. Can do MINOR edits to modules, CSS and HTML. I do have mild experience in photoshop. However, i am pretty lousy at rolling my own themes due to not knowing what goes in to create a great theme, and lack of complete coding knowledge. Everything i DO know is experience.

Theme Ideas/Direction------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

- I'm leaning towards a darker layout, something with a readable content. What i mean by readable content, is no white on dark grey, or just generally anything where its hard for older folk to read.
1. Nothing Black
2. Nothing Grey.
3. Content Must Be Readable.

The layout preferably has (though I am definitely open to suggestions, I want you to be creative):

-something that makes it easy for the visitor to know what he/she is viewing, or to learn more, about who we are, what we do, and getting started. I was thinking a tri- layout thing at the top, but something efficient in space. (Content is King.)
Something Like This:

Who We Are: What We Do: Getting Started

Excerpt from about Excerpt From about About getting started

us section here. psionics page. and workbooks excerpt.

About Us > Learn More > Explore >

- We have had a recent slow in traffic, and I am looking for something very nice and web 2.0 that will help to bring in traffic. Our staff have decided that we will be writing articles to go on the front page more in the way of a newspaper, with frequent updates (with new articles) to help us with our goals. Content must also be a feature in this layout.

-slightly darker layout attracts more visitors from experience. Something not grey, but something that is pleasing to the eye and readable. White is not preferable,

- I like Web 2.0 and eye candy.

-no flash. minimum flash okay.

-the layout should feel like "home" and "professional" and display a sense of "community" all at the same time.

-something that has sort of a vintage (but still clean) and/or creative scienc-y look and feel. You choose the colors. Not boring.

-I think the perfect layout not only looks nice, but displays our information in a way that is pleasing and understanding to the visitor.

-Dont be afraid to think out of the box. I like that.

- we currently have a problem with displaying all of the information efficiently(link-wise), this needs to be addressed, with major AND minor links, perhaps a suckerfish menu.

-http://sandbox.psionicsonline.net is the current sandbox site. You may visit there to learn how i wish to have articles and logs ordered. This is open to suggestion, you are the professional.

- I am a fan of functional footers.

I had posted my site for dreamhost site of the month and i noticed 3 different things in the comments:

1. They thought the layout was not indicative of the information on the site.

2. they didnt know what the site was for.

The Theme should address these problems.

Current Site Issues That May (doesnt have to be, but preferably.) Be Addressed By the Developer------------------------------------------------

1. Users Have Difficulty Figuring Out Where to Go to Get Started, Regardless of the Fact There is A Link For That at the Top.
2. An Unusually Large Percentage of the Users that Enter on the Main Page Leave On the Main Page.
3. Users Dont Use Blog Function.
4. Information is Cramped Everywhere in a Distasteful Fashion.
5. The Current Layout Doesnt Display New Private Messages When Received.
6. Mailer isnt Configured. If you are Feeling Generous, I would like the Mail configured.

(note: the current setup is Drupal 6, but I have found that Drupal 5 Eliminates All of The Problems Listed Below, But That Means I will Have to convert current userbase to phpbb and back again to get everyone on a drupal 5 installation. This is within my ability, perhaps, but it is definitely not preferred. You dont need to have insight on how to fix these problems, and i wont expect it, but if you wish to be nice, the problems with drupal 6 are:

1. Mail doesnt work. I am hosted with Dreamhost. Drupal 5 Modules Not tested.
2. Forums dont display any sort of user title. There is a working Drupal 5 Module for this.
3. private message count doesnt show up, therefore users dont know when they have a new private message. Drupal 5- Working.
4. The Library is very disorganized. Change of module needed. The drupal 6 install is using taxonomy_vtn module, but I feel like it , although it is a wonderful module, is not specific to our needs. I seem to like the kind of set up the "Taxonomy Navigator" Module gives, but I believe it isnt available for Drupal 6. A sandbox is set up at the below URL to test out "Taxonomy Navigator" in relation to PsionicsOnline.

"Taxonomy Navigator" [Drupal 5]: http://sandbox.psionicsonline.net/articles/energy-manipulation
"Taxonomy_VTN" [Drupal 6]: http://www.psionicsonline.net/library

Background---------------------------------------------------------------------

Site Focus: PsionicsOnline has a goal of displaying typically "questionable" (psychic) material in a professional manner, to encourage the reader to see that this phenomena exists, and that they can learn it too, for free.

Mission Statement: Our mission is to deliver the best education possible regarding knowledge in the Psionic fields. The best possible education, in this context, can be defined as an education where one is able to apply it to everyday life, under everyday situations. Although many merely see Psionics as a party trick, or something simply “extra” , we see psionics as a part of our lives, and it should be treated and used in a similar manner. Therefore, we are dedicating this current time not to learning Psionics in such a way as to promote fantasy, but in a separate way. This method of teaching in which we speak of is one where Psionic abilities are used in unison with psychology, other social sciences, and even physics. To create such a unity is to change lives, for those that apply Psionics to everyday activities we feel will benefit in such a way that they will be unable to view a life which does not incorporate the “impossible” again. It is through the changing of lives that we are able to someday change the world.

Site Goals:
1. Allow the student to decide for him/herself whether or not Psionic abilities exist.
2. Educate the student regarding how to succeed in replicating such abilities for him/herself.
3. Foster the kind of environment that allows for the success of the student regarding Psionics and the accomplishment of goals that encourage the practice and maintenance of the abilities in question.
4. Encourage the student to explore further regarding the mechanics of the abilities so that they may be applied to daily life, both in theory and in concrete application.
5. Teach the student about the history of Psionics and its derivatives.
6. Establish a connection between Psionics and Psychology
7. Encourage research and analytical thinking regarding Psionic fields.
8. Encourage the student to “give back” what he/she has learned or gathered to newcomers.