Freelance Web Designer

Description

Job Description
We are seeking a designer or design firm to create a steampunk-themed, newsmagazine style for a WordPress Multisite network. We have an in-house artist and team developers on hand to assist with this project, if this is required. We are very particular about the functionality, but open-minded about the design, provided it is sufficiently modern and sexy to outshine our competitor sites.

Required Functionality

Index Page: 3-column layout. The leftmost column, a blogroll that draws from a single category as well as blog posts from external WordPress sites. The center column should be a blogroll for all other categories. The third column should be a widget sidebar sufficiently large for a 300px ad block.

Category pages: Each category page should feature a 2/3rds size blogroll for that specific category, as well as a custom widget sidebar sufficiently large for a 300px ad block.

Compatible with WordPress Multisite. We have several sites within our WPMU network, many of which will use this particular theme.

Fully responsive, collapsing seamlessly for mobile consumption.

Smooth primary and secondary menus. Primary menu should be a mega menu.

JQuery precontent for registration/login.

Full gamut of social icons.

Lots of shortcode: columns, buttons, dividers, flags, videos, gallery, social share, tweets, etc.

Design Vision

Steampunk themed. Our artist can help with specific elements that conform to our branding.

Newsmagazine style. We want eyeballs hitting headlines and thumbnails as soon as they land on the index page.

Possibly unboxed.

Professional-looking footer.

Faithful to fully responsive requirement noted above.

We are fond of http://theme.crumina.net/maestro/magazine/, but we need something brand-specific and something that will not require us to purchase a new license each time we launch a site.

Theme must be sufficiently modern and sexy to outshine our competitor sites. We will be looking very closely at all submitted portfolios. Those portfolios featuring dated-looking sites will be discarded.

Disclaimers

We are open to having an existing theme customized, but we require permanent, unlimited-use license. We are happy to pay separately for support.

Theme framework may be resold, but our branding is trademarked and may not be used in any way, including for marketing.

We pay per project. We are disinclined to pay by the hour, except for especially talented designers. In those rare instances, we only pay for work—not for sick leave, research, training, etc. Only professionals need apply.

We only pay for what we purchase. Once we agree upon a mock-up, we will generate a service agreement and forward a down payment. Full payment will be transmitted upon completion and testing of final product.

How to Apply
Apply by sending your portfolio and price. We make an effort to respond to every applicant, but cannot guarantee it.