How do clients like themes created by Artisteer?

If you're working on a basic site I think they'e fine. But if you're trying to do a "corporate" type site then I don't think it can compete with a custom created layout.

Artisteer does allow for quickly creating a design, and the wysiwyg makes it easy to work with, so it offers advantages for quickly putting together a design without necessarily knowing css or wordpress coding. Unless the latest update is different, the Artisteer menu bar is difficult to manually customize. Again, if you want to add categories to the menu bar, you'll have a Rubik's cube in front of you to tackle. Apart from that it is good for quickly designing a website. However, many sites have pages and categories in two different levels, so that is not necessarily an issue. I created this site with Artisteer, then manually added menu bars for the categories, as well as creating a home.php with style.css for divs:
AdvantageMp3Players.com.

As for corporate websites, it really depends on what is required for any given website. Artisteer does have some photos you may use on the header, but nothing that you have the rights to resell, so you'll have to craft that yourself, or outsource the job.

Artisteer-generated templates don't offer a range of different page templates to choose from, so if that was required for a site, one would have to do that oneself. If, say, wanted to have a page without sidebars for a forum, you'd need to create that page template (not hard to do, of course), If you want clickable logos in the header of an Artisteer-generated website, you'll have to add it manually.

I'm much more impressed with something like themehybrid, which is vastly more functional than an Artisteer site, but it wouldn't be easy to customize for someone who wants to stay away from css. That said, themehybrid support for providing answers to css questions is the best I've ever come across (ie Justin Tadlock, the theme's creator. Does that guy sleep?).

For WP beginners who want to create their own designs, or developers able to add desired functionality to a theme, Artisteer is good. For someone who wants a template that offers more functionality and a choice of page templates for site layout, themehybrid is far superior to Artisteer, but probably harder to work with for a beginner.

With websites, less is usually more. I create the themes for No-Brainer Niche Blogs with Artisteer and my members love them. I keep them very simple, very clean and create attractive headers.

I think Artisteer works very well for niche blogging/marketing.

The simplest solution is always the best solution.

What's simple to one person may be complicated to another.

This was done 100% using Artisteer: Demo Blog

Don't think it looks like a normal Artisteer theme.

As with any software, sometimes you just need to think outside the box.

Richelo, your site looks pretty good on Firefox and IE, but is completely awry on the Google chrome browser (at least on my computer).

Sorry, typo. Would you be willing to share how much you *were* paid for it (making the client's website)?

NIce stuff Sue..
I'll be testing the Mac version this week...

Most small businesses aren't selling anything near the category of luxury yachts or six carat diamonds. Customers can even be "put off" by overly flashy sites. Artisteer should be just fine for most offline businesses.

As far as Thesis goes, it's nice. But, I'd bet that those who have used both Thesis and Flexsqueeze would opt for Flexsqueeze in a moment.

I can't speak about clients as I don't have any that I made sites for with Artisteer but I really enjoy working with it for my own blogs and things.

For simple sites, Artisteer is certainly a viable option, though I would suggest users to refrain from the temptation of using all have bells and whistles it offers, and stick to features relevant to a given project. Artisteer can be a good starting point for more elaborate sites, such as ones with different page templates within them.

There are a number of premium themes that offer a great range of functionality as well as versatility in design, and include page templates within them. This premium theme created by a fellow warrior looks like it may be an example of that:
http://www.warriorforum.com/warrior-...iors-only.html

Artisteer themes are pretty cool, especially considering you are actually making the themes yourself...it makes it more rewarding! The css isn't the best in the world, but i'm not complaining...it brings me a fair income in every week.

update...

couldnt even get it to work on my mac!
Just crashes at the start!

Artisteer is amazing. I hate website design because I suck at it but Artisteer almost makes it fun. When it comes to creating wordpress blog themes, it doesnt have many limitations, pretty much just your creative skills.

Jeez, that just sound like a fake testimonial from one of those late night infomercials, haha.

Seriously though, if you have little time, lacking php css skills, develop niche blog networks with hundereds of domains like myself. Give it a burn.

Karunnt - Dont really understand what you mean by template. Artisteer is for creating custom website themes for different blog platforms. All websites are based around a type of hidden template, not sure what the problem is?

If your worried that people will think its of poor quality and made by Artisteer, pay someone with the design skills to satisfy you with a custom theme.

If you take away the made with Artisteer in the footer of the site, 99.999% of people will have no idea it was made with it.

That would be part of the header image having the same color as the background:
http://www.inspiredwordpressthemes.c...ges/Header.jpg

Definitely attractive work, but his sites still get mangled in the Google chrome browser.

It's a great idea and I was very impressed initially. However, when I checked out the blogs on the first site, I noticed that a number of them were completely unrelated to Mustang Parts. I'm thinking you've got a bad setting somewhere you might want to check. Otherwise, like I said - great idea and they look great.

I like Artisteer and have used it for some auto blogs in the past. I think the key is to make custom headers and footers along with good WP plugins to make the site not look like a template. This is one of mine done with Artisteer: Pontiac Directory

I think a good tip is to hide the space at the top and the bottom of an artisteer template, and instead make the background look like just two very thick bars on both sides.

I think that Artisteer works great for niche sites such as one I did recently about boats. The reason this one works great for small niche sites such as the one I did is that it quickly leads potential buyers to the money page without the interference of outgoing links. When using your own graphics for the header, an Artisteer designed site takes on a much more unique appearance. I wish I could show you the site but this is my first post.

Not really much to add that hasn't already been said.

I use Artisteer. I love it. I recommend it.

And my clients love it. Right now I only have four (I've been using it about a month) but they're all thrilled that I can make decent quality websites for the pricepoint.

BTW, my customers are restaurants.

Artisteer code is overly complicated. I'll just have to wait for Bud of The Templateer: Home to figure it out the puzzle and have an addon ready to fix up Artisteer v3 when it comes out (anyone who uses Artisteer should get The Templateer, otherwise don't bother buying Artisteer),honestly).