Apparently I’ve been living under rock and didn’t realize a new tutorial ebook has published on how to make a Tumblr theme called “Theme Tumblr Like a Pro“, by Jeffery Way (at NetTuts). Now if you have read my post on How to Make a Tumblr Theme, then you should be familiar with that name already. He is the mysterious voice behind the Tumblr video tutorial located on the NetTuts. He decided to take his very  popular Tumblr Tutorial series one step further by creating a complete guide for newbie Tumblr Themers.

This is the most complete Tumblr resource book I have seen thus far. No one else has even DARED to create a Tumblr Theme Tutorial because of how intense it can be. Not only do you need a clear understanding of HTML/CSS, you will need a firm grasp of Tumblr’s custom codes and some sense of design.

Is this book better than the NetTuts Tumblr Tutorial series?

Well … yes. My biggest frustration with the NetTuts Tumblr video tutorial series is that after I finished my theme and I tried to submit my theme to Tumblr’s Theme Garden I missed a few steps and custom codes which I needed to get my theme approved. Luckily I was able to fix the problems with my Tumblr theme because of all the great information Jeffery provided, but key parts were missing. These essential elements however, are covered in the book.

Also I like the fact that with the book you can follow along with the video. With the original Tumblr video tutorial I found myself pausing and rewinding frequently to help keep up with Jeffery. He moved kind of fast through the steps, which made it tough to follow along at times.

How much does it cost?

The cost of the book is $29. Yes, it costs a bit more than the How to Make a Tumblr Theme video tutorial (which only cost’s $9), but you also get more. You get the ebook, original source files to work from and the video series. So like I said, it costs a bit more BUT, you don’t have to sign up for a subscription at NetTuts to get the tutorial, especially if you are the type that will forget to cancel the $9 payment before the next billing cycle.

What else comes in Theme Tumblr Like a Pro tutorial series?

• The fundamentals: template tags, basic structure
• Blocks
• The various post types and variables
• Build a theme
• Working with the Tumblr API
• Passing Tumblr-specific values to your JavaScript
• Adding enhanced functionality with JavaScript and the API
• A plethora of miscellaneous recipes
• Working with custom meta types to create an options panel, which then provides maximum flexibility for the user of the theme
• And plenty more…

Did you buy the book?

Yes I did. I like to try out everything I buy before I recommend it. After I made my first Tumblr theme, I realized there was still alot more I needed to know about how to make a Tumblr theme. I have a few new ideas I’m working on and I’ll update this page, once I have something to show off! lol

Click here to buy your copy of the “Theme Tumblr Like a Pro” tutorial series.

Are there any other books you recommend?

Yes! If you are new to web design, Photoshop or HTML/CSS, you should strongly consider adding the following tutorial books to your home library.

• Photoshop to Html ($29) – In “Photoshop to HTML ”, Nettuts+ editor Jeffrey Way takes you through the entire process of converting a design from Photoshop into a complete HTML /CSS website! But this is NOT just an eBook. It also comes packed with extras! You also get a directory of Photoshop, HTML and CSS files for you to use as you work through the book AND a series of 14 screencasts covering the whole project from beginning to end.
• Mastering Photoshop ($20) – Mastering Photoshop is written for advanced and intermediate designers who want to brush up on their workflow and improve their Photoshop skills. The eBook contains 178 pages, explaining fundamental techniques that Web designers need to know to produce high-quality work in Photoshop.
• How to Build a Succesful Blog Business ($39) – How to Build a Successful Blog Business is a straight forward guide to building a publishing business online that covers everything from choosing a niche to hiring staff, registering a business to selling it, finding traffic to monetizing it.

I know you’re looking at the prices and shaking your heads, right? But consider this web design is a growing field (especially since I’ve been a successful designer for more than 10 years), Tumblr (and their themes) have grown and a newbie web designer can easily create a steady stream of income buy selling Tumblr designs. Designers on NetTuts can easily make a few thousand dollars a month selling themes. In addition, selling Tumblr themes has become so popular, that even Tumblr has created a premium themes section, where users can purchase top notch Tumblr themes.

With the unexpected popularity of my first Tumbr them “Be Original“, I’ve even considered becoming a professional theme designer myself!

So good luck! If any of you try out the tutorial and have a theme you want to share, feel free to contact me. I would love to post it in my Free Tumblr Templates section! (Even if it doesn’t make it into Tumbr Theme Garden!)