This is still a teaser for everyone who isn’t a wp-tester, but it just has to be done. WP 1.6 Alpha now sports a dynamic header generator. Rather than choose from a stock set of colored images, the user will be able to select colors from a palette or enter their hex values (#FF0000 for RED) and they will have their very own image created by their server. The font color is also selectable and the user can toggle the header text on and off.
If you don’t have your own nightly build of WordPress 1.6 Alpha, you can still play around with the image generator, hosted by my personal site, and manipulating the colors:
I could go on and on… these are so easy to make! If you want to make your own and save it on your web server as kubrickheader.jpg, I won’t mind. 
September 24, 2005 at 7:13 am
I had an idea for a php gradient generator a long time ago, but i never knew anything about server-side image manipulation. Is this one powered by GD, or is it imagemagick or something?
Looks pretty rad to say the least.
September 24, 2005 at 7:17 am
It’s powered by GD. On my testing site, which sits on a small corner of a shared server, I have set up a little benchmark. It takes the same arguments as header-img.php but instead of sending back an image, it tells you the size of the image and how long it took to generate. My laptop performs better than that shared server, but it’s still not too bad. The image can also be cache by proxies and clients.
September 24, 2005 at 1:36 pm
[...] Andy Skeletons “dynamic header generator“, zu bewundern in der aktuellen WordPress 1.6 Alpha Version. [...]
September 24, 2005 at 4:06 pm
[...] Go get the scoop from Andy. We committed this last night. Tired of Kubrick blue? Clicky-clicky now it’s red. [...]
September 24, 2005 at 5:55 pm
this is cool! you know i was just wondering if there’s something like that for wordpress! although I want it to do even more, like taking images from entries of a category or categories and generate a thumbnail mosaic out of it which forms the name of the blog. que?
ie.:
1. take 20 (user definable number) most recent blog entries under category “xyz” (only those with images (meeting required size) are chosen)
2. the images are transformed into thumbnails (choose from various sizes)
3. thumbnails are arranged into a mosaic with different brightness values
4. mosaic forms the name of the blog (or whatever word the user specifies)
that way the header will always
a) show what’s new in thumbnails
b) have a slightly different header pic and
c) is fully automated
that would be sooooo cool.
anyway, I’m rambling. Can’t wait to try out wp 1.6!
September 24, 2005 at 5:58 pm
you should aslo integrate a random image generator so you get a new kubrick every time!
September 25, 2005 at 12:50 am
Done it with a blog template once. Looked awesome. It loaded the page in a new colour every time it was loaded. T’is a nice idea
September 25, 2005 at 1:31 am
Arg… you’re gonna make me go digging through pages and pages of source code to write a plugin for WP 1.5 to do this? What kind of pal are you teasing us, huh?
September 25, 2005 at 2:43 am
[...] Andy Skelton has added a Custom Kubrick Header Art Switcher to the development of WordPress 1.6. This handy feature will allow users of the Kubrick/Default WordPress Theme to quick switch their header art to change the look of their site. [...]
September 25, 2005 at 6:48 pm
[...] Andy has done some great work. If only it included the ability to completely change the header image too. Some more work for you Andy for a version 2. [...]
September 26, 2005 at 12:50 pm
Andy, can we get this to change the default link colour too?
Thanks!
September 26, 2005 at 7:54 pm
[...] Speaking of sliced bread. WordPress 1.6 Alpha got a nice bump with custom Kubrick headers from Andy Skelton. Tags: WordPress, blogger, Extended Live Archives, Kubrick [...]
September 26, 2005 at 11:31 pm
Kubrick Fun
I offer no apologies for taking part in the Kubrick Custom Header fun that’s going around lately. I frequently change my layout and there’s nothing quite like having the option to customise your output, even if it is only minor alterations…
September 27, 2005 at 11:26 am
Yes! Template customisation has come to wordpress.com
Warmly welcomed, thankyou
September 27, 2005 at 4:57 pm
Why the hell is it out of service?! T_T
September 27, 2005 at 5:38 pm
Now, will it do random changes? Colors and such? My blog box is still being shipped to our data center, so I don’t get to play for another couple days!
September 30, 2005 at 10:55 am
[...] Feed from: Andy Skelton [...]
September 30, 2005 at 5:58 pm
Nice work Andy.
Now make it so we can upload a kubrickheader.jpg using your nifty new uploader.
Little baby steps towards solving the issue of uncustomizable themes… if only they would give us proper theme support!
October 12, 2005 at 4:50 am
I like it a lot as well, what a difference a cool header can make
October 25, 2005 at 2:00 pm
[...] The WordPress.com feature that is really quite innovative in a very simple way is the Custom Kubrick Headers feature. So simple, yet so perfect. [...]
November 28, 2005 at 9:13 pm
thanks for the work. will give it a go if i stay with the kubrick header.
December 19, 2005 at 12:38 am
Great work guys!
December 25, 2005 at 2:34 am
Fully agree with you. This work very useful.
February 25, 2006 at 10:14 pm
[...] Custom Kubrick or Default Theme Headers are now live for wordpress.com users. Donncha has turned this function on in the Presentation Panel, and you can see it only if you are using the Default/Kubrick Theme. As mentioned, the Kubrick Header Switcher was developed by Andy Skelton for WordPress 1.6, the alpha-stage next version of WordPress. [...]