[opensuse-artwork] Re: [opensuse-project] Design Ideas 12.3 Results
On Sat, 2012-12-01 at 14:25 -0700, Andres Silva wrote:
1. Simplicity 2. Clarity 3. Impact/Memorable 4. Unity
Hi Andres, I think it's key to find the right balance between the four themes. In my interpretation, too much of any one is undesirable. Visual simplicity is the opposite of visual clutter. There shouldn't be too much going on in the theme. Color should be limited to shades of green and (optionally) something complimentary. Simplicity encourages professionalism, which is a must for our themes. The ultimate form of simplicity would be a monochrome background, but that would be too much simplicity. The 12.2 theme is a strong example of simplicity because there's not much going on: it's green, with a few spots that are less-green, and that's it. You might think that clarity is a synonym of simplicity, but it is actually the opposite of subtlety. The 12.2 artwork is a poor example of clarity, because the lighter splotches of green epitomize subtlety. I question whether clarity should be a goal at all, since I prefer subtlety to clarity. Clarity can work too, though: the 12.1 theme was a strong example of clarity over subtlety. Impact and memorability - the "wow factor" - is the opposite of simplicity. If the user says wow and doesn't change the default background, then the art has made its impact. But what wows some users will not wow others - e.g. the Plymouth floaty fuzzy balls - so impact is also risk. Without impact, the art will be boring, but with too much, it will be considered ugly and unprofessional. Impact and simplicity are conflicting ends that must be balanced. Lastly, unity is focus. There should be one main idea. The GRUB theme should match the Plymouth splash which should match the desktop background which should match the custom brandings (LibreOffice, GIMP). The 12.2 GRUB theme failed in this regard, since it was too separate from the other themes. At the same time, too much unity is bad: the brandings should stand out somewhat from the desktop background, and the bootloader should be visually distinct from the desktop. But they must all still convey the same unifying idea. -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-artwork+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse-artwork+owner@opensuse.org
On 12/01/2012 04:33 PM, Michael Catanzaro wrote:
On Sat, 2012-12-01 at 14:25 -0700, Andres Silva wrote:
1. Simplicity 2. Clarity 3. Impact/Memorable 4. Unity Hi Andres,
I think it's key to find the right balance between the four themes. In my interpretation, too much of any one is undesirable.
Visual simplicity is the opposite of visual clutter. There shouldn't be too much going on in the theme. Color should be limited to shades of green and (optionally) something complimentary. Simplicity encourages professionalism, which is a must for our themes. The ultimate form of simplicity would be a monochrome background, but that would be too much simplicity. The 12.2 theme is a strong example of simplicity because there's not much going on: it's green, with a few spots that are less-green, and that's it.
You might think that clarity is a synonym of simplicity, but it is actually the opposite of subtlety. The 12.2 artwork is a poor example of clarity, because the lighter splotches of green epitomize subtlety. I question whether clarity should be a goal at all, since I prefer subtlety to clarity. Clarity can work too, though: the 12.1 theme was a strong example of clarity over subtlety.
Impact and memorability - the "wow factor" - is the opposite of simplicity. If the user says wow and doesn't change the default background, then the art has made its impact. But what wows some users will not wow others - e.g. the Plymouth floaty fuzzy balls - so impact is also risk. Without impact, the art will be boring, but with too much, it will be considered ugly and unprofessional. Impact and simplicity are conflicting ends that must be balanced.
Lastly, unity is focus. There should be one main idea. The GRUB theme should match the Plymouth splash which should match the desktop background which should match the custom brandings (LibreOffice, GIMP). The 12.2 GRUB theme failed in this regard, since it was too separate from the other themes. At the same time, too much unity is bad: the brandings should stand out somewhat from the desktop background, and the bootloader should be visually distinct from the desktop. But they must all still convey the same unifying idea.
I definitively like this assessment. It is clearcut and understandable. I agree that it is something that can be worked out if there is not too much of one element or theme. The clarity point for me, seems to be more about powerful visual cues that tell the user, you are in an openSUSE environment. It does not have to be overbearing and it can be subtle. This alway reminds me, for example, about wallpapers that deal with minimalism and typography. They carry a clear message and, when styled smartly, they show subtlety. This clarity principle could also apply to the rest of the gui. Gnome for example, tries to show clarity by reducing the amount of options in their gui and making their options more powerful and understanding. Let's keep this discussion open and see what more can the community help in defining these concepts. Andy (anditosan) -- To unsubscribe, e-mail: opensuse-artwork+unsubscribe@opensuse.org To contact the owner, e-mail: opensuse-artwork+owner@opensuse.org
participants (2)
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Andy (anditosan) -
Michael Catanzaro