New potential theme idea.

[Meep3D]

I've been doing a bit of work on a new potential theme idea, trying to keep it brown but also keep it light and high-contrast. Let me know what you think, I could do with a bit of feedback! Thanks!

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Artwork/Incoming/Hardy/Alternate/Kerberos

[smartboyathome]

To me, it looks ok, but feels more like working with a very dull chrome than anything else.

[markp1989]

very nice

[xl_cheese]

I love the transparent scrollbars over the candycain troughs.

[Meep3D]

I love the transparent scrollbars over the candycain troughs.

Thanks! I've never tried to create a theme for Linux before and am not to familiar with the platform (gotta use Windows most of the time for Photoshop), so I am not entirely sure if half of what I have is even possible with the current theme engines.

If anyone has any specific comments or criticisms that would be good. It's hard to see the wood for the trees sometimes!

[omega_user]

I've been doing a bit of work on a new potential theme idea, trying to keep it brown but also keep it light and high-contrast. Let me know what you think, I could do with a bit of feedback! Thanks!

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Artwork/Incoming/Hardy/Alternate/Kerberos

For everyone's convenience, I'll just post the pictures (sorry if they're too large)

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Artwork/Incoming/Hardy/Alternate/Kerberos?action=AttachFile&do=get&target=style4wp.png
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Artwork/Incoming/Hardy/Alternate/Kerberos?action=AttachFile&do=get&target=style3.png

II like it. The lighter colors are nice, I also very much like the curves in the taskbar for selected items. The gradient for the buttons/window decorator is a little too big a gradient difference to me. I'd go for a smaller gradient to be more calming/appealing. The transparency is also beast. The only other thing I'd suggest is to reduce the white window border, or change it to transition into the wallpaper better, like a transparency gradient.

Nice work Meep

[exploder]

This is the best theme idea I have seen for Hardy! Your theme stays within the guidelines and has a very appealing look. You have used the colors very well, defiantly submit your theme for consideration!

This is the most realistic idea for a new look I have seen! Fantastic work!

[smartboyathome]

This might require the work of the pixmap engine (which the art team *really* doesn't want to use) or the SVG engine (which the art team may want to look into, but is buggy right now).

[SunnyRabbiera]

hmm, this does look better then the official concept for the most part, but again too brown for me... plus the cancel/allow thing is too vista like, ugh!!!

[smartboyathome]

hmm, this does look better then the official concept for the most part, but again too brown for me... plus the cancel/allow thing is too vista like, ugh!!!

Again, there is no "official" theme.

[vishzilla]

Quite good...Ubuntu should stand out in the way it looks!!!

[omega_user]

hmm, this does look better then the official concept for the most part, but again too brown for me... plus the cancel/allow thing is too vista like, ugh!!!

well, being vista-like isn't bad. Vista is a really nice looking OS, it's the functionality and affiliation with the Microsoft name that I hate it for. Being vista-like isn't bad, but Hardy should try to come up with it's own unique styles, and deviate itself from the Windows/Mac giants

I'm all for what vishzilla is saying:
Quite good...Ubuntu should stand out in the way it looks!!!
Uniqueness is key to make Hardy [and ubuntu as a whole] stand out and not just be a vista-osx splice. Personally though, I don't think it looks very vista-ish

[Wise Ferret]

I fully support this concept, and really hope to see it as a theme. It should definitely be submitted. Very well done!

[Wise Ferret]

I fully support this concept, and really want to use it as a theme. It should definitely be submitted. Very well done!

[odiseo77]

I've been doing a bit of work on a new potential theme idea, trying to keep it brown but also keep it light and high-contrast. Let me know what you think, I could do with a bit of feedback! Thanks!

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Artwork/Incoming/Hardy/Alternate/Kerberos

Wow! This must be one of the most beautiful themes I've seen in my years using gnome (and I've navigated through gnome-look.org a lot looking for nice themes). I even like how the brown looks in this theme; really beautiful (consider I don't like brown desktops and I always change the default brown theme for something else). Congratulations! :)

Could you post the link to the theme file when it's finished?

P.S.: I also like how the upper bar looks. Is it part of the theme?

[Meep3D]

hmm, this does look better then the official concept for the most part, but again too brown for me... plus the cancel/allow thing is too vista like, ugh!!!
It's just a concept since it only exists in Photoshop at the moment. I was trying to be funny when I named the buttons 'cancel' and 'allow' - I seriously doubt that little feature will make it off the drawing board! :)

[Meep3D]

II like it. The lighter colors are nice, I also very much like the curves in the taskbar for selected items. The gradient for the buttons/window decorator is a little too big a gradient difference to me. I'd go for a smaller gradient to be more calming/appealing. The transparency is also beast. The only other thing I'd suggest is to reduce the white window border, or change it to transition into the wallpaper better, like a transparency gradient.

Nice work Meep

Taking that on board I've fleshed it out a little, added some more elements and tweaked some of the colouring. I think it looks better.

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Artwork/Incoming/Hardy/Alternate/Kerberos for all or...

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Artwork/Incoming/Hardy/Alternate/Kerberos?action=AttachFile&do=get&target=style5.png

[CitroenC4]

This theme looks nice, and it would be good if the fonts used in this could actually be used. Although a minor thing I like the font used for the date/time, and its the detail that makes a great theme. Keep up the good work!

[tenkabuto]

It looks quite nice, the scrollbars are very rich looking and the gradient and tab color contrasts are very nice. The window borders are a little strong, though. Possibly release a normal and slim-border version?

[Meep3D]

Latest Update
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Artwork/Incoming/Hardy/Alternate/Kerberos?action=AttachFile&do=get&target=style6b.png

I've toned down the roundness, added a few more elements and fixed the scrollbars. Suggestions?

[smartboyathome]

That seems to be getting too intense to me when it comes to contrast (my eyes always focus to the buttons before anything else). Maybe tone down the contrast.

[Meep3D]

That seems to be getting too intense to me when it comes to contrast (my eyes always focus to the buttons before anything else). Maybe tone down the contrast.

Hmm yes you may have a point about the buttons. It seems to be my sticking point - they are always either too light or too dark. I'll see if I can fix something for the next version. Thanks!

[CTenorman]

Beautiful theme, please make sure it's submitted!! I'd love it as an optional download even if it isn't default! :)

[Presto123]

I think this is great! I would probably stick with this theme for a while if it was default. I have liked all versions that you made, too.

Good job!

[oomingmak]

This may sound really trivial, but the notification bubble design that you have included in your screenshots is absolute perfection (as far as I'm concerned). I know it's a minor point, but the one in Ubuntu really grates on me every time I see it (because it's so damn ugly) and yours is exactly how I think it should look.

With regards to the themes themselves; I prefer the first two, although in the first one I find the colouring on the task bar (window list) to be far too pink and totally unrelated to the shading on the rest of the theme.

In the second image, I like the colour of the notification bubble and active window. The colour blends better with the title bars and it makes the theme feel more integrated and coherent than the colder whiter colour of the first screenshot. However, the intense dark orange wallpaper (in the second image) does make the theme feel somewhat oppressive compared to the lighter more 'spacious' feel of the first.

What I don't like is the shading of the inactive window in the second screenshot. It's almost salmon pink, and again it's tonality seems to have little to do with the rest of the theme (which seems more geared to the Green side of the Magenta / Green colour axis).

[days_of_ruin]

nice except for the "cancel or allow"

[CAD-MAN]

I like!! :)

[Meep3D]

Another Update!

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Artwork/Incoming/Hardy/Alternate/Kerberos?action=AttachFile&do=get&target=style7.png

I've fixed the buttons, scrollbars, tweaked some things & changed the layout slightly. I think I've got most of the bugs out of it - ideas for polish would be appreciated!

[Meep3D]

This may sound really trivial, but the notification bubble design that you have included in your screenshots is absolute perfection (as far as I'm concerned). I know it's a minor point, but the one in Ubuntu really grates on me every time I see it (because it's so damn ugly) and yours is exactly how I think it should look.

Thanks! It took a few attempts to get it right.


With regards to the themes themselves; I prefer the first two, although in the first one I find the colouring on the task bar (window list) to be far too pink and totally unrelated to the shading on the rest of the theme.

In the second image, I like the colour of the notification bubble and active window. The colour blends better with the title bars and it makes the theme feel more integrated and coherent than the colder whiter colour of the first screenshot. However, the intense dark orange wallpaper (in the second image) does make the theme feel somewhat oppressive compared to the lighter more 'spacious' feel of the first.

What I don't like is the shading of the inactive window in the second screenshot. It's almost salmon pink, and again it's tonality seems to have little to do with the rest of the theme (which seems more geared to the Green side of the Magenta / Green colour axis).

I think you must have your monitor brightness turned right up. You are (hopefully were) right about the top and bottom bars - they had a slight tint towards red but it shouldn't have been obvious - I couldn't even see it.

The mode for unfocused windows is 80% transparent, although this may change, so if it was pink it was due to the wallpaper showing through. I have no idea how well this will work, or how feasible it is, so it may get the chop.

[MadsRH]

This looks very cool and I would just love to have the option of switching between the default Human and yours. I really love the Ubuntu logo icons in the conner above the File menu. :)
To me, it seems a bit heavy because of the brown colors on the window title and deffently the buttons (I think a lighter brown could solve it), anyway that is just my thoughts.

I'm looking forward to version 1.8 and please make sure it is submitted. Great work!

[graabein]

Looking mighty fine! My two cents;

Reduce the roundness and/or padding to scrollbar in scrollable window
Go back to the previous notification box, I don't like how it floats onto the desktop now
Skip the white/empty lines in application menu and do full line separators maybe with some gradient
Left alignment of application menu might be better than centred?


Good luck! Hope to see this included in Hardy!

[oomingmak]

You are (hopefully were) right about the top and bottom bars - they had a slight tint towards red but it shouldn't have been obvious - I couldn't even see it.
I think you've pretty much nailed the colour issues in your latest screenshot.

The tonality of focussed and unfocussed window title bars is entirely complimentary and works really well. The contrast between the two is slightly more pronounced than before (which is a good thing, as it more clearly distinguishes the active window). Panels are now less pink, but without entirely losing their warmth.

It's interesting what you've done with brightness / whiteness effect on the inactive windows (to give that slightly frosted effect) I've not seen that done much before (it's normally the usual suspects of straight saturation or a totally different colour). However, your approach is both different and effective.



The mode for unfocused windows is 80% transparent, although this may change, so if it was pink it was due to the wallpaper showing through. I have no idea how well this will work, or how feasible it is, so it may get the chop.

I'm glad to see that the active window menu is no longer transparent (which is a usability no-no for me). Transparency in inactive windows is one thing, but to have a menu of a window that you are currently working on, have its text obscured by showing through text from underneath, is taking 'form' over 'function' a bit too far (at least as far as I'm concerned). The transparency looks fine in the Excess Button window though. For transparency to work on active windows it really needs to be used sparingly and in conjunction with blurring (which would more than likely have to be supplied by the graphic card, as I'm assuming that there is no facility to define real-time underlying layer blur in a GTK skin).

Personally, I'm finding the general obsession with transparency quite tiresome and gimmicky. It's a fashion based on what has recently become technologically possible rather than what actually works well in terms of aesthetics and usability. The whole transparency thing reminds me a bit of when fonts first became freely available to home PC users (and suddenly everyone's CVs and newsletters started to look like ransom notes). Users can easily apply transparency for themselves, if they consider such things to constitute essential "eye candy".

My only minor issue is the fact that the background colour of the Applications menu appears to be 'colder' than the backgrounds of the other areas (even though it is actually not). It if were me, for the purposes of the illustrative shot at least, I'd probably 'cheat' down the Blue / Cyan a touch to make it visually tie in more with the menu of the active window and the colour of the notification speech bubble, but then that's just me. ;)

Finally, a personal preference of mine is to have 3D elements clearly defined, and it goes without saying that they also need to be spatially consistent. However, your 'button pushed' image still looks quite flat. Now, in and of itself this is not necessarily a bad thing, but when contrasted with the very raised curve of the selection on the Applications menu it just doesn't make sense from a 3D perspective. You may therefore wish to consider sinking the pushed button a bit deeper into the page, by working on the button border in addition to just changing the flat surface highlight. Your light source is clearly coming from due North, so it does beg the question why there is such a strong highlight along the top border of the 'button pushed' if it has been pressed in.

Just some suggestions for your consideration. Please ignore as you wish.

[graabein]

Finally, a personal preference of mine is to have 3D elements clearly defined, and it goes without saying that they also need to be spatially consistent. However, your 'button pushed' image still looks quite flat. Now, in and of itself this is not necessarily a bad thing, but when contrasted with the very raised curve of the selection on the Applications menu it just doesn't make sense from a 3D perspective. You may therefore wish to consider sinking the pushed button a bit deeper into the page, by working on the button border in addition to just changing the flat surface highlight. Your light source is clearly coming from due North, so it does beg the question why there is such a strong highlight along the top border of the 'button pushed' if it has been pressed in.

Good post oomingmak. I especially agree on this last note.

[Meep3D]

More updates!
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Artwork/Incoming/Hardy/Alternate/Kerberos
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Artwork/Incoming/Hardy/Alternate/Kerberos?action=AttachFile&do=get&target=style9.png[/QUOTE]

It's getting there! Anyone interested in helping to make it into a fully fledged theme?