Kubuntu Gutsy wallpaper discussion

Dear List,
the feature freeze is getting closer, so I spent a moment
thinking
about non-development stuff a bit, namely the current
Kubuntu Gutsy
wallpaper.

I think the pattern in it is not a bad one, but the colour
used is not
really good for daily use. I think it's too bright. I would
really go
for a darker shade of blue or another similar colour.

I'm not an art expert, so I think the best way to find out
whether the
people will (dis)like the background is to ask them. So I'd
like to
ask you:

What do you think about the current wallpaper?

I think it's really important to know your opinion to refine
and
improve the artwork, because even though we're developers,
when it
comes to art, we're mostly on the same level as the users.

Here is a link to the current Gutsy wallpaper (to refresh
your memory) :
http://mhb.ath.cx/blog/wp-content/uploads
/2007/08/kubuntu-wallpaper.png

Thanks,
Martin Böhm

PS: Ken, I hope you won't be angry at me for this 

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Hi Martin,

Great idea to write it out to the list... I would like to
see something 
like nature photos, but unfortunately I dont think its in
everyones 
taste. So...

I have collected a few good (I think so) contenders for
wallpaper:

http://
enhance-it.dk/wallpaper/37708-palm.svg (green)
ht
tp://enhance-it.dk/wallpaper/colorwaves-BLUE.jpg (blue -
dark)
http://en
hance-it.dk/wallpaper/pic-3972.jpg (blue - light
streaks)

Maybe these can be adapted or inspire kwii..

Kind regards,
Stefan Skotte

Martin Böhm wrote:
> Dear List,
> the feature freeze is getting closer, so I spent a
moment thinking
> about non-development stuff a bit, namely the current
Kubuntu Gutsy
> wallpaper.
> 
> I think the pattern in it is not a bad one, but the
colour used is not
> really good for daily use. I think it's too bright. I
would really go
> for a darker shade of blue or another similar colour.
> 
> I'm not an art expert, so I think the best way to find
out whether the
> people will (dis)like the background is to ask them. So
I'd like to
> ask you:
> 
> What do you think about the current wallpaper?
> 
> I think it's really important to know your opinion to
refine and
> improve the artwork, because even though we're
developers, when it
> comes to art, we're mostly on the same level as the
users.
> 
> Here is a link to the current Gutsy wallpaper (to
refresh your memory) :
> http://mhb.ath.cx/blog/wp-content/uploads
/2007/08/kubuntu-wallpaper.png
> 
> Thanks,
> Martin Böhm
> 
> PS: Ken, I hope you won't be angry at me for this 
> 


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On Wednesday 15 August 2007 06:12:36 Stefan Skotte wrote:
> Hi Martin,
>
> Great idea to write it out to the list... I would like
to see something
> like nature photos, but unfortunately I dont think its
in everyones
> taste. So...
>
> I have collected a few good (I think so) contenders for
wallpaper:
>
> http://
enhance-it.dk/wallpaper/37708-palm.svg (green)
> ht
tp://enhance-it.dk/wallpaper/colorwaves-BLUE.jpg (blue -
dark)
> http://en
hance-it.dk/wallpaper/pic-3972.jpg (blue - light
streaks)
>
> Maybe these can be adapted or inspire kwii..
>
> Kind regards,
> Stefan Skotte
>
> Martin Böhm wrote:
> > Dear List,
> > the feature freeze is getting closer, so I spent a
moment thinking
> > about non-development stuff a bit, namely the
current Kubuntu Gutsy
> > wallpaper.
> >
> > I think the pattern in it is not a bad one, but
the colour used is not
> > really good for daily use. I think it's too
bright. I would really go
> > for a darker shade of blue or another similar
colour.
> >
> > I'm not an art expert, so I think the best way to
find out whether the
> > people will (dis)like the background is to ask
them. So I'd like to
> > ask you:
> >
> > What do you think about the current wallpaper?
> >
> > I think it's really important to know your opinion
to refine and
> > improve the artwork, because even though we're
developers, when it
> > comes to art, we're mostly on the same level as
the users.
> >
> > Here is a link to the current Gutsy wallpaper (to
refresh your memory) :
> > http://mhb.ath.cx/blog/wp-content/uploads
/2007/08/kubuntu-wallpaper.png
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Martin Böhm
> >
> > PS: Ken, I hope you won't be angry at me for this


These look pretty good, but I would like to remind folks
that widescreens are 
really becoming more and more common.  I'm not sure about
other countries, 
but in the US it seems like more and more manufacturers are
moving to 
widescreen displays.  It seems like we have previously
considered widescreen 
displays to be exceptions, and it does seem like it's
becoming more of the 
norm.  All of these backgrounds look great, but it would be
nice to see some 
widescreen ones come out.

</2-cents>

-- 
~ Michael D. Stemle, Jr. <><
(A)bort, (R)etry, (I)nfluence with large hammer
09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0


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On Wednesday 15 August 2007 12:56:22 Martin Böhm wrote:
> Dear List,
> the feature freeze is getting closer, so I spent a
moment thinking
> about non-development stuff a bit, namely the current
Kubuntu Gutsy
> wallpaper.
>
> I think the pattern in it is not a bad one, but the
colour used is not
> really good for daily use. I think it's too bright. I
would really go
> for a darker shade of blue or another similar colour.

The SVG for the wallpaper is available under 
http://sinecera.
de/gutsy_kubuntu.svg

Feel free to tweak things as you like and submit your ideas.
The shade of blue 
used in the current artwork is in no way a done deal but I
probably won't 
have enough time to do much more in terms of Kubuntu artwork
for Gutsy.

As far as widescreen pics go, there is no reason you cannot
have them. Simply 
export the SVG at the desired size (the curves should scale
pretty well) and 
then make sure that they get used when needed.

Ken

P.S. I would really like it if someone could tweak the
usplash so the the 
throbber_fore.png has a much lighter line around it than it
currently uses. 
To do this one has to open the pic in gimp, open the
colormap dialog, pick a 
color and then replace the outer line by selecting it,
sharpening the 
selection and filling it with the new color you chose from
the colormap.

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On Wednesday 15 August 2007 05:56, Martin Böhm wrote:
> Dear List,
> the feature freeze is getting closer, so I spent a
moment thinking
> about non-development stuff a bit, namely the current
Kubuntu Gutsy
> wallpaper.
>
> I think the pattern in it is not a bad one, but the
colour used is not
> really good for daily use. I think it's too bright. I
would really go
> for a darker shade of blue or another similar colour.
>
> I'm not an art expert, so I think the best way to find
out whether the
> people will (dis)like the background is to ask them. So
I'd like to
> ask you:
>
> What do you think about the current wallpaper?

I actually like it a bit lighter.   If'm outvoted that won't
stop me from 
using Kubuntu.    I'm also
in favor of some widescreen wallpaper. 

Dave Thacker
Admin, Ubuntu Nebraska Loco Team


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Thank you all very much for your comments and ideas.

1. It seems that the main problem with our artwork lies in
the tiny
(perhaps non-existent?) Kubuntu art community. Michael
(manchicken)
expressed it very nicely. We like shiny, but we are
developers with
little or no expertise in artwork design. We can probably
decide if
the new artwork is an improvement or not, but we (at least I
do) lack
the skill to create innovative graphic artwork.

I think we should try to find/create a "core" of
such Kubuntu art
community - a group of two or three people who are able to
design
artwork (and build up on the artwork that Ken started).
Kubuntu is a
community project (perhaps even a bit more so than Ubuntu
is), so
there is really room for such community
"artworkers".

What do you think? If you agree with me, what should we do
in order to
find those Kubuntu art volunteers? There is plenty of ideas,
like
mailing the ubuntu-art mailing list, or asking at the
forums,
kubuntu-users mailing lists and so on.

2. I like the idea of adding the default wallpaper in
different
colours (or other wallpapers from kde-look.org) into the
Kubuntu
wallpaper collection. I hope it will be technically possible
to get
them into Kubuntu yet.

Martin

2007/8/16, Dave Thacker <dthacker9cox.net>:
> On Wednesday 15 August 2007 05:56, Martin Böhm wrote:
> > Dear List,
> > the feature freeze is getting closer, so I spent a
moment thinking
> > about non-development stuff a bit, namely the
current Kubuntu Gutsy
> > wallpaper.
> >
> > I think the pattern in it is not a bad one, but
the colour used is not
> > really good for daily use. I think it's too
bright. I would really go
> > for a darker shade of blue or another similar
colour.
> >
> > I'm not an art expert, so I think the best way to
find out whether the
> > people will (dis)like the background is to ask
them. So I'd like to
> > ask you:
> >
> > What do you think about the current wallpaper?
>
> I actually like it a bit lighter.   If'm outvoted that
won't stop me from
> using Kubuntu.    I'm also
in favor of some widescreen wallpaper.
>
> Dave Thacker
> Admin, Ubuntu Nebraska Loco Team
>
>
> --
> kubuntu-devel mailing list
> kubuntu-devellists.ubuntu.com
> Modify settings or unsubscribe at: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/kubuntu-devel
>

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On Thursday 16 August 2007 09:52:43 Martin Böhm wrote:
> Thank you all very much for your comments and ideas.
>
> 1. It seems that the main problem with our artwork lies
in the tiny
> (perhaps non-existent?) Kubuntu art community. Michael
(manchicken)
> expressed it very nicely. We like shiny, but we are
developers with
> little or no expertise in artwork design. We can
probably decide if
> the new artwork is an improvement or not, but we (at
least I do) lack
> the skill to create innovative graphic artwork.
>
> I think we should try to find/create a "core"
of such Kubuntu art
> community - a group of two or three people who are able
to design
> artwork (and build up on the artwork that Ken started).
Kubuntu is a
> community project (perhaps even a bit more so than
Ubuntu is), so
> there is really room for such community
"artworkers".
>
> What do you think? If you agree with me, what should we
do in order to
> find those Kubuntu art volunteers? There is plenty of
ideas, like
> mailing the ubuntu-art mailing list, or asking at the
forums,
> kubuntu-users mailing lists and so on.
>
> 2. I like the idea of adding the default wallpaper in
different
> colours (or other wallpapers from kde-look.org) into
the Kubuntu
> wallpaper collection. I hope it will be technically
possible to get
> them into Kubuntu yet.
>
> Martin
>
> 2007/8/16, Dave Thacker <dthacker9cox.net>:
> > On Wednesday 15 August 2007 05:56, Martin Böhm
wrote:
> > > Dear List,
> > > the feature freeze is getting closer, so I
spent a moment thinking
> > > about non-development stuff a bit, namely the
current Kubuntu Gutsy
> > > wallpaper.
> > >
> > > I think the pattern in it is not a bad one,
but the colour used is not
> > > really good for daily use. I think it's too
bright. I would really go
> > > for a darker shade of blue or another similar
colour.
> > >
> > > I'm not an art expert, so I think the best
way to find out whether the
> > > people will (dis)like the background is to
ask them. So I'd like to
> > > ask you:
> > >
> > > What do you think about the current
wallpaper?
> >
> > I actually like it a bit lighter.   If'm outvoted
that won't stop me from
> > using Kubuntu.    I'm also
in favor of some widescreen wallpaper.
> >
> > Dave Thacker
> > Admin, Ubuntu Nebraska Loco Team
> >
> >
> > --
> > kubuntu-devel mailing list
> > kubuntu-devellists.ubuntu.com
> > Modify settings or unsubscribe at:
> > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/kubuntu-devel

I propose an artwork bounty.  A pre-determined number of $10
bounties for good 
wallpaper that gets included by a panel of judges.  I think
that'd be neat, 
and if folks like that idea, then I'd like to be the first
to put up for one 
of those bounties.  I'll commit to paying two such
bounties.

In the GNU Manifesto--not necessarily the greatest
philosophical work of all 
time, but certainly a relevent one in this case--RMS
describes a system of 
bounties that could encourage further development where some
isn't already 
taking place.  I think if we announced a series of bounties
then we could 
very likely attract some new talent.  I for one am willing
to put my money 
where my mouth is on this one.

If we don't agree to this, maybe a handful of folks would be
willing to go and 
purchase the rights to have the works (A)GPL'ed and
submitted for inclusion.

I think we've all pretty much agreed that SVG is the way we
want to have the 
art included.

Okay, enough of me talking.  Feedback?

-- 
~ Michael D. Stemle, Jr. <><
(A)bort, (R)etry, (I)nfluence with large hammer
09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0


Please avoid sending me Word or PowerPoint attachments.
See http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/no-word-attachments.html


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