[openbeos] Re: Icon Artwork
- From: "Stephan Assmus" <superstippi@xxxxxx>
- To: openbeos@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 29 Jul 2006 00:53:59 +0200
Hi Curtis,
> >We Haiku developers agree on the fact that Haiku cannot be officially
> >released with the original BeOS R5 icons. For this reason, all icons
> >within Haiku need to be original artwork.
>
> Is this in fact official final word. I've seen posts in the past that
> contradict.
I don't remember the arguments for that, maybe these posts date back to before
I joined the project? If there are some arguments why we can safely use the
original BeOS icons, could someone point me to that discussion? All I know is
that I have brought this up at IRC meetings and the general agreement was that
we had to design our own icons, IIRC.
> >However, as things progress, I am
> >confident that we can use vector icons in R1 without the associated
> >drawbacks.
>
> Is this just a projection, or definitive decision?
Well, it is not fact yet, so in that sense it is a projection. But seeing that
a) I already wrote Icon-O-Matic to be a vector icon editor, and b) have shown
that the icons are smaller than the original bitmap icons, I don't see what is
really standing in the way.
> If I understand correctly, tracker still needs to updated to
> support this.
That is true, but it has been done before, for example in Michael Lotz' SVG
capable version of Tracker NewFS. Michael has already pointed out the places
which would need changing. I would guess the hard part is already behind me/us,
except for creating all the icons.
> Will the icons still be limited to the 8-bit system palette?
Obviously not. Where would be the point in that?
> Some of the icon designs I've seen don't translate well because of color
> gradients that don't work on the existing palette.
Nothing to worry about in this regard. The challenge is more to provide crisp
looking icons at smaller sizes.
> One of the biggest problems for the people doing the creative
> design is a lack of solid guidelines.
Yes, this will be the challenge from the artistic perspective. I see two
options: Either we stick relatively closely to the original BeOS icons, in the
way ZETA does it. Or I would propose that anyone interested in designing icons
should provide one or more basic sets of icons following a certain "style".
Like, say, a few of the bundled apps icons (StyledEdit, SoundRecorder, Screen
Prefs?), folder, text document, image document, and AVI clip maybe? He/she
should give a description of what the style is about in written words. Then we
can pick the best looking one from the hundreds of proposed designs :-) and get
to work on the complete set.
> I've been trying to put together some based on previous information, but
> now have conflicting information.
Well, I really hope that I have provided convincing arguments for taking the
vector route now.
> Can I have permission to use some of the information you posted for
> guideline page and posting to the forums?
Lets wait with the guidelines until we have found a nice design or until we
have decided to stick with the original BeOS look. I will work on some icons in
the next days (hopefully) and I hope other people will have a look at the
archive I posted as well. :-)
Best regards,
-Stephan
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