[ubuntu-art] Matte for the next release?

[Who]

Hi all,

Seeing as Kenneth says that this is the time to suggest ideas to be
taken in to account when the final artwork direction is decided I
would like to start some discussion of the merits of using a matte
theme (with small glossy elements/highlights) for the next release of
Ubuntu

I'd love anyone who has ideas on why this is a good or bad idea to
chime in. I'll list a few of my own to get discussion started

I'm suggesting it, so I'll list why I think it's a good idea to go mainly matte.

Problems with Glossyness:
1. It's been DONE (by Ubuntu and by everyone else)
--- Shiny themes have been done and are everywhere now. Ubuntu's
design wants to STAND OUT, and we want to make a new chapter in
Ubuntu's design! OsX used to be king of gloss, but in Leopard we see
Apple shifting away from it  (but admittedly not quite being able to
let go).

2. It's DISTRACTING
--- Shinnyness is _distracting_ from the what you are working on.
GNOME is designed not to get in your way while you do your work, but
shinny things that cry out for your attention minimise it's
effectiveness in doing this

3. It's not (very) TANGO Compliant
--- Tango guidelines ask only for things that are glossy in real life
to be glossy. Given that more and more applications are adopting Tango
icons we are giving ourselves a much larger job if we create a theme
that Tango doesn't fit in to, because for total consistency we have to
re-theme all the applications.

4. It feels LESS REALISTIC
--- As Tango guidelines point out, real surfaces are rarely glossy...
Using icons that represent real objects helps people intuitively use
applications and understand icons, adding gloss somewhat detracts from
this. It leads to 'cartoon' design in many cases.

Nice things about matte themes
1. They can be SOFTER
--- contrast in a matte theme can be lower, so the whole set of
widgets is easier to look at ('easier on the eyes'). It makes the
interface feel more human, to me...

2. BROWN and Matte > Brown and glossy
--- One of the contradictions in Ubuntu UI policy seems to be the
difficulty of brown vs orange. One of the reasons we have this is
becasue brown does not look good glossy, and orange does! If Ubuntu is
going to stay brown using a matte theme allows the designers more
scope and allows for greater colour consistency. Brown isn't a very
glossy colour

3. Textures are often matte
-- Elephants, for example ;)


There are some really original ones around (yes, so I'm sure there are
orignal glossy ones around too, please post them if you find them :)

After some trawling, here we go
Just the _buttons_ on this theme are beautiful:
http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Aurora+Sand?content=69773
Someone called 'Lyrae' has a whole host of similar (awesome and
original) matte/square themes:
http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Reuben?content=55876
http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Nova?content=57310
http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Fawn?content=58426
http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Calla?content=52297

This 'wooden' is kind cool
http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Muku+GTK?content=59034

So is the Clearlooks theme from Breezy
http://www.phoronix.net/image.php?id=218&image=ubuntu_breezyc2_14_lrg

Nodoka, is a nice theme engine to use
http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Nodoka+GTK%2B+Engine?content=64604

So, let's have a discussion about it - what do people think?