Modify Colors
Just before Intrepid Ibex came out, I had a few things to say about the new artwork. In a last-minute switch, things improved a little, but I was still never impressed with Ubuntu Intrepid Ibex in the way that Fedora 10 or Ubuntu Hardy Heron impressed me. It seems we are barely even started into the new release cycle, yet I can already say there are some very promising choices. Below are a selection of my favorites: (A number are proposed specifically for the betas, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t be used.)
Jackalope Sketch
by Thorsten Wilms
Though currently quite simple, this soft sketch of a friendly-looking Jackalope definitely shows promise. At this point, it seems a little too simple (though perhaps this version could be included as a secondary option), but with a slightly textured background or, perhaps, a lightly sketched setting for the Jackalope, I can easily see this concept becoming an excellent background for Ubuntu Jaunty Jackalope. The current sketch seems to have slightly too obvious brush marks when viewed in full size, but that is a small detail that can easily be fixed. Overall, it looks like a promising concept for a background.
Oblivian’s Jaunty Wallpaper V.2
by oblivian516 (Dave Z)
This desktop background introduces some new colors to the typical brown and orange. It emphasizes the grey more than previous background, but, more importantly, it introduces green in to the mix. This is an interesting choice, since, on one hand, it is a completely new color, but, on the other hand, it maintains the basic feel and might help provide a fresh look. Like the previous one, I feel that this one needs a few more details across the page. The abstract feel is great, particularly the grass, but this should be expanded to in some way fill most of the screen. Additionally, I don’t think the glossy background goes well with the flat Jackalope in the foreground. Despite these minor criticisms, this would be an excellent background that would introduce a new color to Ubuntu.
Daniel’s Jaunty Wallpaper
by Daniel
Despite looking slightly less finished than the other possibilities here, I think this desktop background might be one of the most promising. It seems like the abstract animal theme has worked well before and it appears that it might work well again. The interesting texture of the horns really makes them stand out as they should. I also like the background a lot in this one. The swirls pull it together in a single spot without distracting too much from the main focus – the Jackalope. My only real complain about this are the legs. They appear to skew out in different directions, definitely not a natural position. Other than that, though, the entire piece looks great, particularly the abstract horns. Though it may not be apparent, they appear to be made of little pieces of another image, forming something like a Christmas tree, complete with sparkles in various places. This should definitely be a candidate for the final artwork, almost no matter what else is submitted. Then again, if the art submissions keep improving as much as they have, who knows what we will be seeing when Jaunty’s release nears.
Impression
by Unknown
This is not, unlike the others a desktop background, but rather, as you can see, a completely new theme. Why is it interesting? It does one of the best jobs of blending the traditional brown with a completely new look of anything I have seen. The only exceptions are some dark themes, but those don’t really count, as they are a completely different class. If Ubuntu Jaunty Jackalope is going to have a completely new look, this would be a good candidate for something that will make those who can’t stand brown happy, without completely destroying the traditional Ubuntu look. Obviously this would still have to be fleshed out a lot, but it is already looking great.
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These are the worst ever wallpapers I’ve seen. I hope this is a joke. Why so literal??? Canonical really could use the help of some decent graphic designers out there. Brown is a terrible colour choice. Microsoft and Apple both know what they’re doing because they have people who’s job it is to get those OS’s to look good. It doesn’t matter how “good” software is sometimes. Lots of users get put off by how something looks unfortunately no matter how “good” it is. Thankfully the wallpaper is something that is easily ditchable after a new install of Ubuntu! A plain black background is better than this rubbish.
Including the dust theme is a good start, Ubuntu should be aiming for the darker colors, more UPS like.
They *do* want to compete with MS. With apple I ‘m not sure (although there is evidence for that too), but the fact that the “foundational” bug #1 in ubuntu’s bugzilla (supposedly the most crucial bug that ubuntu was created to fix) was that MS has a larger market share. If that doesn’t look like willingness to compete, I don’t know what does
…who says ubuntu wants to compete with OSX or Win? It’s an alternative.. a smart and free (as in beer) alternative.
And then.. such hatred because of a wallpaper.. or a colour.. tststs… If you don’t like it just download one of the hundreds of themes available.. or get creative and make your own.. or be “open source minded” and improve one that is already there.. maybe others will like it, too.
)
I use Windows (for my company), OSX (for private use) and Ubuntu (to actually get work done) – they all have their weaknesses and strengths. There is no “perfect” OS (although OSX is pretty close – if you have the cash to afford the hardware…
Andreas
I’m just amazed at how crazy the fighting gets. There is nothing inherently wrong with blue, or brown, or green – and browns have their place. I do agree that an overall improvement in the system as a whole – to make it look more like a professionally built product – is important. Windows 7 is looming as a big threat, and we can’t assume that it will be as bad as Vista, and it should be better than XP
They do not look professional at all, but children will probably like them. If Ubuntu wants to compete with Mac or Windows 7 they need something that looks like a professional made it, not like it was created by some eager amateur programmer.
Are you kidding? Those wallpapers are garbage! Authors have no sense and taste to do a professional wallpaper. Those wallpapers can be used maybe for some kid-friendly OS, not for a professional OS Ubuntu wants to be. They should look at openSUSE how to do a professional artwork.
Ubuntu’s theme is HORRIBLE
Using KDE-I don’t have anything vested in this…but I am a sucker for a good wallpaper….
We can argue salient details until the cows come home, regarding theme color choices, textures, etc etc etc.
But, at the most fundamental level, I really don’t like how the subject is framed. In most of them.
Presumably-the subject is a jackalope. Yes?
-Most of these papers make VERY inefficient use of desktop space to present the subject of the image.
-Most have a big brown background with a tiny jackalope in the corner, seemingly as an afterthought. I doubt it is, but to my eye (that tends to be critical)-that is the impression I get.
I like the Miffan R3 on the Wiki page the best of all of them-it needs work, they all do, but it has the most potential starting from a good idea. It has the right idea. The others don’t, to be blunt.
-A good photo or image should leave no DOUBT as to what the viewer should be looking at and remembering, regardless of whether they know what a jackalope is or not.
-Also, and this is a BIG ISSUE, as a desktop wallpaper-I have a 22″ LCD panel 1680X1050 monitor–I don’t want a wallpaper that is entirely brown, with a tiny 100X100 pixel jackalope in the corner. This exemplifies the big problem of poor image framing. I want my wallpaper to show off my screen-all 22 inces of it.
As a reply to fab: the developers and the artists are two separate groups of people. It is a very rare thing that developers create artwork, and vice versa — and if they do, who’s to say that they shouldn’t do what they’re in the mood for at the time? But maybe one in fifty people are members of the two teams.
Guys, stop complaining. This IS how you compete with windows and Mac — you create a theme and develop. If you have any constructive criticism, post it on the Ubuntu Jaunty forums for the artists to see. http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=352
Other than that, be quiet. Saying that you don’t like it doesn’t help. Say what’s wrong and how it could be better – well, maybe were getting somewhere.
Please no more “poo brown” themes! Just redo the theme to something actually visually appealing!!!!!
Umm, I think there’s been a big mistake.
I didn’t make that theme that you credited me for, I commented on the wallpaper.
Again: I DID NOT CREATE THAT WALLPAPER. I CRITICIZED IT.
Please correct your mistake.
Those are fugly, I know that people replace those in most cases but the first impression is important, and brown wont cut it for that matter. Blue is already overly used by microsoft and silver is used by apple….so that leaves green,yellow,red…
These are really horrible!
Brown again? *sigh*
The first thing I do when I install an upgrade is change the theme – sorry but Ubuntu themes are fugly….
guys, don’t worry, as long as there are thousands of website where you can download wallpapers and also themes (or create your own ones), we shouldn’t really bother with the theme. canonical/ubuntu can accept it or not, they have their “artists” and we all know why. ubuntu is a program and not just a name, so it has to keep that brown/orange theme. it’s useless waiting for a blue/green/or whatever theme. and such a big fuss about a freaking wallpaper…why don’t the spend more time fixing bugs and developing tools that really work? add support for non frequent devices. much more important than artwork which in 95% of the cases will be changed anyway…
Is this a joke. A wallpaper is not the only thing considered as artwork. The over theme needs to be changed with new icons and stuff. By after since its inception Ubuntu has a theme that looks like crap (no pun intended given the color). Wallpapers are easily replaceable from various sites. Whats up with the sudden fascination with Ubuntu wallpapers which might I add is the first thing I replace anyways when there are far better ones available from gnome-look.org and kde-look.org. They even look more professional.
Give up the shitty brown!Please
um..you’re joking, right??
coz all i see is an bunny with horns in the usual crappy-brown ubuntu background..this is how will compete win7 and mac?
i will say it again. WE WANT NO-MORE CRAPPY-BROWN THEMES!
The 1st one by Thorsten Wilms is the best by far!
Looks completely childish!. Not something a business would want on their desktops. And Canonical wants to compete with MacOSX or Windows 7. Not with these wallpapers they won’t.
“If Ubuntu Jaunty Jackalope is going to have a completely new look, this would be a good candidate for something that will make those who can’t stand brown happy”
As a long time campaigner for brown to be dropped let me tell you that this theme is fugly as hell! It might even be worse than the current theme.
People hate the brown not because it is brown but because it is totally not slick, sexy, or modern. Any new theme used need to be those things and this proposed theme is not.
Thanks for the sneak peak. Intrepid was routinely criticized for its lack of original artwork. Too bad they don’t update the theme, though. I am not a fan of brown and orange. Perhaps they could use something like Impression or even go farther and dispense with brown and orange altogether. Not a chance, but we can always hope that they will at least tone it down or moderate it with another colour.
Not. good. They needn’t be so literal with the wallpaper. I don’t think anyone would stick with the default “jackalope” design. Why not just include some nicer selections of wallpaper and maybe one with an ubuntu logo abstract as the default…
I’m still not to keen on the fact that the animal for 9.04 is a myth evolved from diseased/mutated rabbits.
The wallpaper of Interbid Ibex (8.10) is very cool. Its texture is excellent and gives a very nice tribal effect. The 3rd wallpaper seems the most promising if it is textured in the likes of Interpid. For the them, I still can’t understand why WILLIBEX theme isn’t offered even as an option. It is the easiest theme on the eye by far (this soft yellow and brown combination is awesome and doesn’t tire your eyes) and can’t be accused by Trolls as a Mac or Vista rip-off.
Can anyone explain the Ubuntu facination with colors from the bottom of the toilet?
Why the big deal? Wallpaper is the first thing that gets replaced after every install/upgrade.
Oops. Fixed. No need to tell me twice.