FlorentRevest
commented
6 years ago Hi, I will let you update this issue as you discover and document problems with the current wallpapers. Please, remember to document your findings in a "contribution" paragraph of the README.md when you'll be preparing a PR for this repository. For now, I do agree with most of your proposals but I still believe we can have great geometric grayscale wallpapers. (for example, the default flatmesh is a reference when it comes to readability) Also, as you go through your research, please take a look at "texture photographies" as a possible source of good wallpapers. This is just an idea, you don't have to concentrate on that or even to follow it at all.
eLtMosen
While building up a new collection of wallpapers and develop guidelines (asked by kido) from those selections it became obvious to me that many of the current wallpapers do not meet certain criteria required when combining text with background graphics. In development of those guidelines i'll collect findings here until something definate evolves. Also, before adding new wallpapers i would like to propose/ask for permission for removal of wallpapers not meeting the criteria below.
Guidelines for selecting and creating wallpapers for AsteroidOS
1. Contrast with watchfaces and UI elements is king Current stock watchfaces are all white text or canvas with some DropShadows. UI elements are less important factor when selecting wallpapers because they are either already perfectly contrasted by a white circle or the background is dimmed and elements are in dark circles. Watchfaces however are in direct contact to the background wallpaper, making the overall readability dependent on the contrast to the selected images.
2. color. colour. color. Most prominant ui feature of asteroidos in comparison to other wear os is the continuos display of the selected wallpaper. Being an intergral part of the ui, we want them to be really beautyfull and catchy compliments to the watchfaces and UI elements. Don't go to bright, there is a fine line to clischee and oversaturisation. Pastel colors are generally safe to make up a decent contrast.
3. Avoid whites and blacks 3.1 white obviously is the lowest contrast to the stock watchfaces which are all white also. For best readability, the only white elements shall be informative to the user. White in wallpapers is to be avoided completely for best possible leading of the users eye to the information. 3.2 Black is just boring and a waste of screen estate. Thinking into the future, we should reserve black background for oled always one feature as seen on android watches. Regarding black and white images, see 3.1 mostly. Black and color images might work but depend on factors to be judged individually.
4. Bokehs welcome A good way for achiving contrast is when blured elements hit sharp lines of font or canvas. This can be movement blur, distance bokeh or simple edited gaussian blur. Either way, overdoing makes for a boring image.
5. Geometry flatters the eye If your wallpaper has geometric elements, be it a straight horizont, some kind of circle or a pattern, try to align those elements with expected positions of fonts in watchfaces. It really helps to have masks in your photo editor for alignment ideas https://www.gimp-werkstatt.de/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3481 Center circles. Align lines to edges.
6. Details are complicated Details can work in two ways, either your macro coffee bean has lines that are much thicker than lines commonly used in watchface designs, or you far away mountain panoramas clouds and rocks are tiny enough to be differentiated from the watchface elements easily. Confusion is caused by details that are roughly the same thickness or size than watchface elements. Most watchfaces information is centered, so it might be possible to place your life size lady bug into the corners or near the edges.
Current wallpapers not meeting this guidelines with request for permission to remove: