Re: [Gimp-gui] GIMP Theme UI now and future.

[Elle Stone <ellestone ninedegreesbelow com>]

On 01/22/2016 09:30 AM, Jehan wrote:
> On 2016-01-22 13:25, Sven Claussner wrote:

> > - Pippin recommended 'the darker the better', because it supports the
> > image's proper color perception best.

As Pippin notes, the background colors surrounding an image on a monitor 
makes a big difference in how the image actually looks. Dark surrounds 
make the image look brighter and more saturated (and even more so if the 
room lighting is relatively dark). The same image might look a bit 
disappointing when displayed with a light surround (and even more so if 
the room lighting is bright).

Matching the theme to the intended "display surround" allows the user to 
somewhat control during editing what the image will look like as 
eventually diplayed:

 * If the user intends to display the final image on the web against a 
dark background, it might be better to use a dark theme with a dark 
canvas padding color.

 * If the user intends to display the final image as a paper print with 
a white mat or on the web against a light background, it might be better 
to use a light theme with a light canvas padding color.

What the image looks like also depends on the relative size of the image 
against the intended background. For example:

  * In multiple window mode with a medium-gray "desktop", an image 
displayed with a relatively small amount of light canvas padding 
somewhat emulates a white mat around an image displayed on a gray wall.

  * In single window mode, an image surrounded by a relatively large 
amount of light canvas padding might be lost in the general brightness, 
and in this case a medium or dark theme/canvas might be better, even if 
the image is intended for eventual display against a light surround.

Elle