13:28
Again, @Mark Giraffe, thank you for somehow finding me. I have made user interfaces work for more than half a century, never at the expense or for the sake of appearance. And i have been an artist longer than that, never for utility. Share your vision and be ready for feedback.
My user interface tone is low. All that should stand out is the decision at hand.
The background should be wildly interesting, in low tones, if the eye wanders. But the brightest areas on the screen should be few and vital to the user's needs.
You wouldn't believe how many persons i've helped to find that one place all over the screen that truly matters.
To some of us we see it instantly, regardless of pop-up ads and every other sideshow.
To most, though, every screen is a kaleidoscope of confusion.
As for colors and patterns, i have my favorites. But they really belong in the background.
Almost any background is good enough as long as contrast works to bring out what the user wants.
Why did they get to this page to begin with?
But that is also the designer's freedom!
As long as the background doesn't steal the show, anything goes!
And i mean anything. Naughty or nice, don't think twice, just make it subtle.
And to prettify a color scheme? Remember that a large fraction of viewers don't see every color distinctly. And a tiny fraction see more. I admit to being befuddled by colors while seeing them all.
(Uh oh, just realized i should rewind this room before being redundant. Could take a while.)
(! It just began! That was easy. Now others can be redundant with me. Others can also contradict, please, that's how it goes.)
