Re: [IAEP] IAEP Digest, Vol 15, Issue 114
Gary, The ideas are not bad. I've kind of grown attached to what I have so I think I'll stick with that for release 1, which I am debugging as I write this. It's coming along pretty well. Maybe a third idea is to have the original Read icon with a small Browse icon inside it and "speed lines" like fast moving objects in comic books have. This would all be in 2D so there would be no need to avoid using a fill color. If you want to have a try at making some icons that would be fine, but if not I think your ideas are simple enough that I could have a go at them myself. I like A better than B. If kids don't know what a card catalog is they probably wouldn't recognize a bookworm either. Reminds me of a friend from Thailand who described his daughter as a "worm book". James Simmons On Sat, Jun 27, 2009 at 4:08 PM, Gary C Martin wrote: > Hi Jim, > > On 27 Jun 2009, at 03:02, Jim Simmons wrote: > >> The problem with books on a shelf is that Aleksey is already using >> that image for his Library Activity and I think it is more fitting for >> that because he is creating a sort of electronic bookshelf, whereas >> I'm creating a card catalog. > > The 3 key items in your Activity description for seem to be: > > 1) Internet access required > 2) Search for books > 3) Download to Journal > > Don't think I can cover all that in an icon easily :-) but how about: > > A). a single 2d book with a (smallish) Browse icon on it, and a magnifying > glass over it. > B). a single 2d book with a (smallish) Browse icon on it , and a 'book worm' > character emerging (might be more kid friendly). > > Regards, > --Gary > > P.S. Happy to take a shot if you like either of the above and want to focus > on coding. > ___ IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!) IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep
Re: [IAEP] IAEP Digest, Vol 15, Issue 114
Hi Jim, On 27 Jun 2009, at 03:02, Jim Simmons wrote: > The problem with books on a shelf is that Aleksey is already using > that image for his Library Activity and I think it is more fitting for > that because he is creating a sort of electronic bookshelf, whereas > I'm creating a card catalog. The 3 key items in your Activity description for seem to be: 1) Internet access required 2) Search for books 3) Download to Journal Don't think I can cover all that in an icon easily :-) but how about: A). a single 2d book with a (smallish) Browse icon on it, and a magnifying glass over it. B). a single 2d book with a (smallish) Browse icon on it , and a 'book worm' character emerging (might be more kid friendly). Regards, --Gary P.S. Happy to take a shot if you like either of the above and want to focus on coding. ___ IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!) IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep
Re: [IAEP] IAEP Digest, Vol 15, Issue 114
Jim Simmons wrote: > I found that when I tried to use my icon with the &fill_style variable > in Sugar it displays with no fill whatsoever, so you just see a jumble > of lines instead of an image. One mistake that I made many times was replacing the fill color with "&fill_color". In fact, it must be replaced by "&fill_color;". --Ben P.S. AFAIK, "&fill_style" is never used. signature.asc Description: OpenPGP digital signature ___ IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!) IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep
Re: [IAEP] IAEP Digest, Vol 15, Issue 114
On Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 10:02 PM, Jim Simmons wrote: > > > ... > ...just unhappy with *what* > I'm drawing. I'm really looking for a better symbol. Maybe a book > with speed lines, like it's being thrown. How about a vertical stack of books like when you're ready to check out at the library, or a packed book bag, or buckled book pack? --Fred ___ IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!) IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep
Re: [IAEP] IAEP Digest, Vol 15, Issue 114
Fred, The problem with books on a shelf is that Aleksey is already using that image for his Library Activity and I think it is more fitting for that because he is creating a sort of electronic bookshelf, whereas I'm creating a card catalog. I found that when I tried to use my icon with the &fill_style variable in Sugar it displays with no fill whatsoever, so you just see a jumble of lines instead of an image. I fixed that by replacing the &fill_style with the color white instead. It doesn't change colors the same way other icons do, but it's tolerable. So the animation you're seeing might be related to that, because without the fill color it's like a wire frame drawing. As for the prominent vertical line, I think I'm stuck with it. Inkscape does two point perspective just like I learned in drafting class so long ago. I don't think I can tilt the line. Even if I could, I'm reasonably happy with the drawing, just unhappy with *what* I'm drawing. I'm really looking for a better symbol. Maybe a book with speed lines, like it's being thrown. James Simmons On Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 6:04 PM, Frederick Grose wrote: > > > Interesting.. The .svg file opened in Ubuntu9.04 and showed a box being > constructed from the base up. I thought that was intentional, not an > artifact in the file. (It implied the building of the file drawer and > filling it with content--once I figured out what the object was.) So > without the animation, it is a lot simpler. > Books on a shelf would be even simpler and might be rendered in the bolder > Sugar strokes. >> > > Perspective with an unshaded line drawing is tricky. You might try raising > the point of view enough so that the eye level is more naturally above the > front, right, drawer edge. The prominent perfectly vertical line is > overpowering the rest of the image (and may be a distortion from the rest of > the content). Tipping that corner down will remove the perfect vertical > line, change the ratio of the two front draw edges, and should help in > recognition. > But I would prefer the books on a shelf as perhaps a more common object > token for your project. > Thanks for the correction, and best wishes! --Fred > ___ IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!) IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep
Re: [IAEP] IAEP Digest, Vol 15, Issue 114
On Fri, Jun 26, 2009 at 6:24 PM, Jim Simmons wrote: > Fred, > > Your points are the same ones I had. There is no animation in the > icon, though. Not sure what you're seeing. Interesting.. The .svg file opened in Ubuntu9.04 and showed a box being constructed from the base up. I thought that was intentional, not an artifact in the file. (It implied the building of the file drawer and filling it with content--once I figured out what the object was.) So without the animation, it is a lot simpler. Books on a shelf would be even simpler and might be rendered in the bolder Sugar strokes. I'm going to have to go > with this design unless someone comes up with something better, > though. I need a symbol that suggests what the thing is for. My > brain just doesn't work that way, and I'm not happy with any of my > icons. > > Personally I liked the perspective and was pleased to discover that > Inkscape supports drawing objects like that. My first attempt at this > object was a freehand Isometric drawing that looked like crap. This > one at least looks like what it's supposed to be. Which would be OK > if anyone younger than me could recognize it. Perspective with an unshaded line drawing is tricky. You might try raising the point of view enough so that the eye level is more naturally above the front, right, drawer edge. The prominent perfectly vertical line is overpowering the rest of the image (and may be a distortion from the rest of the content). Tipping that corner down will remove the perfect vertical line, change the ratio of the two front draw edges, and should help in recognition. But I would prefer the books on a shelf as perhaps a more common object token for your project. Thanks for the correction, and best wishes!--Fred > Or a carousel slide > projector, or a scroll either. > > I agree about the letters. I considered them more a decoration than > anything else and I'll be leaving them in for the time being. > > Hopefully some of us on this list are right-brained types who can > suggest something better. > > James Simmons > > > > Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:48:53 -0400 > > From: Frederick Grose > > Subject: Re: [IAEP] Art criticism needed on Get IA Books icon > >(attached) > > To: iaep@lists.sugarlabs.org > > Message-ID: > > > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > > > > > Sorry to offer a negative review, but I struggled to understand the image > at > > the small size and perspective. > > Perspective recognition can be difficult for anything but the simplest > object. > > It took me a second look in another context to figure out what the final > > object was. > > > > The animation might be interesting the first few times, but may easily > > become a distraction. Icons are best when they are nearly instantly > recognized and > > display a token of what's to come, not too much information. > > > > The letters, I A , conveyed that there was textual content, but the > > initials would not match the name in other languages, and be another > burden > > to change. > > > > Thank you for you contributing and braving your art! --Fred > ___ IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!) IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep
Re: [IAEP] IAEP Digest, Vol 15, Issue 114
Fred, Your points are the same ones I had. There is no animation in the icon, though. Not sure what you're seeing. I'm going to have to go with this design unless someone comes up with something better, though. I need a symbol that suggests what the thing is for. My brain just doesn't work that way, and I'm not happy with any of my icons. Personally I liked the perspective and was pleased to discover that Inkscape supports drawing objects like that. My first attempt at this object was a freehand Isometric drawing that looked like crap. This one at least looks like what it's supposed to be. Which would be OK if anyone younger than me could recognize it. Or a carousel slide projector, or a scroll either. I agree about the letters. I considered them more a decoration than anything else and I'll be leaving them in for the time being. Hopefully some of us on this list are right-brained types who can suggest something better. James Simmons > Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:48:53 -0400 > From: Frederick Grose > Subject: Re: [IAEP] Art criticism needed on Get IA Books icon > (attached) > To: iaep@lists.sugarlabs.org > Message-ID: > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > > Sorry to offer a negative review, but I struggled to understand the image at > the small size and perspective. > Perspective recognition can difficult for anything but the simplest object. > It took me a second look in another context to figure out what the final > object was. > > The animation might be interesting the first few times, but may easily > become a distraction. Icons are best when they are instantly recognized and > display a token of what's to come, not too much information. > > The letters, I A , conveyed that there was textual content, but the > initials would not match the name in other languages, and be another burden > to change. > > Thank you for you contributing and braving your art! --Fred ___ IAEP -- It's An Education Project (not a laptop project!) IAEP@lists.sugarlabs.org http://lists.sugarlabs.org/listinfo/iaep
