Difference between revisions of "The toolbox"

From GIMP GUI Redesign
Jump to: navigation, search
(New page: * 'more lightweight', trimmer buttons * limit the buttons * to improve the ease of use we should implement some visual separation of tool groups (like 3px space). no collapsing or labellin...)
 
Line 1: Line 1:
* 'more lightweight', trimmer buttons
+
*To improve the ease of use of the toolbox, we need to make the buttons more easy (quick) to recognize and identify.It should also be easy to recognize active buttons from others. Therefore toolbox icons should not be too detailed, but rather have strong contours, and be good metaphors of the actions. Limited amount of the icons and visual grouping of tools would also improve the ease of use. On the other hand toolbox should not distract user from the image, cause it's the image that matters the most for the user.
* limit the buttons
+
 
* to improve the ease of use we should implement some visual separation of tool groups (like 3px space). no collapsing or labelling thou
+
*We observed the toolbox being 'heavy', behaving like window (and not an inspector). Many of the icons were ambiguous (Pen and Pencil have almost the same angle and colour), didn't depict the actual effect (Dodge/burn tool and Eraser), or were to detailed (Measure icon tool).
* toolbox should become an inspector, not another window (read [[windows, toolbox, inspectors analysed| analysis on windows/toolbox/inspectors]] )
+
 
* Icons in the Toolbox improvement:
+
*Solution models:
** it should be more easy (quick) to recognize and identify an icon
+
** 'more lightweight', trimmer buttons
** they should have strong contours, be good metaphors, differentiated by colours
+
*limit the buttons
** Pen and Pencil have almost the same angle and colour, at least the colour should be different
+
*visual separation of tool groups (like 3px space). no collapsing or labelling thou
** Dodge/burn tool and Eraser need better icons which depict the actual effect
+
** toolbox should become an inspector, not another window (read [[windows, toolbox, inspectors analysed| analysis on windows/toolbox/inspectors]] )
 +
** improvement of Pen and Pencil have almost the same angle and colour, at least the colour should be different  
 +
** improvement of Dodge/burn tool and Eraser- icons should depict the actual effect
 
** Levels, Curves, Threshold should have icons representing their meaning & function, not by icons of their dialog window
 
** Levels, Curves, Threshold should have icons representing their meaning & function, not by icons of their dialog window
 
** unless one Transformation tool is not implemented, all the transformation tools should have better icons, to distinguish one from another more easy
 
** unless one Transformation tool is not implemented, all the transformation tools should have better icons, to distinguish one from another more easy
 
** Ink tool would be better represented by an icon of a nib, which is the essence of the tool;
 
** Ink tool would be better represented by an icon of a nib, which is the essence of the tool;
 
** Measure icon tool should have less details; old one was better (look at www.docs.gimp.org )
 
** Measure icon tool should have less details; old one was better (look at www.docs.gimp.org )

Revision as of 07:21, 15 October 2007

  • To improve the ease of use of the toolbox, we need to make the buttons more easy (quick) to recognize and identify.It should also be easy to recognize active buttons from others. Therefore toolbox icons should not be too detailed, but rather have strong contours, and be good metaphors of the actions. Limited amount of the icons and visual grouping of tools would also improve the ease of use. On the other hand toolbox should not distract user from the image, cause it's the image that matters the most for the user.
  • We observed the toolbox being 'heavy', behaving like window (and not an inspector). Many of the icons were ambiguous (Pen and Pencil have almost the same angle and colour), didn't depict the actual effect (Dodge/burn tool and Eraser), or were to detailed (Measure icon tool).
  • Solution models:
    • 'more lightweight', trimmer buttons
    • limit the buttons
    • visual separation of tool groups (like 3px space). no collapsing or labelling thou
    • toolbox should become an inspector, not another window (read analysis on windows/toolbox/inspectors )
    • improvement of Pen and Pencil have almost the same angle and colour, at least the colour should be different
    • improvement of Dodge/burn tool and Eraser- icons should depict the actual effect
    • Levels, Curves, Threshold should have icons representing their meaning & function, not by icons of their dialog window
    • unless one Transformation tool is not implemented, all the transformation tools should have better icons, to distinguish one from another more easy
    • Ink tool would be better represented by an icon of a nib, which is the essence of the tool;
    • Measure icon tool should have less details; old one was better (look at www.docs.gimp.org )