Default theme (RC3 Curve) colour variations - updated

[anto74]

It's been a while but from memory I used a restricted palette (less than 256 colours) and ran the exported image through PNGGauntlet for extra compression.

Ok, thanks :-)
Antonio

I have used PNGGauntlet but the file is reduced from 29KB to 25KB, maximum compression...
In original psd file i have removed only header_blue_lower layer...stop.
Anyone can helps me to save main_block.png in reasonable size? ( 10-12kb)
I have attached my modified main_block.psd file, zipped.
Thanks
Antonio

[Antechinus]

Got it down under 15 pretty quickly by using a 108 colours setting with 97% dither. When I did the original I spent quite a lot of time picking out which colours to eliminate, so you can get more if you want to spend the time on it.

[anto74]

Got it down under 15 pretty quickly by using a 108 colours setting with 97% dither. When I did the original I spent quite a lot of time picking out which colours to eliminate, so you can get more if you want to spend the time on it.

Thanks Antechinus! 
Antonio

[Antechinus]

If you want to trim more off it there's another option. Most people don't have screens anywhere near 2300 wide. You could cut the image to 1680 or 1920 and set a max-width in the css. I've sometimes thought we should have done that anyway. It'd save a chunk of RAM too when your browser renders it, since browsers don't render according to the .png size in bytes. That only affects download and cache speed. RAM usage when rendered is a dependent on the image size in px.

[anto74]

If you want to trim more off it there's another option. Most people don't have screens anywhere near 2300 wide. You could cut the image to 1680 or 1920 and set a max-width in the css. I've sometimes thought we should have done that anyway. It'd save a chunk of RAM too when your browser renders it, since browsers don't render according to the .png size in bytes. That only affects download and cache speed. RAM usage when rendered is a dependent on the image size in px.

Ah, ok! Thanks again for this suggestion!
Antonio

[tycms]

Got it down under 15 pretty quickly by using a 108 colours setting with 97% dither. When I did the original I spent quite a lot of time picking out which colours to eliminate, so you can get more if you want to spend the time on it.

Antechinus, I remember that you were saving images as png-24 in PS and then save as PNG-8 in Fireworks for alpha transparency. So, do you eliminate colors from the palette in Fireworks? But, I also remember you saying that Fireworks determines the final colour palette by itself.

[Antechinus]

This image doesn't have alpha transparency so it was all done in PS.

[BoxingChaos]

 Antechinus? I am sort of lost. Where exactly can I find these themes to add them to my site please. TY

[Antechinus]

They're in the first post of this thread. (should probably put them on the Theme Site too I suppose)

[tycms]

Thank you Antechinus.

Is it possible for you to post the color palette files (.act files) you used for the original RC3 main_block.png and menu_gfx.png files?

[Antechinus]

There aren't any of those files. Only psd's. I didn't use any palette files.

[tycms]

Do you at least remember the number of colors and the dither setting? Thanks.

[Antechinus]

Nope. Pretty high dither setting though. I've found that in general for this sort of image, cranking the dither up to just under 100% helps with being able to reduce the palette without increasing the byte count of the file. Having it actually at 100% seems to increase the byte count.

[tycms]

Thank you for the information Antechinus.

I get results pretty close to the quality of the original RC3 png using 128 colors and high dither settings in PS. In FW when I choose adaptive option and alpha transparency it determines a palette with approximately 75 colors. And the results are not satisfactory. But itis possible to add colors manually. I plan to determine the palette in PS and then edit the palette in FW. Do you think something around 128 is ok?

[Antechinus]

Probably. I did one a few posts back with 108 colours and that was fine. You quoted that post so.........................

[tycms]

Ok done. Thanks a lot.

[MATTEK]

I'm using the green variation

http://custom.simplemachines.org/themes/index.php?lemma=2099

And for some reason it will not use the Favicon I've told it to use. The icon works fine with default curve.

[Utech22]

Good find

[adbrad]

hi just wondering if there is a psd for the quick buttons.png available

[Deaks]

not at this time