topic Re: Background Color in Modeling

Background Color

Anonymous — Fri, 26 May 2023 13:28:31 GMT

Is there a, visually speaking, a most efficient background color that would make a more comfortable working environment? I am used to a Black AutoCad background (when i started working in AC7 the office standard was black), and in using 3D Studio/3D VIZ there was a specific blue color for the background that was easy on the eyes and made all the colors pop out really well. I don't want to use black anymore because of the "shadow edge" on the left side of some windows in OSX; with multiple windows open in AC unless you are paying attention to it, you can click on a window behind, just a bit annoying, and also other co-workers have had trouble with the black background staying black all the time, sometimes after redraw or rebuild it displays a white background until you zoom again.

Re: Background Color

Djordje — Fri, 27 Feb 2004 16:20:30 GMT

Dan wrote:
Is there a, visually speaking, a most efficient background color that would make a more comfortable working environment? I am used to a Black AutoCad background (when i started working in AC7 the office standard was black), and in using 3D Studio/3D VIZ there was a specific blue color for the background that was easy on the eyes and made all the colors pop out really well. I don't want to use black anymore because of the "shadow edge" on the left side of some windows in OSX; with multiple windows open in AC unless you are paying attention to it, you can click on a window behind, just a bit annoying, and also other co-workers have had trouble with the black background staying black all the time, sometimes after redraw or rebuild it displays a white background until you zoom again.

Using black is completely counter productive. No, it is not easier on the eyees than the white of ArchiCAD, especially if you use ArchiCAD's colors. In that case you see what you will get on the printout/plotmaker layout. You need black background fro primary colors of AutoCAD palette because the colors are mostly code for the pen weight, and will not be printed as such in any case.

If the white hurts your eyes, consider the birgtness/contrast setting of your monitor, the overall lighting (turn the overhead fluo off by all means) and maybe choose a very light gray.

While it is very personal, using black is IMHo for ArchiCAD compeltely wrong.

In 8.1 you also have the automatic color viibility adjustment, under Preferences. See what it does to your workspace.

Re: Background Color

Dave Jochum — Fri, 27 Feb 2004 17:47:10 GMT

Dan wrote:
Is there a, visually speaking, a most efficient background color that would make a more comfortable working environment?

There was a post recently by someone (sorry, can't remember who) who uses a Borco beige color. I had forgotten about it until your post. I think I'll try it.

Re: Background Color

Anonymous — Fri, 27 Feb 2004 18:28:06 GMT

Djordje wrote:
Using black is completely counter productive. No, it is not easier on the eyees than the white of ArchiCAD, especially if you use ArchiCAD's colors. In that case you see what you will get on the printout/plotmaker layout. You need black background fro primary colors of AutoCAD palette because the colors are mostly code for the pen weight, and will not be printed as such in any case.

If the white hurts your eyes, consider the birgtness/contrast setting of your monitor, the overall lighting (turn the overhead fluo off by all means) and maybe choose a very light gray.

While it is very personal, using black is IMHo for ArchiCAD compeltely wrong.

In 8.1 you also have the automatic color viibility adjustment, under Preferences. See what it does to your workspace.

I respectfully disagree Djordge. Contrast is what matters for me. Since ArchiCAD's pens can be set to pretty much what ever color we want some people might find that black works best. Or grey or blue or beige or green or whatever. Depending on the color of the pens you use, the contrast might be stronger with a black background.

Another thing. With a black background you reduce the number of lumens (and radiation) entering your eyes and hitting your face. This reduces eye strain. I know this might seem minor, but IMHO it's not.

Some people cannot change their monitor contrast. They might have adjusted the settings to match their printer.

Personally I change my background color on a regular basis. Just about a new background for each job. I have a palette of maybe 6 colors. They are generally light beige, light green, or light blue. These colors seem to work best with MGA pens. But as I always say, to each his own.

I miss that you could set the background color for each window. It was real handy knowing at a quick glance what window you had open. Did I post this as a wishlist item? ?? Hmm...

Re: Background Color

James Murray — Fri, 27 Feb 2004 19:04:04 GMT

Dave wrote:
who uses a Borco beige color. I had forgotten about it until your post. I think I'll try it.

Yo.

R=237, G=236, B=202

You can see white, black, grey, yellow...anything but beige. I've been on it for about five years. Never looked back.

I can't recommend using white since I like to see the white elements. The workaround for that would be to use a non-white color that plots white.

Black I just don't get. The exact opposite of paper? Why?

Re: Background Color

Dwight — Fri, 27 Feb 2004 21:02:28 GMT

James wrote:
Dave wrote:
who uses a Borco beige color. I had forgotten about it until your post. I think I'll try it.

I like a mid tone, too. That way it seems more like charcoal paper where you can make lighter and darker elements - white things are visible to the eye but don't print.

Re: Background Color

Jacek — Fri, 27 Feb 2004 21:13:35 GMT

Dwight wrote:
I like a mid tone, too. That way it seems more like charcoal paper where you can make lighter and darker elements - white things are visible to the eye but don't print.

I prefer the 'Buff' or 'Flimsy' look for background, it reminds me of the old days and sketching presentations on 'Onion skin' for client review.

Re: Background Color

Dwight — Fri, 27 Feb 2004 21:33:05 GMT

I prefer the 'Buff' or 'Flimsy' look for background, it reminds me of the old days and sketching presentations on 'Onion skin' for client review.

But things are different now. "Buff" is now much more like sun tanned skin tone than beige. It is also important to pull that paper tight with lot of tape to avoid a sagging middle.

I was in love wth the Leonardo yellow flimsy and sepia ink until somebody said that Big Leo was using white flimsy and black ink - things just got old.

So much for that style......

Re: Background Color

Erika Epstein — Tue, 02 Mar 2004 05:08:30 GMT

I use the eye-ease 'buff 'color posted here years ago. Very restful on the eyes, cheery with a bit of yellow and can see white lines and fills.
Red: 248
Green : 243
Blue: 222

Re: Background Color

Anonymous — Tue, 02 Mar 2004 18:09:59 GMT

Hey, those are nice background colors. I'll add them to my palette.

Some of my other favs are:

Light Blue:
R 235
G 240
B 233

Light Green:
R 218
G 239
B 222

Pinkish:
R 219
G 210
B 202

Re: Background Color

Anonymous — Wed, 03 Mar 2004 13:11:22 GMT

You can keep your pen set as is and view your screen independently if you go to Preferences Miscellaneous > Automatic Pen Color Visibility Adjustment. It will change the color of any pens that are too close to the background color.

FWIW, White on green has been determined to be the easiest for the human eye to focus on, black on white is included among the worst (before you start getting into similar colors, green on green etc.)

Re: Background Color

Dave Jochum — Wed, 03 Mar 2004 16:19:35 GMT

Jeffrey wrote:
...black on white is included among the worst...

You must mean white linework on a black background. I can't believe for a second that black on white has been found to be low on readability. What study are you referring to? Did it deal only with monitors rather than print media? Sorry, but unless your statement was in error, I would have serious doubts about the credibility of any such study. Now if it was measuring CRTs only and readability over time (introducing eye strain and fatigue into the equation), it might be easier to believe.

Re: Background Color

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Mar 2004 18:09:23 GMT

Dave wrote:
Jeffrey wrote:
...black on white is included among the worst...
You must mean white linework on a black background. I can't believe for a second that black on white has been found to be low on readability. What study are you referring to? Did it deal only with monitors rather than print media? Sorry, but unless your statement was in error, I would have serious doubts about the credibility of any such study. Now if it was measuring CRTs only and readability over time (introducing eye strain and fatigue into the equation), it might be easier to believe.

No White on green. This was for shape and character recognition at various distances and lighting, eye chart and speed, duration of time reading type studies, DId some experimentation with this study in HS our results seemed to indicate the same. No computers at that time.
Based on even some of the "new" studies/theories, however minimally documented if at all, being done with color and the brain it seems that this theory could easily be true here as well, but then some suggest otherwise Kendall & Kedall have posted "The five most legible combinations of foreground and background color:" for screen design

http://www.sxu.edu/~rogers/bu433/best_colors.html

Kendall contradicts what others say

"Also avoid using a pure blue for body text and other small areas of text. Apparently, because of its physical make-up, the eye has a hard time seeing small shapes in pure blue color. The color will look fuzzy. (Galitz p. 451)"

http://www.ricklineback.com/bad3.htm

or

http://www.ojohaven.com/cgi-bin/ColorText.pl

"There are colors that can put us in a better mood, too. Green is the most restful color for the eye. It has the power to soothe and comfort. Studies have even shown that people who work in surroundings that are green experience fewer headaches, stomach aches, and other signs of sickness or fatigue."

http://www.visioncareco.com/computereyefatiuge1.htm

"Glare can be a problem. It can come from windows, lamps or objects in the distance. You should reposition the computer to get rid of the glare and draw the shades if necessary. Get an antiglare screen or antiglare coating. Green and amber are the easiest on the eyes, better than red or blue. One can get antiglare coatings for the glass."

"The lighting in the room may be too much, cut it in half and don't use fluorescent bulbs. Fluorescent bulbs cause the red cells to stick together like coins and thus they do not pass through the intricacies of the circulatory system very easily. A hood maybe fitted over the computer to decrease outside illumination or glare. The characters should be five to ten times brighter than the background on the screen."

http://sln.fi.edu/color/color.html

Unfortunately no one can direct us to any documentation of these studies mentioned, on the web it all seems to be all he said, she said who said?