Blue

Friday 1 August 2003 20.18

So I'm thinking to myself:  Doug, you've got to get away from those dang monochrome gray desktops.  You've fallen into a rut.  So what do I do?  I have a sudden inspiration for a desktop (one conveniently re-using elements from another--which in turn was re-using elements from the Finder, raising interesting recursive implications which I won't explore at this time due to the unsettling questions raised about my creativity by said implications), using variations on another color:  blue!  Are you following this?  Good.  That makes one of us.

At any rate, the new desktop is using part of what I always thought of as my favorite of the Finder Triptych.  I'll leave just which part as an exercise for the student.  The colors are pretty, at any rate.  I'd do a graphite version, but the whole point of this sad little exercise was to get away from that damned gray.

Enjoy!

Play 4

Monday 7 July, 2003 20.53

You know, I usually finish a desktop and then use it for a few days before releasing it just to be sure there aren't any nagging little mistakes that I've missed.  Today though, I realized I'd been sitting on this one for over two weeks!  Oops.  At any rate, Apple released a new version of iTunes recently, as you may have noticed.  So I've updated one of the iTunes Triptych to match the new interface.  Hope you enjoy it.

Ultimate Marble

Wednesday 12 March, 2003 16.16

This desktop has turned out to be by far the most popular I've ever put together.  How popular?  So popular it was even ripped off by someone and passed off as his own.  Now I'm sure that doesn't count for much, but it was a first for me and the website.  Irritating and flattering, all at once.

I've been asked numerous times if the picture is a 3-D rendering, and am always surprised by it.  The answer is no.  For all the three dimensional effect it has, it's really just a couple of pictures of the earth, taken 180° removed, with the oceans removed via Photoshop's magic wand.  After that, it was just a matter of layers, the gradient tool, effects, and a few novel applications of warping filters for the backside of the globe.  My favorite part is the refractive glow across the top right, which in addition to really making the glass effect come off, also conveniently obscures the edge distortion caused by Photoshop's warp filter.

Radio Age

Friday 24 Januray, 2003 23.13

Here's another desktop picture inspired by the past.  If you, like me, are someone who spends too much time playing with today's electronic toys, this will remind you of where we've been, and how far we've come.  Had Apple been around in the 1940s, perhaps their products would have looked something like this.

Or maybe not.  

Regardless, I've always liked the looks of those old freestanding Philco radios and televisions.  If only today's electronics could be had in such stylish enclosures.  Sigh.  Apple is really the only manufacturer of consumer electronics that seems to keep that spirit alive, albeit with a thoroughly modern take on that word 'stylish.'  I suppose that's one reason I like their computers so much.

Tiki

Friday 24 January, 2003 12.39

After yet another long hiatus, the Graphics Factory has released another desktop, entitled 'Tiki'.  It revisits my little obsession with mid-century design, though this time taking a bit more liberty with the elements.  This desktop, rather than trying to faithfully emulate 50s design, just tries to capture some of its flavor.  It's not fancy, but I rather like its flat simplicity.

Hope you enjoy it.

Equalizer

Tuesday 20 August, 2002 19.02

Just over one year ago the iTunes triptych was released, and they promptly became one of the all-time favorites to visitors here at Macalicious.  Today we return to that theme with the release of the 'Equalizer' Desktop.  This is something I've been meaning to do for quite some time, and the recently released Finder Elements desktop pictures finally got me off my rear to create this.  Hope you like it.

Finder Triptych:  Views

Sunday 14 July, 2002 00.18

You use it every day, and probably don't give it a second glance, but the Finder has inspired the Graphics Factory's second triptych of desktop pictures.  Like the previous set ,this one is inspired by the Mac's interface.  First it was iTunes, but this time the hardworking and taken-for-granted Finder gets the spotlight.

Finder Triptych:  Slider

Saturday 13 July, 2002 19.34

And yes, before you say it, I do know they're called 'proportional scrollbars.'  ;-)

 

 

Finder Triptych:  Buttons 

Saturday 13 July 2002 19.34