Cool Graphics "How to"?

Java 2D
#1

I was reading through the ::Pixel art resources thread:: which is pretty cool, but I am craving for more …

Are there any good books -or- web sites out there that outline how to make “cool” graphics? What makes something look good and how do you accopmlish it? Or is it just better to hire an artist?

NOTE: I am NOT looking for a Photoshop tutorial - I know how to manipulate images in every way possible … however, I sit in front of the screen and cannot figure out how to come up with a cool looking GUI. Not because I don’t know how to draw, just simply because I don’t know how to make it cool…

#2

To creat good art you need to be an artist! :]

#3

I think that’s the problem.

Programmers (aka geeks, nerds, dorks) are notoriously unartisitc and even have a reputation for dressing out-of-fashion.

For example, how many times have you thought that ‘cyan’ blue and ‘lime green’ look good together on a T-shirt? (probably because they’re close-ish on the colour-chooser pallette)

Or have you ever tried to dress fancy by mixing patterned pants with a different patterned shirt? (eg stripes & dots - such a faux pas that a stranger actually stopped me to tell me that :’()

#4

you are correct, the problem already starts with the colors! although, I somehow know when it looks good, I cannot come up with the matching colors on my own!

Actually, there are some tools out there that can help you finding matching colors such as:
http://colorblender.com/

#5

What a great site, thanks.

I didn’t look, but it would be awesome to know their algorithm, I bet the Swing look and feel devs could make some really flash looking random colour schemes with it.

#6

Here is another good colour site. http://www.webwhirlers.com/colors/wheel.asp

#7

This website contains a lot of graphics: http://www.grsites.com/textures/