Ashen - June 18, 2004
Author: Chris McElligott
Version: 1.0.2
Reviewed by: Phillip Ryu
User Rating: 
70%
Like FatalE and Classix10k, Ashen is a theme that hearkens the days of old with its flat, sharp, and neutral style. There are no bright Aqua gel buttons here, or the poisonous greens of Luna. Ashen is a retro theme for a modern OS, and while this shouldn't work, Chris succeeds admirably.
Aesthetics
Ashen, originally designed on Windows by Bant, is similar in concept with other flat themes such as Classix10k and FatalE in that it attempts to transform the gooey, 3D Aqua into a 2D, flat, and relatively colorless retro interface. Luckily, Ashen has several things going for it bypassing problems that have hurt its forebearers. For one, Ashen is not scared of bringing some depth to its interface. Window titlebars and scrollbars, while retaining their pixely look, still manage to have very slight drop shadows and bevels. Ashen acknowledges that it has been transcribed onto a 3D interface with hardcoded drop shadows, and thus, true flatness is generally isolated to within elements. Imagine thick cardboard cutout buttons with designs drawn on with marker pasted on cardboard windows, and you get the general idea. There's depth, it's used subtly, and this use does wonders for the aesthetics of what could have otherwise been a much more boring theme.
Then, there are of course the delicate details that had me squinting for a few minutes wondering if I need vision correction. Flapping bats instead of the standard spinning wheel? Tiny pixelated skulls for window splitters? Chris was thorough enough to bring this element of battiness from the original Bant creation, and this hint of macabre intentions is yet another touch that sets this flavor apart from the rest. Oh, and what other theme describes itself with a poem? Here is the first thing users are presented with when loading the theme:
Charcoal and soot, extending forever.
Unyielding clouds, suffocate, sever.
Silence echoes in half-broken hearts.
White marble pillars, crumble to ruins.
All hope, leveled, the fall of an empire,
Rubble from greed, ashes from fire.
No matter the strength we exert to erase.
No rag or soap will clean this face.
This shadow remains, like graphite on paper.
Do not forget, our ashen landscaper.
Not exactly aesthetics, but this definitely captures the mood seen through the theme. Believe it or not, understated humor in a theme is possible!
Usability
Many flat themes such as FatalE and ChosenOS have suffered in usability due to their monochromatic color choice. Light grays on dark grays can easily hurt the eyes, and Ashen is careful about avoiding such problems. Things like the subtle bevels and drop shadows mentioned in aesthetics help a lot to relieve sore eyes, as does the muted but definitely colored interface. (I'd call it a mix of dark gray and beige.) While the color choice is not exactly the usual silvers, blacks, and blues that are present in so many other themes, don't be scared! This is tasteful design, and it's very easy on the eyes. No contrast problems equals no burning retinas. Happy themeing!
Extras
Ashen suffers from a problem that it shares with every other theme, and similar flat themes in particular. Aqua elements stand out. That means that applications with accompanying skins can often look pretty terrible in Ashen, though luckily as the theme is light, there are no disaster zones that one can expect form darker skins. Luckily, Chris has provided application skins for what are probably the two most used OS X applications: Safari and iChat. Again, the small touches are nice. I appreciate the antique telephone glyph for the voice chat button. However, I would appreciate much more the addition of lots and lots of more application skins. iTunes, Mail, Addressbook, iLife, the works!
Desktops are also included, with two basic types: Erase and DigitalFirefly, each with several darkness variations. Again, they are tasteful. DigitalFirefly is what seems to be the standard vector art desktop that is included with most flat themes, but on second glance, it is not. There's a nice and very subtle gravelly texture that gives it just that much more visual interest. It is the same with Erase. While the desktop appears to be a simple logo on color background, there's some pretty interesting texture work that gives your desktop the look of handmade paper. Cool! Overall, this is a nice package, but application skins are definitely the biggest vacuum to be filled. Oh, and Chris, what about an accompanying cursor set?
Comments
Posted by NetworkShadow at June 18, 2004 01:14 AM | Edit | Delete
Really, 8.2?! I'd give it a 9.2, though it does lack some app skins. He is working on a new version bump also, so I don't think it's going to be without app skins for too long.
Posted by ZachRL at June 18, 2004 02:28 AM | Edit | Delete
In total agreement. Excellent theme for those who're a little sick of the loud colors of Aqua and its clones. I have to admit I get a bit annoyed and would like something more simple/subtle looking like this. Kudos to Chris.
Posted by Phillip Ryu at June 18, 2004 03:05 AM | Edit | Delete
Indeed, Chris is a very responsive themer. I actually had the score a bit lower due to those ugly jaggy menu extras, but I reported that to him, and he posted an update within a day. I am sure that Chris will add application skins quickly, perhaps with a little prod from this review.
Posted by Chris McElligott at June 18, 2004 05:46 AM | Edit | Delete
Pretty darn cool review, I'm working on a new version of it so I'm yet to find time ad more app skins. I plan to do ones for Mail/Address Book and dare I say iTunes. Its cool to hear some good comments , funny in a way really because I sometimes think I'm doing something that only a a handful of people have managed to do. The idea of a cursor is cool, but I see them as annoying for the average user to install.
Posted by wibs at June 18, 2004 05:46 AM | Edit | Delete
There's really no excuse for themes to have jaggy menu extras anymore. Not because they're easy to do, they're a pain in the ass... but what's easy is simply ripping them from an older theme :). Chris used ProLCD's menu extras, but really folks you don't even need to ask permission, imho. They're essentially apple graphics, so the themer has no claim to them. And to be honest, even if Chris did rip the ProLCD menu extras without asking, I would have no way of knowing because menu extras in almost every single theme look exactly alike.
So I guess this comment really isn't about Ashen at all, it's a tip for people getting into theming. Don't struggle through menu extras yourself, they aint worth it when there's an easier way!
Posted by danielgrenell at June 18, 2004 07:42 AM | Edit | Delete
it is a very nice theme, and i think it's getting the attention it deserves. i give it an 85. good theme, keep the news coming!
Posted by at June 18, 2004 09:49 AM | Edit | Delete
To hard to see.....I don't like it
Posted by wibs at June 18, 2004 03:25 PM | Edit | Delete
Heh, I forgot to mention something...
Ashen kicks ass!
Posted by gautch at June 18, 2004 04:49 PM | Edit | Delete
i like it. my only grip, could we get a version with a light bar on the top? and maybr switch the colors of the progress bar, Oh and that Bat should go.. Its cute but i dont think it goes with the Ashen.. idea.
But i still love it!
Posted by Komisar at June 18, 2004 04:53 PM | Edit | Delete
imho, I feel that this theme should have received atleast a 9.0 subtle yet striking,
Posted by digitaljames at June 19, 2004 10:29 PM | Edit | Delete
The lighter menu bar version is coming.....
Posted by Chris McElligott at June 20, 2004 12:20 AM | Edit | Delete
I've looked into skinning itunes and to be honest as much as everybody would like one. I personnaly don't think themepark/SS is upto scratch with what I want to yet so there will be no itunes skin in the next update. Sorry guys :(
Posted by Boccioni at June 20, 2004 02:46 AM | Edit | Delete
My only real complaint is in the Safari skin. When I see the lighter bar going across the URL window when a page is loading, I want to see it stay the same color when it completes, but instead reverts to the dark grey color which makes me think it is loading again. I think it would look much cooler if the URL bar's standard color was the same as the rest of the GUI of Safari.
Posted by Chris McElligott at June 20, 2004 08:01 AM | Edit | Delete
I'd never thought of that, I based the safari address bar off the progress bars.
Posted by at June 20, 2004 12:09 PM | Edit | Delete
-Maybe it should be light when there is no scrollbar. Cause it's kinda strange.
-when I click on the date in the menu bar, the text looks pretty unreadable (not so anoying but...)
Otherwise definitly great! I put it in my fav themes.
Posted by merlin at June 20, 2004 12:12 PM | Edit | Delete
(sorry for the anonymous post, forgot to type my name)
Posted by Keith at June 20, 2004 07:45 PM | Edit | Delete
>> Chris succeeds admirably.
No, Bant, succeeds admirably ;)
Posted by Chris McElligott at June 20, 2004 08:34 PM | Edit | Delete
Merlin: the date issue is once again out my hands because it uses disabled text to display the date.
Keith: True , but I helped it along to the mac side :D