One of the problems with digital art is the fact that everybody's computer is a little different. With variations in monitors, video cards, resolution, color palettes, coupled with the fact that most monitors come out of the factory set with the yellows too high, black not black, and the screens distorted, it is almost impossible to display digital imagery the way the artist intended. In fact, it is very hard to put the image onto CD and take it to a commercial printer to reproduce the image as the artist intended unless the artist goes along with the CD and personally oversees the reproduction. So, here is what we are going to tell those of you who wish to see these images as close as possible on YOUR computer to what it is that the artist intended:

• set your resolution to 800 x 600,
• set your color to 32 bit,
• make sure your screen isn't distorted (use the adjustments on your monitor)
• MAKE SURE YOUR BLACK DOS SCREEN IS ACTUALLY PURE BLACK, NOT FUZZY BLACK or DARK GREY. (If it isn't VOID BLACK, try tuning your color, and if that doesn't do it, you have a bad monitor.)

THEN

pull up a gradient standard true color palette (32 bit) and make sure the gradient is evenly distributed through the colors and the greyscale. If it isn't, adjust your monitor (again, use the adjustments on your monitor).

AND

2. set your BRIGHT to 50-60%,
3. set your CONTRAST to 100%.

ZENTAO

(Isn't this BRIGHT to the point of being almost PAINFUL to you? No? Try it for 12 hours straight.)

Anyone who knows us and our art knows that we prefer black backgrounds. Anyone who knows our webpages knows we prefer black backgrounds. Here's one of the practical reasons why:

It's easier on the eyes (and brain).

We log an average about 12 hours a day on a computer, all of it staring into a monitor.

Ever stare at a very strong light bulb for that length of time?

Probably not. It burns your eyes and, subsequently, (because the optic nerve feeds directly and is an extension of the brain) fries your brain.

You see, a monitor is basically a very big piece of frosted glass with a very big, strong light bulb behind it. Therefore, when looking at a monitor, you are staring into very bright light.

There is a whole school of "traditionalists" out there who not only PREFER white or light pages with black or dark text, they consider ANYTHING BUT to be almost sacrilege to the point of castigating anyone who has the audacity to deviate from that choice. Whether that is because they associate black and darkness with evil, or whether it's just because they see a computer as an extension of traditional black text on white paper, we do not hazard to guess.

The whole thing comes down to choice...and if YOU prefer black text on white pages, by all means, it is an easy thing to set your browser to show you exactly that all of the time. Just go to your browser preferences or options and set your choices there. For IE users, go to VIEW > INTERNET OPTIONS > and select COLORS, FONTS, and ACCESSABILITY, setting them to your preferences. Netscape Navigator users, go to OPTIONS > GENERAL PREFERENCES > and select APPEARANCE, FONTS, COLORS. Netscape Communicator and other browser users, explore your browser. It's bound to be there somewhere.

OTHER REASONS WE PREFER BLACK

(Heh, heh. You'll find THAT answer inside these pages.)

ZENTAO
-_-

page created: 10-10-2000
last updated: 11/26/2000

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