aesthetics (how might I make it look pretty)

[Atishoo]

I have been developing a weekly planning system for my health care team (many
thanks to all those who helped with my numerous programming issues during
development) Its now near as damn it complete and im looking to make it look
good! It comprises of 8 large boxes (ranges) or planning areas on a plain
white background! I really fancy giving it an animated background something
like metalic blue waves or lightening or something like that perhaps, and
maybe round the edges of the cells, give them a 3d effect introduce random
patterns, make the fonts different to the usual boring stuff!!
Any ideas the more radical and different the better!
many thanks!!

 

[Rick Rothstein \(MVP - VB\)]

Personally, I would not go with the animations... it would look to hokey to
me... it's a business application so it doesn't need moving backgrounds and
such. Just use a pleasing color combination and it should look fine. I
personally like a not too dark gray for the framework (the form your text
areas are on) with the text area being black letters on a pale yellow
background. Noticeable borders around the yellow text areas (not too heavy
though) can also look nice. You can change backgrounds to pink if there is a
warning of some type to draw the users eyes or, alternately, dark red
lettering instead of the pink background.

Rick

 

[Atishoo]

Am so glad you said that you have just described it as it stands to a tee!
the borders are the thickest black, the boxes are in cream and the alerts are
in red text but I have been using red boxes to draw attention to risks and
will take your tip of using pink as red is too dark particularly on print
outs! and will use a framed border like you suggest! am not sure about the
grey background have been fidling with that and cant stop it looking
miserable!! will keep trying.

 

[ArthurB999]

Use basic formatting. Try the auto format function to get some ideas.

 

[Jim S]

View / Toolbars / Drawing
Opens the Drawing toolbar (I keep it at bottom of screen). This has all the
neat decorative functions.

The "autoshapes" has the rectangle with rounded corners. The shadow box and
3 D box will give you the effects you were talking about.
Just remember to go Draw / Order and change the order so that they are
behind your spread sheet data.

Also includes all the brackets and arrows and clip art and picture functions.

Go wild!