macOS website, tutorials that help me make a better GUI?

[redjersey]

Hi,

I am learning cocoa and I have just finished up my 3rd app. I like my app, however I'm not too fond of the interface.

If you look at wunderlist or twitter app, they all have beautiful stunning GUI. are there any tutorials that shows me how to subclass an UI element and make beautiful UI elements? Any free graphics I can download (like iconfinder, iconarchive) websites like cocoacontrols.com will help too.

thanks in advance.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

I have a folder full of interesting programming resources... I don't have as much as I thought I had on graphics though... here's what I have:

http://www.raywenderlich.com/2106/core-graphics-101-arcs-and-paths

http://www.cocoawithlove.com/2010/05/5-ways-to-draw-2d-shape-with-hole-in.html

(I love using only CG for 2D art... prerendered art is so pointless... most of the time there's plenty of processing power to just generate graphics on the fly, and it never artifacts if you just render it when you need it.)

If I'm displaying a 3D image from a constant angle, I'll use prerendered graphics sometimes... like for my avatar on MacRumors (which is the Battery Status app logo.) It's a 3D model with a 2D (vector) skin wrapped around it.

 

[PatrickCocoa]

Follow These Commandments

Hi,

I am learning cocoa and I have just finished up my 3rd app. I like my app, however I'm not too fond of the interface.

If you look at wunderlist or twitter app, they all have beautiful stunning GUI. are there any tutorials that shows me how to subclass an UI element and make beautiful UI elements? Any free graphics I can download (like iconfinder, iconarchive) websites like cocoacontrols.com will help too.

thanks in advance.

1. What is the purpose of your app?
Say that purpose out loud to 5 or 6 people, see what their reaction is.

2. Who is the target user of your app?
What things would delight them? What things would annoy them? Ask 5 or 6 potential users, note their input. DO NOT ARGUE WITH THEM. DO NOT TELL THEM THEY'RE WRONG. DO NOT EXPLAIN WHY YOUR DESIGN IS BETTER.

3. What are your programming capabilities?
If there's something you want in your app that you can't do, what's your plan to get it in there?

4. Follow Apple's Six Simple Rules
From http://mashable.com/2012/12/20/spun-ios-design/ See "iOS Design - Apple's 6 Simple Rules for Killer iOS Design" in Programming notebook. I've added one, reordered them, and reworded some.

1. Determine what problem you are trying to solve.
2. Model a real object.
3. Do a few things excellently.
Focus on simplicity.
Decide on preference for user.
4. Reward each touch.
5. Don't quiz user.
6. Use subtle details to give user clues.
7. Spend the time to make quality. Prototype.

5. Read Apple Human Interface Guidelines
https://developer.apple.com/library...tual/MobileHIG/Introduction/Introduction.html

6. Reread Apple Human Interface Guidelines

7. Accept that your beautiful idea will be ripped to shreds and discarded.
Design is an iterative process. Design is a time-consuming process. Accept the destruction of your ideas and ego and embrace the phoenix that will arise from the ashes.