I've had enough people ask for it that I'm looking to make the font for my images larger and easier to read since Mobile users have difficulty with them due to tinier screens. 
Which of the following 3 examples work better in your opinions? These are the first 3 images from Chapter 1 - Rules of the Spellthief. Looking at it on PC or your own mobiles will show it differently obviously, so if you could look at it aside from what my below image shows that'd be helpful. 1st has an outline and larger text, 2nd lacks the outline but has the same text size, 3rd is the old version.

My Mobile view:


File versions:

The second is definitely the best. 

You should also think about increasing the value contrast of the text compared to the background. Turn these images grayscale and see how much the text stands out. 

Haust Wrote: The second is definitely the best. 

You should also think about increasing the value contrast of the text compared to the background. Turn these images grayscale and see how much the text stands out.

This what you mean? 

That's not what I'm seeing, I'm afraid: 

Yeah, ok. It looks way better in the novel. Never mind that then, it's not an issue. 

Typically it is hard to read text on saturated backgrounds. So, if you lower the saturation of the green that could help. Also, if you increase the value contrast between the background color and text color, that is another way to make it more visible.

That's why Haust suggested the grayscale trick. In design, we use a filter layer to toggle between grayscale and color to see how the contrast is coming across in black and white. You don't have to keep it in grayscale since it can a bit boring despite the high value contrast, but yeah.

Yeah it seems like the contrast/lighting of different areas varies, the forums look darker than the fiction, and my files look brighter than both.

kieranpierce Wrote: So, if you lower the saturation of the green that could help.

Yes, "green". *Looks at the gold setting*

Darn monitors and eyes being different.
Edit: Updated the main post with the file versions too.

MalevolenceMau Wrote:

kieranpierce Wrote: So, if you lower the saturation of the green that could help.

Yes, "green". *Looks at the gold setting*

Darn monitors and eyes being different.
Edit: Updated the main post with the file versions too.

Maybe make a poll asking your readers if they think it is green or gold. I vote green!

i'd also use the second one in grey scale, if i could
i'm not sure about the font, but over all, looks good

Artim Wrote:

MalevolenceMau Wrote:

kieranpierce Wrote: So, if you lower the saturation of the green that could help.

Yes, "green". *Looks at the gold setting*

Darn monitors and eyes being different.
Edit: Updated the main post with the file versions too.

Maybe make a poll asking your readers if they think it is green or gold. I vote green!

eric_river Wrote: i'd also use the second one in grey scale, if i could
i'm not sure about the font, but over all, looks good

They won't be in greyscale, since each type of window has its own colour scheme.

MalevolenceMau Wrote: Yes, "green". *Looks at the gold setting*

Lmao I'm sorry buddy. It really looks green to me in the original screenshot that you shared. The file versions do look more yellow, so definitely indicative of a problem.


This is a hard problem. I don't know what the best solution is. My coder brain is telling me that the file information in the pictures should be the same, therefore the same monitor should display the same way regardless if you look at it on your computer, the forums, or the chapters of the fiction. Basically, it seems like it might be some kind of bug to me.

It reminds me of the problem with uploading covers, how they always come out blurry unless you edit the file and crank up the precision with filters. Colors only go so bright though, so there's only so much you can do as an individual without work being done on the backend.... Maybe if you made that yellow a light, sunny color when it goes darker in the upload it will look more gold like you want. That's my only suggestion aside from submitting a problem report.

Looks green to me as well.

Let us first establish the goals:
- Do you need people to read this easily, or can they just gloss over and ignore it?
   => if yes, then the primary criteria is legibility on all devices, brightness settings, etc. Design is secondary.

- What design considerations are there? What vibe are you trying to evoke?
   => will your picture have the same fantasy feeling if you simply had an extremely light grey background, dark grey ornaments and black text? Very likely yes. Light grey meaning almost white - it will look darker as a block of colour.


If this is something you make for the purpose of art ALONE then it's one thing. If this is primarily a mode of communicating information, then the clarity is paramount. 

Gold is very difficult to produce I suggest you move on from it, I don't believe that the amount of work you'll have to invest will bring the sort of impact it would in another aspect of your tale. 

The 2nd one is the best. Could try darkening the background behind the text to increase contrast between the text and the background.

Also, it looks green on my screen as well. All of those versions except the black and white ones do.

I concede to the green since so many people are for it 

If you want to make it look more gold, my suggestion would be to brighten up the scrollwork in the corners - make them lighter than the rest of the image, not darker.