Board backgrounds library

[xenonoxide]

I’m enjoying this one:

https://busites_www.s3.amazonaws.com/mvresortgrandcayman/2017/03/blue-wood-background.jpg

This is what it looks like

[g-g-g-g-g-g-Go]

Ok, here’s my thoughts (for what they’re worth).
I guess taste is a personal thing, so please don’t be offended if yours is different.

I love the elegant apparent simplicity of Katsushika Hokusai

but I feel his work isn’t quite appropriate here because as Lys says:

@Lys

For a board background you want low-contrast images that don’t fight against grid and stones.

I really like bugcat’s use of Honami Koetsu

This calm seascape from mark5000 works pretty well. Again, nice muted tones and not too noisy, but with the boards that are photos, I can’t help feeling that I’m looking through a window that someone has superglued some stones to.

but for me, bugcat has really hit the nail on the head with Hasegawa Tohaku

https://ogs-forums.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/original/3X/6/9/699131efca96f5f65fc1e82998e52181c5bb7758.jpeg

Muted, subtle, understated and breathtakingly beautiful.

I think Vagabond has the perfect example of what not to do (sorry Vagabond). I will not repost the image here as it is an affront to my eyes. Noisy and garish it prevents you getting that intuitive feel for the shapes the stones are forming. And some of the others are (to me) just plain crass (I won’t name any more names).

When you play the Tohaku board, with the slate and shell stones in zen mode with the lights out (and if you’re lucky enough, on a 4:3 CRT) it is quite simply stunning.

Just seeing the image below surrounded by the clutter of this forum doesn’t quite do it justice. Check out the image full screen, hit F11 if necessary.

The rest of the world just melts away until all that is left is you, Tohaku and the stones.

Thanks bugcat.
Anyway, just an opinion, YMMV.

[g-g-g-g-g-g-Go]

A couple of bamboo textures:

https://ogs-forums.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/optimized/3X/e/5/e584d03f010c9a5a5b6bf74cd2fd6e6dc0a389e1_2_375x375.gif

https://ogs-forums.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/original/3X/e/3/e3e61a85d451a4301040948a1ecefc146e23fd7b.jpeg

[ELOtest]

direct link: https://imgur.com/download/gAK1n7k

[shinuito]

This actually doesn’t look too bad

from

https://unblast.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/6-Marble-Texture.jpg

[g-g-g-g-g-g-Go]

Where did you find those images? I googled about for ages, but could not find any of as high a resolution as the ones you have. I was thinking I might create a series of gobans with classic Japanese art.

BTW, have you seen what I’ve done with it?
https://ogs-forums.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/original/3X/2/5/25ab236c4cde4b173234ad664e10c31eff469e93.jpeg

[g-g-g-g-g-g-Go]

The Thatched Hut of Dreaming of Being an Immortal

Super Duper 4K (2160) version!

Ok, I don’t have a 4K screen, but if you zoom in on this image, you can really see the detail!

https://ogs-forums.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/original/3X/a/9/a9a60a66fcbf604f32711482517675a51ab39ef1.jpeg

1080 version:

https://ogs-forums.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/original/3X/3/f/3f120e88a5adc390faa45485b26d8e49293a0bbd.jpeg

768 version:

https://ogs-forums.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/original/3X/d/1/d1ccc0f95b4639a7e02752555717deb6dbddf7d3.jpeg

[noah_plays_go]

I love japanese art.

[stone.defender]

You can use link that gives random picture each time, it works
for example
https://picsum.photos/500/500
there are also sites that generate new neural net or simple images

@stone.defender

(Refresh the page)

[human67]

GO is the universe.

background link: https://i.ibb.co/C9GN80S/galaxy-1x.jpg

[g-g-g-g-g-g-Go]

Pine Trees - Detail One

The Pine Trees screen (松林図 屏風, Shōrin-zu byōbu ) is a pair of 16th century six-panel folding screens ( byōbu ) by the Japanese artist Hasegawa Tōhaku.

Images taken from this (it’s HUGE!)

Super Duper 4K (2160) version!
https://ogs-forums.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/original/3X/8/8/88a7b3d522822374ec0e43096e44d57310d36a40.jpeg

1080 version:
https://ogs-forums.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/original/3X/0/4/047de8ed72865dfe27de0515ad96b3fb617220ef.jpeg

768 version:
https://ogs-forums.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/original/3X/3/7/37ca20966a86c97e10a1b8930a2c852048a5d7dd.jpeg

[bugcat]

Just Wikipedia. I love your application of the art to the wood texture!

[bugcat]

There’s something about this board & stone combination that makes me weirdly nostalgic for a late '80s / early '90s American MTV childhood that I never experienced in the slightest.

Captivating!

[g-g-g-g-g-g-Go]

Pine Trees - Detail Two

The Pine Trees screen (松林図 屏風, Shōrin-zu byōbu ) is a pair of 16th century six-panel folding screens ( byōbu ) by the Japanese artist Hasegawa Tōhaku.

Images taken from this (it’s HUGE!)

4K (2160):

https://ogs-forums.s3.dualstack.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/original/3X/9/a/9a49e756386f258b4b4c892281bfce037f025b2a.jpeg

[g-g-g-g-g-g-Go]

Tip:
Open your bit of art in the GIMP.

Select the layer and make it visible.

ctrl-L to open layers dialogue
click the layer to select
Toggle the eye on the left for visibility

Colours | Colour to Alpha
Click the colour where it says “From: (colour) to alpha”
Click the dropper in the bottom right, find the palest pixel in the image and click it.
OK

To get better results, you might have change the Image | Mode to “Greyscale”, and then back to “RGB” first.

[bugcat]

I use Paint . Net, but thanks anyway.

[bugcat]

As a static board.

@S_Alexander Cropped to a square. It’s a bit light for my taste…

[Groin]

Yes even I would say… A bit white! But yours is a bit dark too (black)

[bugcat]

That’s not mine, that’s Cadspen’s.

Also

Let’s keep this only as a library so people can browse for ideas without needless chit-chat.

We’d better keep it down ^^

[Groin]

That’s fine, not looking for posterity