Most themes add. Paper & Plastic, by Mike Matas and themers XiAP and Harlan Lewis, breaks the trend and subtracts; it generally simplifies the look and feel of Mac OS X in an aesthetically-pleasing way. Though not without its flaws, this is an excellent, extra-packed theme that leaves little to be desired.

Aesthetics
Paper & Plastic is generally a very subtle and understated theme. The dominant colors are light blue, white, and gray. In the completed theme, the gray—originally used in brushed metal windows and all windows’ title bars—appears in the menu bar. Mike Matas’ original mock-up called for the menu bar to be a simple white. The change adds to the overall complexity of the theme, giving it a considerably more three-dimensional feel inconsistent with its name.

Users may also notice that the grays are inconsistent. A light gradient is used for active Aqua windows’ title bars, a darker one for active metal windows and for the menu bar. Confusingly enough, the title bars of inactive Aqua windows take on the same gray color as active metal windows. XiAP and Harlan Lewis would do well to figure out exactly which colors they want to use where.

Those not quite so picky—or not quite so anal-retentive—are sure to love Paper & Plastic. The three basic colors work well with one another: they’re easy on the eyes, providing contrast without being too bright or flashy. Though the boxy look is a departure from the typical Apple style, it is a change most users will welcome. A balance between rounded and sharp edges is carefully maintained throughout, so the change is not shocking or overly radical. The simple, no-frills design is easy on the eyes, and best of all, goes well with most of Apple’s computers: the white bits call to mind the iBook, the gray ones the aluminum PowerBook. A user willing to overlook the theme’s minor flaws will be impressed by its overall appearance.

Usability
Paper & Plastic’s inconspicuous, reserved look keeps it incredibly usable. The widgets’ colors contrast enough to keep them visible, but not so much that they become a distraction. Users will immediately notice that when navigating menus, the powder-blue selected item stands in stark contrast with the white menu background. The prevalence of white in the theme may seem an initial drawback, especially in low-light conditions, but it takes well under ten minutes to adapt.

Extras
This theme’s designers went a step beyond most in the extras department. Rather than provide a wallpaper or two, this team included twenty-two. Most of these are modified Apple wallpapers, redone in Paper-and-Plastic-style line art. The disk image also includes a “Chrome Clock” widget for Konfabulator and a cursor set. The wallpaper designs deserve a great deal of praise—they are creative and quirky, not to mention well-designed. Each one matches the theme quite nicely (however, darker backgrounds tend to be more attractive: the added contrast does a lot for the desktop’s look).

Conclusion

Paper & Plastic is, without question, worth a try. Its flaws are likely to irritate those who were excited about Mike Matas’ original design; however, they are not serious enough to detract from the theme as a whole. Its individual parts may be imperfect, but considered together, they comprise a wonderful, usable, attractive theme.

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