Screenshots of au-themes for GNU Emacs

#+TITLE: Screenshots of au-themes for GNU Emacs
#+AUTHOR: Szymon Wilczek
#+DATE: <2026-10-17 Sat>
#+CATEGORY: Emacs
#+TAGS: emacs themes accessibility
#+DESCRIPTION: Every au-theme in Emacs Lisp, C, Magit, Dired and Org, as it looks in my own Emacs.

* About these pictures
:PROPERTIES:
:CUSTOM_ID: about
:END:

[[https://github.com/szymonwilczek/au-themes][au-themes]] are calm, low-glare colour themes for GNU
Emacs, made first of all for autistic people and for anyone who finds most
themes too loud to read for long. The code and the test suite live at [[https://github.com/szymonwilczek/au-themes][szymonwilczek/au-themes]]. README
explains how the colours are chosen and checked.

The screenshots below show the themes as they are on the =main= branch today
(17.10.2026). They are taken in my everyday Emacs, not in a clean one: the font
is Typus Mono 92 (the story is in [[/writings/the-8-pixel-obsession-typus-mono][8-Pixel Obsession]]), the tabs come
from [[https://github.com/szymonwilczek/bufferline.el][bufferline.el]], and the mode line, Evil and the completion stack
are my own setup. So this is what the themes look like in real use, not
in a demo.

Each theme gets four pictures:

1. *Code*: Emacs Lisp from =au-themes.el= next to a small C file in
   =c-ts-mode=.
2. *Git*: Magit status with staged and unstaged changes, next to a
   commit that changed a palette.
3. *Dired and completion*: a Dired listing, a =*Help*= buffer, and =M-x=
   with Vertico and Marginalia.
4. *Org*: a release plan with headings, TODO keywords, tags, a table,
   a source block and a quote, next to the week agenda.

Dark themes are best viewed on a dark page :)

* Light themes
:PROPERTIES:
:CUSTOM_ID: light-themes
:END:

- [[#au-whispergrove-day][au-whispergrove-day]]
- [[#au-whispergrove-morning][au-whispergrove-morning]]
- [[#au-aurum-day][au-aurum-day]]
- [[#au-parchment-day][au-parchment-day]]
- [[#au-salina-day][au-salina-day]]
- [[#au-herbarium-day][au-herbarium-day]]

** au-whispergrove-day
:PROPERTIES:
:CUSTOM_ID: au-whispergrove-day
:END:

Muted greens and neutral tones for daylight.

#+attr_html: :alt au-whispergrove-day theme code sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-whispergrove-day.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-whispergrove-day.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-whispergrove-day theme Magit sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-whispergrove-day-git.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-whispergrove-day-git.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-whispergrove-day theme Dired and completion sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-whispergrove-day-dired.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-whispergrove-day-dired.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-whispergrove-day theme Org sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-whispergrove-day-org.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-whispergrove-day-org.webp]]

** au-whispergrove-morning
:PROPERTIES:
:CUSTOM_ID: au-whispergrove-morning
:END:

A dimmer canvas than the other light themes, for early mornings or a room with little light.

#+attr_html: :alt au-whispergrove-morning theme code sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-whispergrove-morning.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-whispergrove-morning.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-whispergrove-morning theme Magit sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-whispergrove-morning-git.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-whispergrove-morning-git.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-whispergrove-morning theme Dired and completion sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-whispergrove-morning-dired.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-whispergrove-morning-dired.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-whispergrove-morning theme Org sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-whispergrove-morning-org.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-whispergrove-morning-org.webp]]

** au-aurum-day
:PROPERTIES:
:CUSTOM_ID: au-aurum-day
:END:

Warm earth tones on a muted canvas.

#+attr_html: :alt au-aurum-day theme code sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-aurum-day.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-aurum-day.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-aurum-day theme Magit sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-aurum-day-git.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-aurum-day-git.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-aurum-day theme Dired and completion sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-aurum-day-dired.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-aurum-day-dired.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-aurum-day theme Org sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-aurum-day-org.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-aurum-day-org.webp]]

** au-parchment-day
:PROPERTIES:
:CUSTOM_ID: au-parchment-day
:END:

Almost monochrome: italics and brightness steps instead of colour.

#+attr_html: :alt au-parchment-day theme code sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-parchment-day.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-parchment-day.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-parchment-day theme Magit sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-parchment-day-git.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-parchment-day-git.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-parchment-day theme Dired and completion sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-parchment-day-dired.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-parchment-day-dired.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-parchment-day theme Org sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-parchment-day-org.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-parchment-day-org.webp]]

** au-salina-day
:PROPERTIES:
:CUSTOM_ID: au-salina-day
:END:

The coast in daylight: salt flats, sand dunes, deep cobalt ocean, driftwood and brine pink.

#+attr_html: :alt au-salina-day theme code sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-salina-day.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-salina-day.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-salina-day theme Magit sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-salina-day-git.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-salina-day-git.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-salina-day theme Dired and completion sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-salina-day-dired.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-salina-day-dired.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-salina-day theme Org sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-salina-day-org.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-salina-day-org.webp]]

** au-herbarium-day
:PROPERTIES:
:CUSTOM_ID: au-herbarium-day
:END:

Pressed sage leaves, dried lavender, oak-bark ink and chamomile pollen.

#+attr_html: :alt au-herbarium-day theme code sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-herbarium-day.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-herbarium-day.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-herbarium-day theme Magit sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-herbarium-day-git.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-herbarium-day-git.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-herbarium-day theme Dired and completion sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-herbarium-day-dired.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-herbarium-day-dired.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-herbarium-day theme Org sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-herbarium-day-org.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-herbarium-day-org.webp]]

* Dark themes
:PROPERTIES:
:CUSTOM_ID: dark-themes
:END:

- [[#au-whispergrove-night][au-whispergrove-night]]
- [[#au-aurum-night][au-aurum-night]]
- [[#au-parchment-night][au-parchment-night]]
- [[#au-salina-night][au-salina-night]]
- [[#au-herbarium-night][au-herbarium-night]]

** au-whispergrove-night
:PROPERTIES:
:CUSTOM_ID: au-whispergrove-night
:END:

Muted greens and earth tones for unlit rooms.

#+attr_html: :alt au-whispergrove-night theme code sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-whispergrove-night.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-whispergrove-night.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-whispergrove-night theme Magit sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-whispergrove-night-git.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-whispergrove-night-git.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-whispergrove-night theme Dired and completion sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-whispergrove-night-dired.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-whispergrove-night-dired.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-whispergrove-night theme Org sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-whispergrove-night-org.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-whispergrove-night-org.webp]]

** au-aurum-night
:PROPERTIES:
:CUSTOM_ID: au-aurum-night
:END:

Amber and gold on a deep background, with the least blue light of the dark themes.

#+attr_html: :alt au-aurum-night theme code sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-aurum-night.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-aurum-night.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-aurum-night theme Magit sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-aurum-night-git.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-aurum-night-git.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-aurum-night theme Dired and completion sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-aurum-night-dired.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-aurum-night-dired.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-aurum-night theme Org sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-aurum-night-org.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-aurum-night-org.webp]]

** au-parchment-night
:PROPERTIES:
:CUSTOM_ID: au-parchment-night
:END:

Almost monochrome: italics and brightness steps instead of colour.

#+attr_html: :alt au-parchment-night theme code sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-parchment-night.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-parchment-night.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-parchment-night theme Magit sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-parchment-night-git.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-parchment-night-git.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-parchment-night theme Dired and completion sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-parchment-night-dired.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-parchment-night-dired.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-parchment-night theme Org sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-parchment-night-org.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-parchment-night-org.webp]]

** au-salina-night
:PROPERTIES:
:CUSTOM_ID: au-salina-night
:END:

Midnight ocean, dark basalt, phosphorescent turquoise and maritime coral.

#+attr_html: :alt au-salina-night theme code sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-salina-night.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-salina-night.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-salina-night theme Magit sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-salina-night-git.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-salina-night-git.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-salina-night theme Dired and completion sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-salina-night-dired.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-salina-night-dired.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-salina-night theme Org sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-salina-night-org.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-salina-night-org.webp]]

** au-herbarium-night
:PROPERTIES:
:CUSTOM_ID: au-herbarium-night
:END:

Pressed sage, dried lavender, oak-gall ink, terracotta flora and chamomile pollen.

#+attr_html: :alt au-herbarium-night theme code sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-herbarium-night.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-herbarium-night.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-herbarium-night theme Magit sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-herbarium-night-git.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-herbarium-night-git.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-herbarium-night theme Dired and completion sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-herbarium-night-dired.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-herbarium-night-dired.webp]]

#+attr_html: :alt au-herbarium-night theme Org sample :loading lazy
[[/assets/au-themes/au-herbarium-night-org.png][file:/assets/au-themes/thumbs/au-herbarium-night-org.webp]]

As always:

~Signed-off-by: Szymon Wilczek <swilczek.lx@gmail.com>~