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I wonder if gradients would be possible...

http://i67.tinypic.com/dfubeu.jpg
http://i65.tinypic.com/4v2ydx.jpg

Gives a splash of color and leaves the white-against-black text.

My only issue...

Interesting idea, I quite like it. My only fear is that it'd look a little.. gaudy, I suppose.

I threw some concepts together. This is gold as a background:
http://i64.tinypic.com/1zy7ipg.jpg...