\documentclass{minimal}

\usepackage{color}
\definecolor{bg}{rgb}{0.4,0.5,0.6}
\definecolor{fg}{rgb}{0.9,0.1,0.1}

% for pdflatex, pagecolor must
% appear before loading preview
\pagecolor{bg}

\usepackage[active,tightpage]{preview}

% for each preview, add:
%   1) the background color for dvips
%   2) the foreground color
\makeatletter
\pr@addto@front\pr@ship@end{%
  \setbox\pr@box\hbox{%
  \ifnum\pr@graphicstype=\@ne%
    {\color{bg}\special{ps::clippath fill}}%
  \fi%
  {\color{fg}\box\pr@box}%
  }}
\makeatother

\begin{document}
\begin{preview}
ETA: 5\,min
\end{preview}
\begin{preview}
ETA: 4\,min
\end{preview}
\begin{preview}
ETA: 3\,min
\end{preview}
\begin{preview}
ETA: 2\,min
\end{preview}
\begin{preview}
ETA: 1\,min
\end{preview}
\end{document}
