Normally, I save these for TTDAY, but I have a few to give away if anyone wants one.


Happy Thumpin'!
(free pint for the best thump!)

Notice the poster didn't answer the question...How does it having little smiling fish on it make it a "bad" skin by his definition? It clearly meets the requirements he set forth for a quality skin, yet he still used it for an example of what he percieves as a "bad/rediculous" skin. When the poster can point out the flaws to his specs, then maybe I would reevaluate his statements...until then, just a whiner that claims to be an artist and know what goes into creating something.
DD

That time of the month again I see.......

I missed this month's ratings thread. Just lucky I guess.....

While scrolling the windowblinds section I've seen some ridiculous skins even some by those whose been skinning for awhile. Like i.e. 'Happy Fish c'mon. I think wincustomize is losing it's flair when it comes to high-defintion not too mention quality skins

Being paid to work, and volunteering to work are two very different animals.

This statement is obviously the wrong approach to steer some sort of path for "volunteer" work.

Please take into consideration what type of crowd you are speaking to, and use the appropriate tact to spark a good thread.

Some level of inappropriate direction and/or statements are common-place in the "paid" work environment, and the fact that one receives a paycheck can balance that out. On the other hand, there is really nothing to balance the inappropriate direction and/or statements towards volunteer work. It is simply bad taste.

Constructive criticism should obviously be done in the comment category of the author/artists work, not on the main board.

Perhaps a better approach would have been:

"Hey, does anyone else feel that the quality of skins has declined, or is it just me?"

I think it's OK to have a diametrically-opposed opinion to the norm....but it's a done deal that you'll evoke some opposition/complaint for doing so...

What NEEDS TO BE REMEMBERED by those who make use of these skins is.....by and large they are ALL freely given, and made without remuneration of any kind.

So while one may be overly critical in choosing a suitable skin for his work computer to impress his customers/colleagues he should remind himself that as their use enhances his computer's professional 'cuteness'/whatever the content is freely provided.

The phrase here to remember is "never look a gift horse in the mouth".

There are plenty of skins here and on the other skinning sites which I personally loathe ... for all sorts of reasons....[plagiarism/unoriginality being prime].   The happy solution is that I can choose NOT to download/use them.  Others do, and enjoy.  It's called 'freedom of choice'.

So often a graphics 'professional' will wander by and cast critical comment on what he perceives to be a failing with a skin.....but generally that person actually has no understanding of the actual mechanics of a skin....[it's something quite more complicated than a pretty piccy of Britney].

GUI construction is as much Industrial Design as it is pixel-pushing....and when that fact is lost on the critic then much of his opinion is rendered invalid.

 

Bottom line...what would be 'nice' is for people NOT to single out individual works for such negativity... it ceases to be perceived as an 'example' and perhaps becomes more akin to 'personal affront'.

....and yes, it has been known that people eventually say "stuff this for a joke....if that's the response I'll keep future works to myself".

Don't forget....skinning has been 'around' for quite a while now.....some of its pioneers have actually simply moved on after 10 years or so.  They have found commercial/financial recognition for their skills and can leave the 'mouth lookers' behind...

You dug yourself a hole with the first post, Ramesese ~and with every other post you've been digging it deeper....

Quit while you're behind....   

You dug yourself a hole with the first post, Ramesese ~and with every other post you've been digging it deeper...

Agreed.
Ramesese, here is your solution. Type these words...

I'M SORRY, CAN I START OVER AND JUST FORGET THIS?

I say rather than ragging on the guy for his idiotic comment i will help him out and point out some of the better skins of late:

Flux: https://www.wincustomize.com/ViewSkin.aspx?SID=1&SkinID=5742&LibID=1
oldrepublic: https://www.wincustomize.com/ViewSkin.aspx?SID=1&SkinID=5734&LibID=1
os x v b: https://www.wincustomize.com/ViewSkin.aspx?SID=1&SkinID=5728&LibID=1
royale vistawb: https://www.wincustomize.com/ViewSkin.aspx?SID=1&SkinID=5654&LibID=1
aerial: https://www.wincustomize.com/ViewSkin.aspx?SID=1&SkinID=5705&LibID=1
quad: http://www.aqua-soft.org/board/showthread.php?t=33108
inspiration in glass beta2: http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=474697

Those are just some of my rotating favorites for the last month or so.

site isnt made up of just " men " Lots of women here

and these ladies are coming up with interesting and creative ideas for skins. Lovely is kicking out left and right skins for DX, sysmetrix and rainy.

I concur with Phoon.

constructive criticism does not begin with "where have all the decent skinners and skins gone?" implying that every one here and their work is indecent. Ramesese you can suck it!

Actually...these type of posts are really pointless and go nowhere...this is one that Jafo should just lock up and throw the key away.

Hehe, I will not put up my choice of fine skins as they would be mine and not necessary anyone elses.  Each persons idea of better skins is just that, his own.  I think he understands the error of his way by now.

i'd put my two cents in but since i'm broke, i can't afford to

First of all, I have went to some skinners here and left emails on their site asking them to create a skin for me for monetary gain. But none of them has'nt gotten back with me for exception of one and I'm not naming names again to get ridiculed but he stated to me that he was extremely busy and when his workload lightened up he would get back into touch with me. Makes perfectly good sense to me.

This is for Digital-Danes, uh I think I did point out why I did'nt like the skin because of uh..'bright colors my personal preference, maybe you should read more... Moving on,I think some of you is blowing this way out of proportion. I stated many times that if I offended anyone I did'nt mean to. Secondly, I started out for years creating my stuff, and not gaining anything from it for free for the love of the art, and I still do it from time to time, and it's more harder for us spfx artists, what we do is make a sculpture, apply latex-rubber to it, turn it inside out so see the detail, make a mold from that, extract it, paint it by hand, air-brush if need be, it could take weeks even years to get that good quality mask, or rubber-body suit or the like, and then we sell it next to nothing. So I know what hard work is and the time and dedication to be put into something. Sometimes nothing tends to turn out for what we set it out to be in the first place. My art was in if anyone is from Ohio, my stuff was posted in the Cleveland Institute of Art, and many others. Until, one day someone came to me, and suggested that I reap from it so that's what I did, I opened up an office, show-cased my gallery, and my business took off from there. I made countless sculptures, hated by few loved by many, I took a lot of criticism and pushed forward. I never once made a personal affront to the author the one who made the Happy Fish theme, I criticised the particular theme and now some of you went further saying "It's some good women skinners on here to. I never made a reference to anything of the like for the last time. I do have my favorites here to, some which were mentioned as well as some of the authors who replied.
Some of you made it seem like I don't like any skin that's here, only some I really distaste, and that is bright flashy colors.

Maybe I was wrong for actually singling out a particular skin to make my point. My logic was in order to make my point known was to pick something recent and not something from years back that no one might not remember.
That said, I was wrong in doing that and for that I offer my deepest apologies to the skinner and his/her skin.

Maybe I was wrong for actually singling out a particular skin to make my point.

That's a given.

and not gaining anything from it for free for the love of the art, and I still do it from time to time, and it's more harder for us spfx artists, what we do is make a sculpture, apply latex-rubber to it, turn it inside out so see the detail, make a mold from that, extract it, paint it by hand, air-brush if need be, it could take weeks even years to get that good quality mask, or rubber-body suit or the like, and then we sell it next to nothing.

So are you now saying that what you do is harder than skinning? Is that why you don't make your own skin, because your art tires you out to much for something not as hard?

You know, I don't make WB's, cause I don't know how. For me, it's freaking hard. For the same reason I don't do sculpture and spfx, cause I don't know how. But I would LOVE to know what you've done these spfx thingies for. Movies? TV? Cause I would love to review them here for you. I really would. Cause with all the leaps and bounds made in fx technology and such, you guys have been putting out some real crap lately. I especially hate the regurgitation of effects in sequels, cause these guys can't come up with anything new and they figured the last one worked so well, let's just use it again and again. And don't even get me started on Halloween masks. It's been freaking years, at least a decade since I have seen anything original or new.

Thump.

Hi ramasese,

Looks like you stuck a stick into a hornets nest.
I do have 2 cents and thought I just might add it

I do not know how to make a skin ... I am a newbie and do not know if I will ever know how.
However I definitely know what I like in the way of art and love this site. You have stated you do too ... it appears others might have missed that point.

I think I have looked at most of the skins on this site and have about 25 I love.
Those I have downloaded and installed. I am eternally grateful for ALL OF THE ARTISTS who have shared their talent with the rest of us.

Like someone said ... we all have to start somewhere. I am sure those "great skinners" you are referring to started out as "not the best" in the beginning too. Since I do webdesign I have an idea what goes into one of these skins so I applaud ANYONE willing to put in the time and effort to make my computer a little nicer to look at daily.

So let me end this with a gigantic THANK YOU SKINNERS!
Who knows who will be someone's Michelangelo tomorrow?

Linda

what a waste of time

I agree with you wholeheartedly Starkers.

Okay then, if that's the case, apologise to the skinner you singled out. In fact, the whole community because....well I think the comments here demonstrate why.

Also, in the future, try using a bit of tact and diplomacy in courteous and respectful comments, because it's human decency to treat others as you would have them treat you, and not to score brownie points.

Also, Sternengalaxy has been around for a long, long time in the skinning scene, and if you look at his portfolio, you'll see that he has produced quality works to suit all tastes throughout his career. Okay, so 'Happy Fish' may be a departure from his usual style, but who's to say it wasn't for a request...and then, out of the kindness of his heart, he uploaded it here for others who may also like it? Seen in that light, I'd feel like a proper goose...if I happened to be you right now.

Also, ramesese, I too prefer dark skins, and 'Happy Fish' is not normally my cup of tea, but I still downloaded because it's nice, bright and cheerful, and certainly a better, more complimentary skin for my Aquarium Desktop than the dark ones I have in my collection. You see, it's all a matter of mood - what goes with this or that at the time - and what may not please you at one point may very well be perfect for another, as I have often discovered when compiling a new desktop and my usual preference doesn't quite fit in.

It's called having an open mind and being flexible. Try it sometime, you might find that you enjoy the greater possibilities, variety and differences to be experienced by traversing an alternative route once in a while.

amen starkers

Starkers, you must did'nt read my last post... I apologized to the skinner and his skin, you are so bent with emotion, you just stated is what I've been saying this whole session you just summed it up in a couple well put paragraphs. I stated for the last time, I downloaded his skin and put onto my children's computers not once but 3x for each 3 computers my kids have, and my Mom's because they liked the skin. I just don't prefer it...bright flashy colors. And if you don't realize you just stated the same thing I said. TRY READING YOUR OWN WORDS. And you did just that tact, and diplomacy, you said what I said but in a nicer thesaurus word term, but if someone were to look closer to what you just said YOU JUST CONFIRMED IT.

Hi kat7,

Looks like I did stuck a stick in a hornets nest. Very well put statement. My main point somehow has gotten lost in the struggle and tug-of-war. I'm merely making a wake-up call so wincustomize will be the best darn skin-site on the planet! Because, believe it or not there are a bunch of egotistical skinners out here who start there own site and put down others. I've seen it.

For example, I went to go visit with a buddy of mine around the corner on the same floor where my office is located mind you he owns a travel business. Anyways, I seen a few guys gathered around a terminal, me personally don't like to get into any conversations that are not of my concern, they were tinker-tonkering with a program which looked a lot like skinstudio it may or may not have been. I overhear them say "We're going to be the next wincustomize". They were constructing in conjuction with some other skinners overseas what they deemed is going to be the next best thing. I'm thinking too myself no freakin way. Mind you, this is in Ohio c'mon.

Like someone mentioned earlier, 'you don't like things here start your own domain' I don't have to do that because to me there will be no another wincustomize they're the best often imitated never duplicated which is my company's mission statement.

I'm saying to the skinners here let's get on the ball and stop and put an end to these wannabe sites, and the other sites should partner with wincustomize because did'nt they start everything. And if they do parter it would always lead back home WINCUSTOMIZE!
Now everyone can quote me on that. But just don't send all the skinners out to get me because I'm their friend.

ramesese: I think you should keep quiet, it's your only option to get out of this hole you are in.

There are two positives from this: The first is how well the community comes together with a single voice, shows how many good people we have here. The second is that everyone agrees what a good skin Happy Fish is.

btw starkers, 'he' is a she...   

Here is an example of the work I do, and remember you saw it here first! My female version of Batman Begins this is '. Batgirl Begins -Note: this is no human figure wearing this.

Fuzzy logic: My bad, I thought Starkers was a he, my apologies, secondly Happy Fish is a good theme. I'm in agreement. Thanks Fuzzy.