Wallpapers for skins
...or 'going for a complete look'
from 
JoeUser Forums
JoeUser Forums
What a big job doing a WindowBlinds skin turns out to be. The process of making a WB skin (in my case, I can't speak for others) seem to be getting longer and longer.
It's not the mechanics of it that take the time - even though I don't use SkinStudio (gasp! "are you crazy" they cry), configuring the UIS files isn't the main job. Nor is the initial 'design' bit. Once I have the idea down in some form in Photoshop, the main windows elements get created fairly quickly.
It's the ancillary stuff that adds the time on. Shell styles, toolbar icons, animations... and wallpaper! The sharp eyed amongst you will have noticed that my toolbar icons and animations are the same ones each time. The reason for this is simple - speed. There are just too many icons on those toolbars for me to start making a fresh set every time - I'd loose interest before they were finished if I tried to create a new set for every skin!
So my answer is to make a set which complement the skin - it happens that grey toolbar icons will go with most skin colour schemes, so that's quite often what I use - but usually either recoloured or with a matching background forthe skin. Animations are the same - but with the colour scheme made to match the skin's overall design. Hopefully, this 'shortcut' doesn't detract from the skin's overall appearance.
Finally, wallpaper. Comparing my wallpapers with those of other skinners, I can say that I have a way to go, for several reasons. First, I don't have a lot of 3D experience, so those style of wallpapers seem to end up looking the same as others I've done in the past, and second, I lack the design flair and attention to detail that a good wallpaper requires. I should be spending as much time on the wallpaper as on the skin really, and I just don't want to do that!
What it comes down to is impatience! When I think of a design I want to see it as a skin - right now! I don't want to wait until the work is done!
Anyway. The new skin - Jarilo - is nearly complete. I have about two or three XP elements to skin and the animations to do, and an issue with the XP startmenu title text to resolve (anyone know how to right-justify that text properly?)
It's not the mechanics of it that take the time - even though I don't use SkinStudio (gasp! "are you crazy" they cry), configuring the UIS files isn't the main job. Nor is the initial 'design' bit. Once I have the idea down in some form in Photoshop, the main windows elements get created fairly quickly.
It's the ancillary stuff that adds the time on. Shell styles, toolbar icons, animations... and wallpaper! The sharp eyed amongst you will have noticed that my toolbar icons and animations are the same ones each time. The reason for this is simple - speed. There are just too many icons on those toolbars for me to start making a fresh set every time - I'd loose interest before they were finished if I tried to create a new set for every skin!
So my answer is to make a set which complement the skin - it happens that grey toolbar icons will go with most skin colour schemes, so that's quite often what I use - but usually either recoloured or with a matching background forthe skin. Animations are the same - but with the colour scheme made to match the skin's overall design. Hopefully, this 'shortcut' doesn't detract from the skin's overall appearance.
Finally, wallpaper. Comparing my wallpapers with those of other skinners, I can say that I have a way to go, for several reasons. First, I don't have a lot of 3D experience, so those style of wallpapers seem to end up looking the same as others I've done in the past, and second, I lack the design flair and attention to detail that a good wallpaper requires. I should be spending as much time on the wallpaper as on the skin really, and I just don't want to do that!
What it comes down to is impatience! When I think of a design I want to see it as a skin - right now! I don't want to wait until the work is done!
Anyway. The new skin - Jarilo - is nearly complete. I have about two or three XP elements to skin and the animations to do, and an issue with the XP startmenu title text to resolve (anyone know how to right-justify that text properly?)
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