Do's and don'ts for making a sysMetrix

A good place to start is by reading the SysMetrix Documentation that comes with the program. It gives you a run down of the settings and how the images work.

download some sample sysmetrix themes and see how they are constructed, edit them a little bit to get an idea of what is involved...
beyond that, I think a good place to start is to make a rough background image of how you visualise your final skin to look like, start a new sysmetrix theme with this roughed out version, adding all the elements that you require. You can then take a screenshot of your work in progress and import that into your photoshop (or whatever app) document of the original background on a new layer and use it as a template to tweak the graphics, add custom dividers or sections - that sort of thing...

Great advice guys...
anyone else?

just keeping it alive...

I think this would be a good stickey post "Tutorials for SysMetrix"
Admins?
[Message Edited]

You got your answer. That's how we learned.

And if it was gonna be sticky, it would be in the "Skinning" section.

Ya but people could post detailed advice instead of referals to the documentation...
Yes the advice here was very very very helpful but wouldnt it be nice it there was more
ps why in skinning section

By the way thanks a lot for all your support guys