making a boot skin in ms paint is easy or not?

from WinCustomize Forums
i do bootskins in paint and so far i've made three and one is still waiting to be approved. It's tough making bootskins in paint if you want a photo from online to be changed into BMP format then pasted into your bootskin; and say the color is bad when you paste it. you have to to color in the right color every time and it's hard doing that if the photo came out really bad. You think making that Spongebob boot skin was easy! ha! it was tough. If you have an easier way of making bootskins or any other skins please place comments.
18,668 views 13 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
All is use MS Paint for is touch ups after using Gimp 2.2 to index image to 16 color 4 bit bitmap. It is also useful to draw the progress bar and border on the 16 color image, as long as pick colors from image, as it will save as 4 bit bitmap when done, Paint.net an The Gimp 2.2 both want to save as 24 bit image which is no good. PSP9 will save back as 4 bit, but it is 120 dollars US.
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
irfanview can decrease color depth to 4bit
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Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
irfanview can decrease color depth to 4bit


Thanks Bichur, I have had irfanview for some time now and did not know it could index images. Did a damn good job of it, the image I just tested looked better than when indexed with PSP9 trial. With the other software I have and now knowing this not going to spend the 150 dollars CAN. on PSP9. Can do what it does with combo of what I have that are free.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Paint is the most simple way to make bootscreens because in Paint they all use the same 16 colors so it will not goof.

I used to use Paint, but the GIMP is much better.
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ok!! What in an irfanview? and what is GIMP?
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The GIMP: http://gimp.org/

Irfanview: http://www.irfanview.com/
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Anyone tried Paint.NET? Link

I've been meaning to download it and try it out but haven't had a chance.
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Anyone tried Paint.NET?


It is a good paint app, cannot use it to decrease to 16 color as needed for Bootskins.
Paint.net is much better than MS Paint. The Gimp is more like PSP, it will decrease to 16 color, but can't open and edit 16 color, as far as I have found anyway.
All three apps mentioned here are free, download them all and play around to see if you like and want to use. You can always uninstall if you don't like.
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hey CHET I should have taken a look at your skins before above post. You will most likely find Paint.net to basic, it is a step up from MS Paint but less than what you are probably using. As one example no blend tool, would have to paint each color then blur to try to make a gradient.
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The Gimp is more like PSP, it will decrease to 16 color, but can't open and edit 16 color, as far as I have found anyway.


It opens 16 color images. Otherwise I wouldnt use it. ;o)