Here's what I have so far

 I created everything (background, taskbar, startbutton, start panel) from scratch using CS2. Im still not pleased with it tho. but it's a start.

Then tell me how they will. That's why I want to LEARN how each feature in SKS works so I can make a Visual Style that works. Ppl keep telling me to play with the options and thru trial and error, to basically figure it out on my own. Thats what I did. And I appreciate your insight. But I dont want to be a "new" skinner for long. I want to be an expert. So if you know how it CAN be done, then teach me how. Otherwise, telling me 'it wont work', ISN'T going to be of any use to me.

In any case, it's working on MY pc, and for the time being, that's good enough for me.  But I WOULD appreciate it if you help me.

Great looking Start Menu Mirsguy, love it!  Like vStyler said, it is going to be really tough using your text and paint margins to get thinks to look good on brushed metal though, but it can be done.  Trial and error is about the only way, just keep on trying.  After almost 8 years of skinning, I still have to use it on some occasions to get something to line up and look good. 

4give me for coming off rudely. I just really want to learn. If there was a skinstudio for dummies, i'd be the first one to buy one. in any case, i appreciate ur assistance.

can u post a link to that "intricate" skin so i can examine it aswell?

When I play around with the details such as margins etc. I'm guessing blindly (adjusting something, then applying it to see what it does over and over). So when something seems to work, and the entire (let say, Start Panel) fits together, as far as I can see, it'll work with thos configs. 

I actually appreciate it when someone informs me that something may not work with other sizes, resolutions, etc. But along with telling me it wont work, I'd need to be informed as to what WILL work on all screen resolutions and different sized Panels. How else will I know what WILL work? cuz remember, it was by blindly guessing and not understanding exactly what each feature does to affect the outcome, that lead me to create the one that 'wouldn't work'. I need to know exactly what I did wrong and how to adjust those configs inorder to make it work. Otherwise, if i just hear "it wont work" and then I just go back to guessing again (still without understanding what needs to be adjusted and why) then I'll never understand, becuz as far as I can see, the configs are working on my pc.

Additionally, I'm not familiar yet with certain terminologies that you more experienced skinners use at times. So a quick "answer" to you, may actually translate to me as: 'Now I have to go on a possibly lengthy research adventure trying to figure out what that person meant" inorder to begin making those changes.

I realize it's gonna take time, but I want it to take as little time as realistically possible.  Btw: to create my skin, i used the Diamond visual style. I used the same size start panel but placed the individual part slices in different locations. So the individual parts (top, programs, more programs, places list, and bottom) where difference sizes from those in the Diamond style.  So when I tried to assemble the pieces, i had to change the configs. But since I thought that only the total panel size had to be the same size as the one in Diamond and not each part, I was under the impression that it shouldn't have a problem working as well as the Diamond style.

 

ablebodied I am going post a thread explaining some of this.I will call it Start panel open

ablebodied: I don't particularly like Dragon either, but it does incorporate the type of elements that I'm trying to use in my skin. Though not my style, I think it is a very well designed skin.

If I were you, I'd check out the link in my reply above to the AVMAN's post on the "Start Menu Open Help Thread." I think you will find it very helpful.

could have to do with your security settings, do you allow third party cookies?

nice looking start panel.