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benmanns

Join Date 12/2005

+93

My first attempt for a Windowblinds skin

Ok as i said im on holiday this week so i have some time working on something diffrent...
This is my first attempt to build a skin what i´ve done so far is making a quick paper sketch to gather some ideas on how it should look what i will show here is not final, i will change it completely maybee.
I started with the tutorial from Vampothika sinze i have never used Skin Studio: you can find the tutorial here :
http://wiki.wincustomize.com/wiki/Skin_Studio_7:_The_Tutorial#Getting_Started
Im still working on the Startmenu and i must admit i didnt think it would take that many layers to get close to this.
I have to change some values for the shadows since im not quite pleased with the current result.
Also i will add some release valves and maybee a bit of steam not to much also i will try to get a more flowing connection beetween the background and the starmenu tab itself it still looks like it just hangs infront of all.

Tips are always welcome aswell as critic.

I found some time today to make a basic StartMenu what i have made so far looks like this:

windowblinds

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teddybearcholla

Join Date 12/2002

+634

Very kool beginning!!!

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Island Dog

Join Date 06/2003

+1038

You are off to a good start. A bit of advice though. Be wary of the beveling in Photoshop.

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Nice start.

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k10w3

Join Date 11/2007

+770

The graphic looks sweet! I think you're going to experience some problems with content margins, getting everything to even out, once you slice it up and plug it into Skin Studio, but I'm sure you'll come up with something pleasing!

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benmanns

Join Date 12/2005

+93

How did you know im currently trying and trying to get that places list in order but it just wont.No matter what value i insert under margins it wont change.IF i insert a value for the right like -9999 its comes close to matching but only close.I simply dont get it. First thing and im already stuck ohh well.

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willistuder

Join Date 08/2007

+275

You have quite an imagination. It's good to see someone new testing the waters of WindowBlinds skinning--good luck.

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neone6

Join Date 12/2010

+898

Interesting concept.

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Uvah

Join Date 05/2006

+874

Oh yes. Photoshop's beveling can throw everything off and not just in WB's. Keep an eye to the size and whether or not you want to use global lighting.

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navigatsio

Join Date 07/2004

+133

It is creative....just trying to picture it with all the menu items/text in place.

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benmanns

Join Date 12/2005

+93

Thanks Uvah, i will have to make changes anyway so im redoing this tomorrow and see if i can find a diffrent solution for the strech issue.
I didnt know that it would get streched that much.I realy would have liked to run with the opening to the back, sadly these textures get streched so much that it looks like someone had driven against it with a truck.

And as you said i will do changes to the beveling since its mixed all over the place and causes trouble as well, but im unsure about the global lighting
And thank you all for your comments

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benmanns

Join Date 12/2005

+93

Quoting navigatsio,

reply 9

It is creative....just trying to picture it with all the menu items/text in place.

Haha yeah i know thats also a problem, but i realy wanted it like this

but i found out it wont work that way
But iam not giving up i will find a solution for every little problem and if it takes me till end of this year.

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Uvah

Join Date 05/2006

+874

Take your time Rolocolor. I wish I was as brave as you are to take on a WB. Those things scare me.

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navigatsio

Join Date 07/2004

+133

But iam not giving up i will find a solution for every little problem and if it takes me till end of this year.

Well you have the right attitude, Roloccolor. There's always a work around or fix for everything...you just have to be stubborn enough to figure 'em out. Good luck with it!

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DrJBHL

Join Date 04/2002

+2968

Looks promising. Keep at it!

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navigatsio

Join Date 07/2004

+133

Those things scare me.

Ain't nothing scares me, Uvah, except snakes...

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DaveBax

Join Date 10/2007

+629

Quoting navigatsio,

reply 15

Those things scare me.

Ain't nothing scares me, Uvah, except snakes...

Rick you haven't seen Uvah yet. He scares the pants off a drunken moneky.

Keep that wb going it will work out as you have a great outlook.

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Uvah

Join Date 05/2006

+874

drunken moneky.

You know Zubish too? Wow.

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benmanns

Join Date 12/2005

+93

Ok i remade my concept today made a view changes and im quite pleased so far BUT when i wanted to test it in skinstudio after i had cut it into pieces this happend :

The right part from the Startmenu is cut off, so i wanted to ask for help
Also i have some small transparency problems that only occurs on a milky too white background on black everything is fine.Any Tips how to fix that ?
Thanks in advance. I will go and try to play around with the margins to set things in place meanwhile.

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k10w3

Join Date 11/2007

+770

That transparency part on the white background? I think that might be in the "Hide Shadow on Start Menu" or the "Background Effect) in the extra section (try playing around with those, clicking them on and off).

That bottom part...are you sure you that the width of your canvas for the rest of the pieces in the start menu have the correct amount of transparent space on them? If they do, check to make sure that width and height parts in the Extras Section are correct.

Also, just a little extra tip -- you might want to add the gradient on your start menu as a second layer. You can do that by clicking the + sign on next to the drop down menu to add a layer on top of your base layer; just make sure that you add the gradient layer for all your sections on the start menu (top, left, bottom, right, all programs), because they have to equal the same amount.

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benmanns

Join Date 12/2005

+93

WOW thanks that realy solved it
I must see if i can find the correct file again i just made the Startmenu (AGAIN) because i had drop shadows activated...in Photoshop and i thought that might be the problem.Note to myself at this point DONT merge everything at the end without doing a backup save.
With the setting to No semi transparency the problem seems to be gone.
Thank you k10w3

I will try setting the Gradient for the startmenu tomorrow morning:
Now i need to know how i can add the missing part on the right bottom that is cut of.

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k10w3

Join Date 11/2007

+770

Quoting Roloccolor,

reply 20

Note to myself at this point DONT merge everything at the end without doing a backup save.

While you're at it, always save your .PSD files (you never know who is going to want to borrow them to make gadgets, docks, etc.); and (MOST IMPORTANT), after ever change you make in Skin Studio that you're satisfied with, make a .wba file for (file--->make WBA file, from the toolbar menu in Skin Studio). That way, if you mess something up with your next session, you can reinstall the last .wba file to get back to your last good version of the skin. It's like "Control+Alt+Z" in Photoshop.

I also keep a back of my .wba files on a flash drive, just in case I need to refer back to the beginning of a skin for something.

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Uvah

Join Date 05/2006

+874

I don't use keyboard shortcuts in Photoshop. What is CTR+ALT+Z? My ignorance is showing again. lol

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k10w3

Join Date 11/2007

+770

Quoting Uvah,

reply 22

I don't use keyboard shortcuts in Photoshop. What is CTR+ALT+Z? My ignorance is showing again. lol

CTR+ALT+Z is undo. I don't think there's a button for that. You should try it...it's my favorite combination of keys in Photoshop.

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Vampothika

Join Date 07/2006

+590

the reason why your bottom part is cut off is because you have pushed the left margin all the way over and probably past its limit.

how to fix it: reset the left margin back to zero, apply your skin, and THEN play with the left and right margins until you are happy.

not sure how high that bottom part is either, but if your skinning for xp only, it will be okay, if its vista and or windows 7 anything over 50pixels in height goes wonky with the text in the search box on the windows 7 and vista start menu.

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Vampothika

Join Date 07/2006

+590

also, a piece of advice concerning the allprograms button (the arrow you press to access the pop up files in the startmenu)

your startmenu dosent butt up against the pc edge on the left hand side (thats okay, its no problem) but... your problem will be the mouse

over colour when you mouse over the button, your best bet is to just have a simple 3 image button, not the large 3 state button that pushes the

text off (this is explained in my tut, so you will get what i mean) anyway, for this section, make sure you have a plain colour background for a smooth and undetectable mouse over, otherwise you will see a block of colour everytime you mouse over that button, and its.......well very

annoying and takes from the blinds beauty...

you will also have to adjust the left hand side text margins for that button too, so that colour dosent spill over the edge of the left hand side because

you have a png gap there.... (basically you will be moving that left hand text margin in over the png gap onto the blue part of the startmenu)

hope all this makes sense xxxx

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