Okay. This is it. I've been sitting on it most of the day after bugging a few folks for their opinions.
2of3 offered to help me with this. Vampothika & neone6 also offered help and support.
I decided to go with something new to get a fresh start and came up with this. Hopefully, it's simple enough so as not to be problematic along the way, but stylish enough that a lot of you will like it and it won't be too easy so I (and you) can learn from it as we go along.
2of3 was kind enough to send me some files to follow as sort of a workflow to keep organized. We're gonna go one piece at a time and won't be moving on to the next until the one we are on is good.
PLEASE :
So...this is pretty much it. How the rest of this thread progresses and shapes up will depend on how the back and forth transpires. If I leave something out as we go along and you want me to back up, give a yell. I'll be happy to.
If this is the only skin I ever do, we're gonna go through it from start to finish so enjoy.
What you see above is the Start window (I'll probably be going with the darker of the two). (401 px x 500 px)
These were the drafts.
UPDATE 1/17/2012 : gmc2 is going to attempt to do the Wiki for this. Woot! Based on that, I think we'll be doing more than one thread as we progress. THIS particular thread will be the basic design/draft of all the parts. Hopefully, this will make it easier for gmc2 to do his thing and make it easier for anyone to follow the progress.
I'll be asking for suggestions from time to time. Feel free to PM me anything.
Also - If you want to make anything to go with, this here is a color chart if it helps. I'll be sticking to these colors. Any variations will be due to shading/effects or 'overlay' layers.
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NOTES: Start Menu and Taskbar -
If you're looking for Part I, II, III you can find them here:
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The PSD files for the previous threads are in the Graphics Gallery.
roflmao!!!!!
I'm going to have to wait until I get to the SKS part to see what it all looks like.
Doc, you need to get your eyes checked. I still don't know what you're seeing and I'm just as cute as I always was.
you seem to be picky about your design....Ditch the expanded startmenue alltogether. It´s a nuisance and it´s fugly
With the right settings everything will work as it should exept the start menue won´t be stretching sideways and you Don´t want that !
Trust me on that one too !
Off to work now, but In sks later it will be piss easy to set the values so you don´t get that sideway stretch that´ll fuck up your design
-Later b r o
-lol
test
that's a pretty broad statement. I don't care a lot for the left side but the right side has it's uses and sparkles up the experience.
but it is an optional graphic and not required for form, fit or function.
There is no reason an expanded menu won't work with your design, Po
You have gmail.
-Of course it would work to have an expanded startmenue on your blind, Po. I personally don´t like it,but...
Some seem to forget that it is your first blind and not all parts have to be skinned, personally I think some Parts are idiotic, but that´s just me. Instead concentrate/skin the more the important parts really Proper.
However -It´s your skin in the end and it will ofcourse be done according to your preferences.
question.... for some reason i thought that the search mode pieces replaced the expanded menu? right or wrong?
see po...even masters like moi get fugged up in sks sometimes...hehhe
Thanks all three of you.
I never use that feature myself as I don't normally keep a lot of stuff pinned to the menu to begin with.
I'd like to skin it anyway.
I want to skin as much of this as possible with the understanding that some of it may just not work. If it doesn't work, I want to share it and let it be part of the whole experience so other folks like myself can see it and hopefully learn something from it...as long as it's not too much hassle for you all that are trying to help me accomplish this. I appreciate your help and don't want to make this aggravating for you guys.
Unless I'm wrong, this is the only part I have left to skin for the start panel. If someone could tell me what/how to skin it? SKS and Wiki have nothing on the dementions or any info really.
Also..it was pointed out to me yesterday, I think it was yesterday, by uh....uh...geez...brain just went completely blank...anyway...something about the arrows in the expanded menu stuff and the 'x' stitches I have on the panel possibly being in conflict, so any thoughts on that would be helpful.
Oh and ..Good Morning!
Got it.
Responded.
SHE started it.
And btw, I'd like to talk to you about this bridge that I can get you a really good deal on. lol
You have a reply. I was being serious because there are malfunctions (https://forums.wincustomize.com/415251/page/1/#3057937).
I will always hate you.
*Zubaz is right about you.
Gee ... I wonder how many times that bridge was sold in the last hundred years. lol
Speaking of...the shortbus is late this morning. It doesn't seem right without my morning 'derp'.
The WHAT?!?!?!
po, when are you going to start working in skin studio? i sort of get the feeling you are making all the graphics now and then import the whole lot into sk.
when most skinners make a windowblind, we create something, be it pp frames or a startmenu. from there we cut it up and import it into skin studio, then it goes from there, it builds up slowly, but either way, photoshop and skinstudio are constantly open and being used at the same time when making a wb.
we make a new button, apply it, then test it, same for every new piece we make....its just how it works, and the blind slowly comes to life.
i hope this makes sense.....
So example; If the template you´re using is, say "Diamond" it will slowly, piece by piece become "Roan" get it ?
It makes sense. I've done it that way in the past. (And see how far it's gotten me..lol)
Tim sent me some PSD files to show me the parts of the blind and give me a sense of workflow. I'm going through and making what I can. I am saving ALL the psd's and stuff because I know I will have to go back and make edits. Tim wanted me to make a lot of it first so I could see how it would look with the buttons, etc., etc.
So far, despite the little setbacks, I like doing it like this.
SKS is the most frustrating part of making the blind for me. I think doing it the same time I'm messing in PS has been one of the reasons I quit so easily. This gives me a chance to see the entire skin in mock up first and the input you and the others have given me has been beyond helpful and valuable. Plus, I think if I have most of it designed and/or ready for SKS in advance, I'd have to be a real quitter all the way around not to assemble it. At that point, I'd really have no excuses. ( I would really be curious to know if anyone else has had a similar experience in getting frustrated. I am hoping this whole thing will help them as much as it is helping and encouraging me.)
Also, for the sake of these threads and a tutorial as it were, I want it to be easy for others to follow. I'd like to keep the SKS thread separate (as much as possible) from the initial design threads.
When designing the parts, asking for preferable sizes etc.... -The workflow of the Ps design is sort of depending on the workflow in Sks & you sholdn´t/wouldn´t wanna separate these as you get instant visual result when applied that way, but as you say you tried it like that and didn´t like to work like that so we´ll just have to try to do it your way instead...
I sent you all a PM. Sorry if I am making all of this difficult.
I've been trying to post the sizes for the stuff I am making so it will help. If you need anything like files, info, whatever to help me, just ask. This is really helping me to do it this way. I don't know if it is helping or will help anyone else, but I really appreciate what every one here is doing (with one exception - he-who-must-not-be-named)
So..can someone let me know when we can get back to business as it were? I want to tie up this thread for the start panel and taskbar and start a new one for the explorer windows. I don't know if I have skinned everything I need to for this part and still don't know about the expanded panel and those 'search mode' pieces Kitty mentioned.
All the freaking time!!!!!!! For instance, this morning, I was playing with my new skin and wanted to change the titlebar text color........... Well, it would let me apply ANY color I wanted except the color i WANTED it to be!!!!! still don't know why!! Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.
doing it your way is no worries,
but you must remember one thing, you are now learning windowblinds, each piece basically has its own setting, painting margin, state number, ect.... it is in your best interest that while you are working with the asthetics of the blind, when you do eventually import the pieces, you understand what all the setting in skin studio mean for that part, its no good just us telling you to set the painting margins to 50, 70,20 and 20 and you have no idea why.
does that make sense?
basically my goal for you is, not only to make a new windowblind, but also walk away with the knowledge to make another one .
and besides nobody loves a one hit wonder....
give us a list of what you have skinned for the startmenu and taskbar so far then we can check it for you.
hmm,, search mode bits... its hard to explain, i cant explain it without showing a picture.. i will do that.
first image is for search mode top
second image is for search mode bottom.
they are bigger for obvious reasons......
That much I understand from messing with SKS. They confuse the hell out of me and then all the options like tiling, stretching, etc...ugh. I am looking forward to that stage of it so you can explain it to me.
yes!
Rick Astley would beg to differ.
For the last time, 'DERP' is not a color.
Despite all the issues here, I want to thank you Po, and everyone else who is involved in getting this put together. The knowledge I'm receiving here is invaluable. I always had thoughts of making the jump from just icons to doing WB's as well, but I seriously lacked the knowledge to even consider making that leap. I think this has been the most awsome thread to date. Thank-you all so very much for all your time and patience. -- Ace --
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