Cant make shiny black metal!!!

[chicubs]

I CANT DO IT!!! ...I want to create some shiny black metal but i just cant freakin do it! :mad: It either somes out too shiny and fake or too dull. Could someone help out a frustrated skinner?

[Heigar]

Try these styles ,you may have to do some adjusting to get what your after.

[Lich]

Black Metal can't shine. It can only sound with hate and agony:)

[Matt]

do you have an example of what you want to make?

[chicubs]

not really like this, but I think you will get the point

[chicubs]

This is what I had so far, but I wanted the black to be shinier, right now it's too dull.

[Matt]

if this is what you had in mind i can help you out.

[drewkeller]

if you're trying to get away from dullness, i think you'll have to use more contrast - mostly make the reflections white instead of gray

[chicubs]

yah, thats more like it, now someone has to tell me how to do it. :D

[Matt]

Step 1: a) fill your mask with a dark grey colour.

Step 2:
a) make a selection of your fill and goto channels
b) in channels click save selection as channel
c) goto guassian blur and select 8
d) goto guassian blur and select 4
e) goto guassian blur and select 2
f) goto guassian blur and select 1. This will give a very smooth gradient. see screen 2 posts down.

[Matt]

step 3:
a) go back to layers. Make sure your shape is still selected.
b) goto Filter > render > lighting effects (see screenshot for settings).
c) in lighting effects, under 'Texture Channel' (bottom) select the channel layer you just created.
d) crank up height to increase intensity of bevel. Lower ambience to make darker. raise exposure to get a shine. make material metallic and gloss shiny. Best this is to play with all these settings until you have something you like.

[Matt]

this is the screen for step 2.

[Matt]

and when you are done you are left with something like this.

You can play with the result using the dodge tool or burn tool to give it a more random appearence or to smooth out some of the roughness.

[Matt]

and you play some more....

[drewkeller]

i did my modifications with the airbrush tool loaded with white and the smudge/soften tool in a layer above matt's image

i think doing it by hand gives it a little more character* but maybe that's not what you're looking for. i suppose you could do the same thing with feathered selections and the paint bucket

*i also have more 'non-digital' art tendencies than what i think a lot of skinners have. i learned to draw on a real sketchpad with a real pencil and paint on a real canvas with real paints, [...] real airbrush, real pens, etc. well you get the picture. i think i would be a lot more at home drawing digital if i had a pen digitizer instead of a mouse. been thinking that for a long time now

[Xymantix]

Damn, Matt, that's gorgeous!

[Matt]

thx Xy.

I'm interested to find out how you did your avatar. Tres Beau.

[chicubs]

*bows*...lol, I was going to do the same thing with that the little flap (with the triangle on it)...Also read my mind on the way you surronded the big triangle, nicely done.

[chicubs]

I achieved what matt did, but I was experimenting and I created something that, in my opinion looks pretty good.

[Matt]

looking good.. keeper going!

[chicubs]

thanks for the help, even though I went astray from the path I learned some new things, thanks :)


Maybe we should move this to development forum :confused:

[Xymantix]

I hope you keep going with this skin, it's looking really awesome! Have any names picked out for it yet? I like "Shark Fin Soup" :)

[chicubs]

"Shark Fin Soup"...lol, I might just do that
:D

[philipptr]

it sucks...
i know..
but ya wanted to see it...

[chicubs]

Black isnt a color!!! (inside arguement/joke) :p

blue is purdy

[philipptr]

yellow-grey IS a colour!

i like this version much better then the first i uploaded

[Young Twig]

yellow-grey IS a colour!

i like this version much better then the first i uploaded
I like the first. The "Fifth Trip" style reflection aint chillin' with my tastes.

[chicubs]

I like the first. The "Fifth Trip" style reflection aint chillin' with my tastes.

yo dog, whats up with the foshizellation?

translation: why are you talking like street all the time :p :p

[Young Twig]

yo dog, whats up with the foshizellation?

translation: why are you talking like street all the time :p :p
no reason other than just to be stupid. being stupid is fun.

FYI: I in no way endorse the "ghetto" lifestyle.

[chicubs]

no reason other than just to be stupid. being stupid is fun.

FYI: I in no way endorse the "ghetto" lifestyle.

lol :D (I have nothing else to say, I just have to make this post "10 characters" long. :p

[Young Twig]

lol :D (I have nothing else to say, I just have to make this post "10 characters" long. :p

Yeah I hate that. And the 5 image limit.

[chicubs]

Slight update, I justed the lcd screen a little added a little more depth to it.

[Xymantix]

It's looking really good. Out of curiosity, were you planning on making most of the controls inside the glassy blue part, or leave that area mostly for display and put the controls on the frame?

[chicubs]

It's looking really good. Out of curiosity, were you planning on making most of the controls inside the glassy blue part, or leave that area mostly for display and put the controls on the frame?

honestly, I dont know :confused: ... I have a couple ideas floating around, though.

[plover]

lol :D (I have nothing else to say, I just have to make this post "10 characters" long. :p
I get around this by adding in a few extra characters with the text color set to white.

[Matt]

yellow-grey IS a colour!

i like this version much better then the first i uploaded


looks very slick! reminds me of something out of alien or doom.

how was that effect done?

[chicubs]

I now know what Im going to do with the buttons, but Im going to keep the main player pretty clean....numerous cool extentions are basically whats going to happen, but Im going to keep it a secret....for now.

[Travelian]

in order to get something like what Monoaux did with OHE 3 you'll need to do airbrushing instead of just gradient fills. it really does take a while to master airbrushing though...but your results will be awsome once you do.

[chicubs]

in order to get something like what Monoaux did with OHE 3 you'll need to do airbrushing instead of just gradient fills. it really does take a while to master airbrushing though...but your results will be awsome once you do.

*waves to travelian*

What's going on?...anyway Monaux's amazing OHE3 wasnt really the look i was going for....i just was struggling to find an example. Im quite happy with what I created, but I am definately going to endevarour into airbrushing soon.....first I need to go get a mouse that isnt so jiggly (non-optical, but cordless)
Thanks for the suggestion/comment Trav!

[Travelian]

*waves to travelian*

What's going on?...anyway Monaux's amazing OHE3 wasnt really the look i was going for....i just was struggling to find an example. Im quite happy with what I created, but I am definately going to endevarour into airbrushing soon.....first I need to go get a mouse that isnt so jiggly (non-optical, but cordless)
Thanks for the suggestion/comment Trav!


No prob...its been a while since i poked my head in here and since skinedge is down haven't checked up on you in a while :)

I love that the forums here switched to vBulliten as opposed to whatever that was before.

I'm also glad to see that you haven't given up on skining! :)

[Matt]

first I need to go get a mouse that isnt so jiggly (non-optical, but cordless)


if i may suggest a fine mouse.. try the Logitech MX500 or MX700 (cordless). very very percise.

[chicubs]

if i may suggest a fine mouse.. try the Logitech MX500 or MX700 (cordless). very very percise.

exactly what I was thinking of....pricey, though.

Trav,
Its a shame skinedge went done. You, me, red, and solace used it as basically a private message board, lol. It also had more features than some of the other sites out there and it isnt slow as crap as da (btw didnt that site get slower after apparently adding a super fast coding scheme?!)

[Travelian]

exactly what I was thinking of....pricey, though.

Trav,
Its a shame skinedge went done. You, me, red, and solace used it as basically a private message board, lol. It also had more features than some of the other sites out there and it isnt slow as crap as da (btw didnt that site get slower after apparently adding a super fast coding scheme?!)

lol i dunno,

i'm on dialup most the time so everything is slow ;)

[Matt]

exactly what I was thinking of....pricey, though.

you won't be sorry if you fork out the extra few bucks. I have the mx500 myself, cordless isn't a big deal for me.

[Tokelil]

Now that we are a little offtopic I'll add my support for the MX500. The best mouse I have had by far. (I have removed the metal block inside it which makes it a little lighter which I prefer.)

[chicubs]

I have to have cordless, though. So I guess, its MX700 for me :) ....now back to the skin :D

[Young Twig]

i really think OHE3 sucks. That tube cluttery crap is utterly trendy especially among Winamp skins.

[chicubs]

i really think OHE3 sucks. That tube cluttery crap is utterly trendy especially among Winamp skins.

it was the trend setter. It was one of the first wa3 skins.

[Young Twig]

it was the trend setter. It was one of the first wa3 skins.
nah. there are tons of trendy tube clutter skins for wa2. I used to use them... until I was "enlightened."

[Travelian]

nah. there are tons of trendy tube clutter skins for wa2. I used to use them... until I was "enlightened."

I'm not sure if "who did it first" really matters. In the end all i like to see are good looking, usable skins that suit my needs.

[Young Twig]

I'm not sure if "who did it first" really matters. In the end all i like to see are good looking, usable skins that suit my needs.
I know, but it's dumb and i don't think he started the trend. Anyway, it's dumb and generally ugly.

[Travelian]

I know, but it's dumb and i don't think he started the trend. Anyway, it's dumb and generally ugly.

I'm semi inclined to agree with you on that. Yes OHE was a great piece of art but i never really did like the way it looked on my deasktop playing music :)

[chicubs]

Im stuck :confused: :confused: I dont really know how to integrate the buttons using some sort of extention. I want to keep the main body clean.....i know where to put the volume and close, min buttons.

[chicubs]

anyone have any ideas?

[Young Twig]

nope. no ideas at all... :( Sorry.

[Spidercrab]

Im stuck :confused: :confused: I dont really know how to integrate the buttons using some sort of extention. I want to keep the main body clean.....i know where to put the volume and close, min buttons.
How about an extension made from a very different kind of material such as a coloured tinted glass and give the text and button labels a strong shadow to give the glass some depth?

[chicubs]

How about an extension made from a very different kind of material such as a coloured tinted glass and give the text and button labels a strong shadow to give the glass some depth?

ooh, i like....hmmm....where to put it...I need some turkey to figure this out :p

[chicubs]

I just failed miserably to create some decent glass, bah.

[chicubs]

Ok, if anyone has any ideas, the solid blue color is where I want the glass....I tried using the method of the blue round triangle thingy, but it didnt look how I wanted it to.

[chicubs]

this is what i came up with but its not really glass :(

[Young Twig]

I don't care for your glass that much (the surface underneath.. It just doesn't do anything for me. Also, I think your reflections should be uniform.

[Young Twig]

But to be honest, I'd prefer someting more like this...

[drewkeller]

something doesn't look quite right with that reflection
i haven't put my finger on it yet

[Young Twig]

something doesn't look quite right with that reflection
i haven't put my finger on it yet
Yeah. It's like.... Too curvey. I don't know.

[chicubs]

im scrapping the glass idea, for now...trying something again. ..hope I dont fail, again.

[chicubs]

cool...a few accidental blurrings and I think Ive got it!!

[Young Twig]

cool...a few accidental blurrings and I think Ive got it!!
Let us see.

[plover]

something doesn't look quite right with that reflection
i haven't put my finger on it yet
To me, it looks like a dome shape viewed from one side (extended back into the image), rather than a convex area in the picture plane (like the triangular part). In other words, the overall object would be a tetrahedron with a dome embedded in one side, which would be kind of an interesting object but probably not what chicubs intended. (I have no clue how to fix it though... :) )

[chicubs]

lol, plover, im too stupid to understand anything you just said :p :p ...I made these two different versions, mind you that the buttons are not complete...which one do you like better?

[Young Twig]

lol, plover, im too stupid to understand anything you just said :p :p ...I made these two different versions, mind you that the buttons are not complete...which one do you like better?
The second. However, I don't like the main body that much. I don't care for the LCD. It just looks too... weird. Go up a few posts to see how I'd prefer it.

[chicubs]

The second. However, I don't like the main body that much. I don't care for the LCD. It just looks too... weird. Go up a few posts to see how I'd prefer it.

well, poo on you
:p :p :p

[Young Twig]

well, poo on you
:p :p :p
Well the bottom section of the second one looks a lot like it... so...

[chicubs]

Well the bottom section of the second one looks a lot like it... so...

oh its on.

[Young Twig]

oh its on.
what?? :confused:

[chicubs]

what?? :confused:

you just called my skin poo :p

[-swt-]

I made these two different versions, mind you that the buttons are not complete...which one do you like better?

The 2nd looks better. IMvHO :cool:

[Young Twig]

you just called my skin poo :p
no... i meant the bottom of the second attachment looked a lot like my suggestion. :D

[chicubs]

no... i meant the bottom of the second attachment looked a lot like my suggestion. :D

Oh, I think I know what you mean. You want me to make the body like I made the bottom part. Correct?

[Young Twig]

Oh, I think I know what you mean. You want me to make the body like I made the bottom part. Correct?
yes. :D





.

[chicubs]

lol, I just figured out yesterday that my monitor was set way too dark so this skin looked fine, but I turned the brightness up to the right setting and its way too light...i have since darkened it.

[chicubs]

here's the much improved version....ignore the half circle, im going to change the shape of that. The extended rectangle is going to be a control box for volume, sound effects (bass, treble, balance), mute, and all the other buttons.

[chicubs]

awesome, i just did something sweet! :D

[Young Twig]

awesome, i just did something sweet! :D
Sounds cool.



Too bad I can't see it.

[-swt-]

hm... looks realy nice
BUT

i would move the lower Menue with the 3 Buttons a bit to the left,
so the right-end is in a line with the main-graphic

silent greets

[chicubs]

Is the darkness/lightness of the player ok? Cause, I just tried a different monitor (very old) and it seemed to dark...Opinions?

[Young Twig]

Is the darkness/lightness of the player ok? Cause, I just tried a different monitor (very old) and it seemed to dark...Opinions?
It looks fine. It would look even better if yoyu made all of it puffy like the bottom part! :p

[chicubs]

its looks sleeker this way...like batman. :p

[Young Twig]

its looks sleeker this way...like batman. :p
Batman's ugly. :(

[Xymantix]

Maybe it's my monitor, but the latest verison is too dark to distinguish between the features in the darker areas. Some of the older, lighter versions were better, I think.

[chicubs]

Maybe it's my monitor, but the latest verison is too dark to distinguish between the features in the darker areas. Some of the older, lighter versions were better, I think.

yah, thats what I got with my old monitor...*lightening*

[Young Twig]

yah, thats what I got with my old monitor...*lightening*
It looks fine on both of my monitors.

[chicubs]

It looks fine on both of my monitors.

hmmm...maybe its the older and smaller monitors. How old is your monitor Xy?

[-swt-]

well it looks fine for me...
Monitor : Samsung SyncMaster 950pPlus - about 2Years old...

silent greets

[fatal error]

i used to have the same problems with skins looking funny until I realized the custom settings (brightness/contrast) I run for games such as Team Arena and Wolfenstein were the culprit. just an FYI...

[Lich]

Chicubs, you're in trouble.

[Paul]

Chicubs, you're in trouble.
Lich, now that's a funny logo.

[Xymantix]

hmmm...maybe its the older and smaller monitors. How old is your monitor Xy?
I agree with fatal error - it's probably not the age of the monitor, but make/model/configuration. Adjusting the brightness and contrast will 'fix' the problem so that I can see more details in the dark places of the skin, but it also tends to wash it out. I usally like running at higher contrast, so my darks are probably darker than other peoples.

[Young Twig]

I agree with fatal error - it's probably not the age of the monitor, but make/model/configuration. Adjusting the brightness and contrast will 'fix' the problem so that I can see more details in the dark places of the skin, but it also tends to wash it out. I usally like running at higher contrast, so my darks are probably darker than other peoples.
My contrast is at 100 on both monitors. Brightness: ~75 on one, ~65 on the other.

BTW, I have a 17" Gateway monitor from before 200 I guess. (It's a Gateway 2000. I didn't buy it, so, I don't know when it's from). I also have a 19" Something. It's from about 2 years ago maybe.

[maresias]

chicubs..the skin comming out of this thread will rock,you know?
I guess the most risky part is to choose the proper foNt & color,but I'm sure you'll kill it.

congradulations in advance..and wow man,what a team support you got here!..

[Tokelil]

Maybe some of you should take a lokk at some of the sites that offer some good advises on how to probably set the brightness and contrast of monitors. Unfortunaly I cant find the one I use to calibrate my monitor, but this one seems ok too:
http://members.aol.com/wa8lmf/screencal/screencal.htm