Skin Overhaul; Blue Steel

[Shadowraven]

This was my 3rd skin for QCD, I quite like the general shape, but I'm not at all happy with the way the buttons look on it and the extensions could use some work. With the curves it has been hard to make the controls appear embedded properly, but I'm getting there.

This one is due for a major overhaul, maybe from scratch. I am putting it up for some suggestions on how to improve it before I get too far in it's development.

[thelastninja]

Im not sure what program your using to do your graphics in. But in regard to making the buttions look embeded into the skin, I recommend getting hold of photoshop and making the buttons a differant layer and using outer bevel and embos or outer shadow which should give the buttons the appearence of 'popping' out of the skin. It should make any controls you have look like they are molded into the skin like blow formed plastic, as aposed to just placed there.

Hope that makes sense.

As for being rebuilt from scratch, I think everyone has a differant idea of what looks good and fuctional in a skin. So I guess just keep in mind the overall look you want to achive in your skin.

Good luck with your skinning adventures.

[Shadowraven]

I mainly use Paint Shop Pro, although I have Photoshop I just haven't had the time to learn how to use it effectively. This skin's body was mostly created using Z-Brush, which has a steep learning curve, but is great for 3D effects.

After seeing many of the skins here created using Photoshop, I'll probably need to buckle down and learn to use it. Paint Shop Pro seems to be too limited.

[dd01]

Here comes the spaceship!
How big is this skin ? It will have color themes ?

[Rex_Mundi_Incarnit]

I really like it. It has got all the stuff. But...i dont really like purple. Any chance of making a 'silver-blue-ice theme"?

[Shadowraven]

When I first made this skin I was still learning to use Z-Brush (and still am) so I had trouble getting it to be the color I wanted it to be (hence Blue Steel is actually purple). Even up to now additional color themes hadn't occurred to me. That said, I believe that I now have enough control of it to offer different colors (I was never fond of the purple either).

The skin measures 634-W x 583-H when fully opened, although I can (and will) make smaller versions of it. I prefer to make my skins readable to me without a magnifying glass to see the controls. Readability while retaining style is most important to me, if I can't see a control clearly I won't use it. My screen resolution is usually set at 1152x864 to maximize space on my desktop with almost no icons on it.

[philipptr]

Im not sure what program your using to do your graphics in. But in regard to making the buttions look embeded into the skin, I recommend getting hold of photoshop and making the buttons a differant layer and using outer bevel and embos

nah! bevel and embos is evil :D

[gsb521]

it looks pretty sweet.
but, in the playlist, to the right, is taht the scroller? it looks slightly messed up and angular.

[Shadowraven]

Yes it is. The scroller follows the curve of the playlist. That will probably change in the overhaul because it doesn't quite look right, even at full size. I have created several new bodies for this in different colors, but haven't found a way to make the buttons look right yet, but I'm getting there. :confused: