I wonder how many people have actually used some of these skins as opposed to merely going by screenshots?

me....

i used all the skins and Azenis 2 is #1 by far

nvm... I'll censor myself.

Why? FTW, your Alysseum skin is still one of the best I've ever used. Honestly. Other than the Windows theme for the start button, it was very original. Too bad you released it back then and not now. I just don't see G-POD as being as original as it could have been.

I wonder how many people have actually used some of these skins as opposed to merely going by screenshots? I'm going to be taking screenshots of some of these skins and icons IN USE. I really like all the finalists a lot. But they definitely tend to look better in screenshots than they do in actual use.

I have most of them. I downloaded them as part of my collection of good themes from great artists. Just because I stood my ground in saying that they were misplaced in the categories and a few clearly did not show originality doesn't stem from the fact they are good themes.

Taking screenshots? Of what may I ask? In USE?? I was under the impression the submitted shots were actual screens taken of the themes in USE... Or maybe I was just tired...

Good Luck to all contestants.  

With all due respect to ^^Gabriel for his contribution to the community, his first G-POD from the previous Gui Champs can be called original. He is loved by all. I really thought one of the skinners such as JJ Ying Vstyler, Dexter to name a few had a chance of winning the gold for most original and best overall. This could have been the greatest Gui Champs ever. We still have the best skins ever presented, but I don't think the skinners would come back and do it again with the same love, same quality released. Skinning will never be the same. The well known master stop trying 'cause they feel they have nothing more to prove. The new masters with fresher ideas are not getting the encouragement they deserve and may retire themselves early.

Vista look good enough anyway

Congratulations for the finalists and I wish the best of lucky to everyone.....and thank you all for your hard work and quality works.

Elsius Saint: You should stop trying to make/spot a line to define what's good and what's bad and try to enjoy the contest, it's all about personal taste. To me (very personal opinion), some some skins look very original, some very usable, some very detailed, some very simple, some balanced... some bad but it's my own opinion and it's don't count to define a good or bad skin/wallpaper/icon. Many skinners/designers here make skins for fun, as hobby, others make 'em for living, as a job that may have commercial appeal due the marked, this will affect the skins in many aspects but it's not making any skinner better than other for the contest, forget about the "label/title thing", to me there's no master/citizen/apprentice/etc on this contest, only people trying to make "cool" stuff.

Sorry is it's looking like a personal attack, but it's not, I'm posting this cause this comment fights make me feel bad and say good things about A and B and bad things about C and D is not a good way to thank who is giving all this beautiful skins/icons/walls for free.

Sincerely,

danilloOc

...

Good luck to everyone!

For me, it's all about just taking part - winning is nice, but not essential. I think there is a danger that it's easier to post about things you don't like, rather than the things you do.

I just think that everyone who entered should feel proud of themselves and inspired by the other entries to go further, try harder, and most of all enjoy themselves.

I would like to also wish the best of luck to everyone in this contest. You all have much to be proud of. I myself am satisfied with the skins that made it to the top 10 and I don't envy the judges a bit. This is going to be tough one to call.

That being said... There is one skin I would like to mention since no one else has to this point, and that's Ares.

I've always been a huge fan of Mike's work (I think I have every skin he's ever posted lol), though there is one thing I can say about the majority of his windowblinds... They don't recolor very well. Ares however, recolors very well. I will admit, I had downloaded it right away, but I spent more time playing with most of the other skins until recently. I've noticed that there isn't very many walls or ips I can't make work with this blind just by recoloring it, and no matter what color you make it, everything seems to flow just as well. I think that fact combined with the general usablility of the skin itself makes it a prime choice for best overall.

Just my opinion though

Just a little on the recoloring issue, the main reason Ares and a couple of other skins recolor so well is because they are one color + greyscale based, This bodes well for recoloring but limits you as far as the complexity of the design.

That being said i think your correct, all the skins in the top 10 are worthy of being there and congrats to all.   

Stardock did not pay me for this commercial.

The skins you won't see in the Gui Champs 20006 by one of the well known artists.
You'll have to go to Stardock store to see what he can really do. One of the nice one is made for a bank though it's not fully skinned, but better than what he posted here. There's a great new one that could have won it all here, but it's in the store ofcourse. Still want to take home the gold. They are still talented, but their best skins are in a reserve place. I hope this final time, the judges decide clean and give credit to the really best skins here only without...

The skins you won't see in the Gui Champs 20006 by one of the well known artists.

wow that is far away

@ Threi

I was thinking of my paycheck at work when I wrote the number.

What I like about Stardock, they seem to believe in the freedom of speech.

By the way, Mike, Treetog, and Queen Alexandrie the great have been my favorite skinners of all time. I judge hard those I love 'cause I know they deserve nothing than being the very best. They should always be in the land where the Sun never sleep. Sunset is acceptable though


Gui Champs 2006 doesn't feel complete. I wish we had something from Treetog. I can only imagine what it would be like. I'm very unhappy


Thanks to all who took part. It's been the best Gui Champs ever.

There are a lot of artists who wanted to participate in this year's event, but due to issues of time (not having enough of it) and such, many of them just weren't able to get something put together in time that would meet their own high standards.  Timing just didn't work out for some.

My own 2 cents -- I think Gpod 2 is very original and is totally different than the first Gpod. The only thing similar is the name and the basic concept of making a futuristic skin.

It is definitely, IMO, one of the best skins I've seen.