vStyler vStyler

Here's how I see it...

Here's how I see it...

IMO

 

  In reading a recent thread I felt the need to say a couple of things..Personally, I would like to say I agree with IR, I don't think the threads title reflected the exact motive of its contents and I would have posted but could not...so with that said..

As far as tips go, there isn't some book of hidden tips and tricks we keep to ourselves, as problems arise when skinning I try to attack them with vigor, with stubborness, hard work and amibition, part of skinning IS figuring these things out, SKinning is like anything else in life, the harder you work, the more pride you take, the less apt you are to ask for help... the better your chances of success are. Ive been skinning a LONG time and can , with pride and honestly say 98% of it I learned by myself.. through trial and error, long hours, lots of coffee and cigarettes and hundreds of sleepless nights.

I highly doubt Davinci became a Master at his trade by giving up and asking for help everytime he came across what he deemed an insurmountable road block. Know this.. If you try something enough times.. it will work.. If you have the tenacity to keep at it until it's figured out no matter what.. then your well on your way to becoming a master of whatever your heart desires.

I firmly believe that one should not even ask for help until one has thouroughly exhausted body and mind in defiance of a problem, then and only then, when you have tried your best.. explorered EVERY avenue, at your wits end, then.. put your pride aside.. no matter how much it hurts.. and finally buckle.

The sense that people should be entitled to help, to less than glowing praise of their work..to me.. is unacceptable, It seems to me a very liberal philosophy and one that again.. to me.. holds no water. Now obviously.. I have zero problems helping people further their skinning knowledge, I love to help, I imagine that over the last year or so or more, other than maybe Cavan1 that Myself, IR and NT have contributed to 95% of the WB skinning help that has been given on this site so again.. I am not oppsed to helping but I do, in no way, feel obligated to hand out help or critique more mildly ot untruly because of my status on this site.

I see no need for a special Channel, or thread, or round table to be instigated.. when help is asked for.. almost 100% of the time.. it is given..and usually by myself, NT or IR. I would like to think that this in some small part is appreciated but judging by a few comments in the other thread, sometimes I wonder if it's worth it.

To speak to what ignited the post I refer to I shall only say this.... NT said under no uncertain terms exactly what many amongst us were thinking.. was it harsh?.. yes.. but sometimes a blunt sword is better than a speeding bullet. I do not disagree with the main point he made, I completely agree with him. Could he have said it in a more compassionate manner? Sure, he could have, however, this wasn't the first time this had been brought to the attention of the skinner, I myself, had a couple of times mentioned almost exactly the same thing and I wasn't the only one. Point being, nicety was not working. If Craig had not said what was said.. someone else was going to.

 For me the main reason was this.. Its VERY hard to see someone skipping all the work, breaking all the cardinal rules and then bumping those offending skins constantly to the top of page one, knocking down work that some folks spend months on. Straight and simple. If it wrong to think that is wrong. Then 7 out of 7 so called community elders, Masters, Mods alike.. were also wrong. If someone can explain to me why it might have been acceptable then please feel free.

I support stronger critique, less tolerance of the above tactics and a more open dialog when it comes to these things, I think WC may be a better place because of it.

Hard work makes a great skinner\ person. Work hard, don't give up, get it done... be proud.

 

 

 

 

 

61,723 views 129 replies
Reply #76 Top
bilbo1930 Hi...here is why I removed all the rest of my work. First my last windowblind I made called Crystal had 65 comments on it, with 80% of the comments either bashing the windowblind itself or some really inappropriate comments made towards the people that downloaded my work. Now it is not my fault that people like to download Vista style windowblinds but that is not a reason to use inapproropriate language towards them. anyways I found this very discouraing especially coming from adults. Then to put the icing on the cake I received an email telling me that my windowblind Clear vista had been removed as they said I had used the Minimize, Maximize, Close Buttons that belonged to KOL which is completely not true and to prove this I sent a picture with a direct link to a windowblind I had made in September 2005 with those buttons. YOu see there are so many people on DeviantArt that have altered them in one way or another that I always use the same ones so that nobody could ever say anyting. So all of my windowblinds that were here were using the same buttons. so, if they removed one, and of course the one with the biggest downloads, then they would remove the others, just logical. so I guess its better for me to remove them than to have them removed. After all it is only a matter of time. But to tell you truth I believe there is some other motives for this....
Reply #77 Top
I was the one who brought to the attention of the moderation staff the button issue. The skin I used for comparison was uploaded in July 2005 - two months before September 2005  ;)

That skin was removed from the site at the request of Microsoft.

Time for everyone to shut-up and move on methinks. Moderation issues should be, and will be, kept private.
Reply #78 Top
But there's an unfair advantage...everyone and their brother flock to the Vista clones, whereas IR's totally original and unique style is an acquired taste (he makes some of the most awesomely crafted skins I've seen, the detail of the graphics is amazing)...


Agree. Luckily, I acquired the taste and I'm glad.  :) 
Reply #79 Top
I acquired the taste and I'm glad.


I must have liked the flavor too.I have 7 I.R.B. WB's,second only to Mike Bryant in my collection.I don't always go for minimalist,you know. ;)
Reply #80 Top
This is the most boagest part of a comment I have ever read. I am here dude, just have more class than some people. Dont like to bad mouth people, aint my style. There is enough of that here..Tell you what I will do mouthy...DeviantArt, I make a blind, you make a blind and lets see who is better.


Now.. from your comments on your wc site...

DEVJIT HI my friend, well actually it seems that there is a lot of jealousy around here. All you had to do is look at my last windowblind and you would have seen that. anyways yesterday they decided to start removing my windowblinds with some baloney story. The true fact is that my skins were getting a lot of downloads and the one they started with was the one that had the most downloads. I believe it was 49,000 something. So hey, if they are just gonna remove my work, better for me to do it instead of them. Its really sad when adults worry about such insignificant things as download count...


Butch.. from your inital appearance on WC on thing remains consistent. Your two faces.
Now perhaps you can continue your drive-bys again...
Reply #81 Top
Guys, I have been grounded and can't speak up right now so please everyone stop before I am forced to surrender my Master status.  :LOL: 
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Reply #82 Top
DEVJIT HI my friend, well actually it seems that there is a lot of jealousy around here. All you had to do is look at my last windowblind and you would have seen that.

Who is jealous of what? Why would accomplished skinners, Masters at that, be jealous of a few Vista clones?
Reply #83 Top
49,000


... isn't that many. Jealousy wasn't a catalyst.
Reply #84 Top
I don't think great skins come out from the stuff done in SKS as much as the design done before-hand. You can't easily teach someone to get good at art. :NOTSURE:
Reply #85 Top
Butch.. from your inital appearance on WC on thing remains consistent. Your two faces.
Now perhaps you can continue your drive-bys again...


Amen!!!!
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Reply #86 Top
I don't think great skins come out from the stuff done in SKS as much as the design done before-hand. You can't easily teach someone to get good at art.


That explains why I haven't installed SKS.I'd come in last in a Finger painting Olympics.I would need a lot more than software to give me any talent ;p
Reply #87 Top
Well, I was going to upload my Vista version skin today.
I wanted to do one and get it out of my system, but after reading all this, I'm afraid I might get yelled at if I do.......you know, it being unoriginal and all or just trying to get downloads.
What to do......what to do....
Reply #88 Top
What to do......what to do....


Get it out of ur system  :D 

Reply #89 Top
Get it out of ur system


LOL...Good to know somebody took it for what it's worth. Tongue in cheek...;)
Reply #90 Top
Trust me...you wouldnt want me as a mod.


There wouldn't be near as much in the galleries, but what was there would be first class...lol.  ;) 
Reply #91 Top
I've been so busy lately that in the past couple of weeks I have gone from rechecking the site every hour or so to only logging in a couple of times a week. So I'm a bit late to this thread, and I completely missed the catalyst for the events that prompted it.

Yet you'll have to forgive me because I still decided to leave a comment (and from all the thoughts running through my head it will probably be quite a long one).




First let me say I still haven't been around here very long at all compared to alot of people. I never have been and don't think ever will be an artistic person. For these simple facts alone, not to mention what even I consider to be the lacking quality of my work, I was shocked when I was recently promoted to Apprentice.

To comment on the OP I would have to almost completely agree with vStyler.
I have changed jobs many times in my life and done many different things from simple labor to business management and many things in between. The reason I switch so often is because (and no this is not ego) I've excelled at every job I've done and then gotten bored with it and wanted to learn something new. Any work I've ever tried my hand at I always found it best to take a very short initial period of time to see how it is they did things at that job and then find my own way to not only do the job but do it in a better more efficient manner. I will always believe that the best way to learn anything is to teach yourself. That's not to say that you can't learn things from others that you may not think of but it goes back to the old "Teach a man to fish..etc. etc.". I feel that anything someone shows you you can catch onto eventually but even better anything you are forced to learn on your own will stick with you a lot sooner and for a longer period of time.




As for masters and others around here helping newer skinners I would say I have always been really surprised at the ease with which it seems people will lend a hand. I have seen quite a few uploaded skins and forum posts with people thanking others for their help on the projects. I myself when first getting started with things asked a few small questions of people such as messiah1, WebGizmos, and I.R. Braniac and found them very willing to respond with helpful answers.

I myself found this place and thought "Hey here's something fun to kill some time while work is slow during the winter". So I did something I wouldn't normally do and jumped right into it and started uploading stuff that got good comments from others but that I knew wasn't the quality work it should be before getting uploaded. Once I started spending more time around the community and seeing how the people were and what kind of stuff was being done, I decided that it is something worth taking more seriously than that if for no other reason than to show respect to those who put so much time and effort into the works they hand over to us to use freely.

After realizing how much stuff I had missed doing correctly by just jumping into it that way I decided to slow down and look through things a bit more thoroughly. I have since released few works of my own because of the many things I had started I couldn't quite please myself with the way they look so far. I have one Xion skin I did a couple months ago that I'm sure wouldn't be a huge hit but that I really like the look it has myself but I have set it aside and left it untouched because I just couldn't come up with buttons for it yet that made me happy. Someday I'll go back to it. I have another that is a very simple concept that I made while not really working toward anything at all but that I think could be turned into something really cool looking. But since I know I can't yet do what I want with it it will also be left behind for now.

I switched to using the psd files that I.R has made freely available to the community on his last few projects. Some may look at that as looking for a way to easily up my download numbers. I look at it as not only does he come up with such great creative concepts that I would have to be crazy not to want to work with them. But also as a great way to take my time and see how things are supposed to be done.

I've done another Xion from one of NightTrains windowblinds and am about to start working on the Xion for the Boxxi suite from kittys graphics. Both of which are great and having them to work with will also help me to learn more. And not to lessen either of those projects because they are both great skins and I'm glad to have been able to work with them, but I don't think anything is as great a learning tool as being able to work with a live psd file and sort through the layers and see just how each step of something was put together to make a great final product.





I still have more in my head but I think I've gone on long enough. I guess I could have just said "People here are helpful but hard work and figuring things out will always pay off more than someone handing you knowledge". But I didn't so.... sorry. lol

Thanks to those who have helped me out here. And thanks I.R. for the mention in your earlier comment.
Reply #92 Top
Nice post zakai.. If I had a dollar for every .psd I handed out  X-( 
Reply #93 Top
If I had a dollar for every .psd I handed out


I'd be opor (I zubazed it)  ;) 
Reply #94 Top
I make a blind, you make a blind and lets see who is better.

Normally I would just lurk and eat popcorn but this struck a nerve.

Butch, I have downloaded a few of your WB's and found that they were just too much like normal windows for me…install, delete.
Why bother buying WindowBlinds to end up with the same look as original.
Now on the other hand, I have 5 of I.R.'s WB's permanently loaded with back ups made after I added my finishing touches.
Reply #95 Top
Nice post zakai..


Thanks.

If I had a dollar for every .psd I handed out


More than the sale of the blinds themselves? :LOL:
Reply #96 Top
More than the sale of the blinds themselves?


10 fold... people must think we make some kinda decent living selling the occasional blind... It works out to be about 25c an hour.  ;) My wife basically takes up my slack.. has done for years.. I'd like to think at some point I can make something more of it.. just hasn't happened yet... But i'm definately driven to.
Reply #97 Top
?10 fold... people must think we make some kinda decent living selling the occasional blind... It works out to be about 25c an hour.   My wife basically takes up my slack.. has done for years.. I'd like to think at some point I can make something more of it.. just hasn't happened yet... But i'm definately driven to.


I enjoyed reading your first post, John and your work shows how much effort you put in and the talent you have. That takes time and a huge amount of self motivation plus some sacrifices along the way. You deserve to get more out of it and I hope that one day you receieve suitable financial gain for everything you've put in. Mike too.  :) 

Reply #98 Top
Thx Leo, appreciate that.. and your past and continued support.
Reply #99 Top
But i'm definately driven to.


That's what counts. ;)
Reply #100 Top

But i'm definately driven to.

Please....

and 'pleas'....

There's no 'a' in ' definitely' ....see? ....JAFOCHECK