This is what I have so far

Here's what I have so far

 I created everything (background, taskbar, startbutton, start panel) from scratch using CS2. Im still not pleased with it tho. but it's a start.

Your going to find with different start menu configs, those default state images on left will not line up.

It can be done.. but its tricky and not something I'd advise for a new skinner.

Then tell me how they will. That's why I want to LEARN how each feature in SKS works so I can make a Visual Style that works. Ppl keep telling me to play with the options and thru trial and error, to basically figure it out on my own. Thats what I did. And I appreciate your insight. But I dont want to be a "new" skinner for long. I want to be an expert. So if you know how it CAN be done, then teach me how. Otherwise, telling me 'it wont work', ISN'T going to be of any use to me.

In any case, it's working on MY pc, and for the time being, that's good enough for me.  But I WOULD appreciate it if you help me.

Sure it will .. or do you want to waste more time doing things that wont work?  

I'm trying to help you in the amount of time I can alott to doing it.

As far as teach.. only so many hours in the day my friend and I spent 12-20 of those working.

previous to that for year's I spent similar amounts of time ..learning.. trial and error. For many years before I even joined this forum. My first theme I spent 9 solid months on.

I may be an extreme case but realistically its how most skinners learn which is why its been suggested by everyone.

I'd invest a more significant amount of time in trial and error before you can say.. it's difficult..will someone teach me.

As I have said before this is a large investment of time. I'm not trying ot be harsh and don't take it personally please.

I do teach a few people privately.. I personally just can't spend more time than I already do on the forums... only offer advice as I feel I can.

One of those being telling skinners when something can't be done so they dont keep try doing it and wonder why it won't work.

To use an analogy.. there is no get rich quick scheme.  I understand the thirst to learn.. I am just trying to convey that this is something that is going to entail a lot of on the job time to improve dramatically... quickly.

Great looking Start Menu Mirsguy, love it!  Like vStyler said, it is going to be really tough using your text and paint margins to get thinks to look good on brushed metal though, but it can be done.  Trial and error is about the only way, just keep on trying.  After almost 8 years of skinning, I still have to use it on some occasions to get something to line up and look good. 

Thanks, LightStar! So far, the brushed metal and carbon fibre are playing nicely. I've assembled the entire taskbar, startmenu, and window frames by now, though I think I'm a gonna tweak the frames a bit...

4give me for coming off rudely. I just really want to learn. If there was a skinstudio for dummies, i'd be the first one to buy one. in any case, i appreciate ur assistance.

Actually, I think I would have beaten 'ya to it!

vStyler is right. It takes time and desire. His first took him 9 months. My first took me 7 months. My second one (the one in the screenshot) has taken 2 weeks so far, and I'm nowhere near done!

Really, you just need to crack into Skin Studio and PLAY! Don't lose sight of the fun of it! And examining other skins, especially those created by Masters, is a great way to learn.

It hit me after beginning this post that there is another skin out there with a very intricate pattern throughout. I have been studying that one, and it has been an immense help.

can u post a link to that "intricate" skin so i can examine it aswell?

https://www.wincustomize.com/skins.aspx?skinid=6427&libid=1

When I play around with the details such as margins etc. I'm guessing blindly (adjusting something, then applying it to see what it does over and over). So when something seems to work, and the entire (let say, Start Panel) fits together, as far as I can see, it'll work with thos configs. 

I actually appreciate it when someone informs me that something may not work with other sizes, resolutions, etc. But along with telling me it wont work, I'd need to be informed as to what WILL work on all screen resolutions and different sized Panels. How else will I know what WILL work? cuz remember, it was by blindly guessing and not understanding exactly what each feature does to affect the outcome, that lead me to create the one that 'wouldn't work'. I need to know exactly what I did wrong and how to adjust those configs inorder to make it work. Otherwise, if i just hear "it wont work" and then I just go back to guessing again (still without understanding what needs to be adjusted and why) then I'll never understand, becuz as far as I can see, the configs are working on my pc.

Additionally, I'm not familiar yet with certain terminologies that you more experienced skinners use at times. So a quick "answer" to you, may actually translate to me as: 'Now I have to go on a possibly lengthy research adventure trying to figure out what that person meant" inorder to begin making those changes.

I realize it's gonna take time, but I want it to take as little time as realistically possible.  Btw: to create my skin, i used the Diamond visual style. I used the same size start panel but placed the individual part slices in different locations. So the individual parts (top, programs, more programs, places list, and bottom) where difference sizes from those in the Diamond style.  So when I tried to assemble the pieces, i had to change the configs. But since I thought that only the total panel size had to be the same size as the one in Diamond and not each part, I was under the impression that it shouldn't have a problem working as well as the Diamond style.

 

Oh, the Dragon Style. I already have that one downloaded. I like how the pattern came out so clean and the animation, but i'm not a big fan of the Style itself. Maybe if the designer had changed the shape of the startpanel and taskbars, i'd like it more. But it kinda just seems like a basic Vista shaped panel (except for the animation, the pattern, the start button, and other little details). Still much more advance that I am ofcourse.

ablebodied I am going post a thread explaining some of this.I will call it Start panel open

Great Idea, AV!

https://forums.wincustomize.com/?postid=337992

ablebodied: I don't particularly like Dragon either, but it does incorporate the type of elements that I'm trying to use in my skin. Though not my style, I think it is a very well designed skin.

If I were you, I'd check out the link in my reply above to the AVMAN's post on the "Start Menu Open Help Thread." I think you will find it very helpful.

ablebodied I am going post a thread explaining some of this.I will call it Start panel open
[/quote]

 THANK U SO MUCH

could have to do with your security settings, do you allow third party cookies?

nice looking start panel.

I began a WIP thread for this new skin: https://forums.wincustomize.com/338555

I will no longer be posting skin updates to this thread, due to the WIP thread.