Why do YOU do it.....?

Skin, that is.

Monday, November 13, 2006 by Jafo | Discussion: Community

The other day I was leafing through old 'bytes' in a dusty corner of a forgotten harddrive, and came across some ancient skins I did for a forgotten proggy or two...

Got me thinking....

What got me into this?...that's easy...was shells - messing with the GUI the 'brutal' way....but that's not what has me here still....around 10 years later.

So that reminded me of a 'feeling' I had at that old skinz.org site..... when I realised that skinning was nothing more than a new artform, like painting, or sculpting, except for one small detail.....People doing 'it' in the mid/late '90s were at the DAWN of the emergence of this new 'artform', and THAT was something no painter or sculptor could lay claim to....[at least none still living].

It meant that even as an 'observer' what was being done was genuinely fresh, new and exciting....and if you also happened to 'dabble in it' yourself then the fun was even more acute.

So....a decade later...the world has changed, skinning is far better-known now than it was then, and a lot of 'new' faces have been attracted to it all. [skinz.org membership probably just made it into 4 figures...Wincustomize is in 7]

Question is.....WHY...?

Casual time-killer or outlet for expression?

The 'sad' part is knowing the people who have moved on, departed the scene...over the years. People you think of...often....of whom many now are oblivious. The 'happy' part is those who come after...to swell the ranks, even though skinning is now more complex [harder]...and maybe quite less divergent [fewer skinnable apps].

[I digress]

So....

Why are you here?

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WOM
Reply #1 Monday, November 13, 2006 10:38 AM

Yes, they come and go. Skinning is harder and more time consumming. And thats from what I've seen in just 5 years. I do miss some of the old skinners. One comes to mind (not sure if I should bring up names) but what the hell, APB is one. Sure glad my other favorite skinner is still here. I guess a trip down memory lane is good, sad, but good.

CerebroJD
Reply #2 Monday, November 13, 2006 11:43 AM

I do it because I like seeing what I've created being used by others. I like the sharing, and I enjoy being able to create something that others enjoy using.

_02
Reply #3 Monday, November 13, 2006 11:57 AM

Like most, I suppose, I got to this site when wanting to change the look of my computer. That is all I did for a long time. Then one day I decided to make some comments on some of the skins I was using and on the screenshots. Before I knew it I had made some friends. I always wanted to make my own walls and now I had help and an idea of the progs I would need to do it. That branched out to Rainys, Sysmetrix and Screensavers. I do it because I enjoy it very much and it is good therapy. I also like sharing it with others who enjoy it. It's a good feeling.

but what the hell, APB is one

You can find Ana at DA!

NightTrainthedark
Reply #4 Monday, November 13, 2006 12:03 PM

I think that people that have computers but do not have a use for them other than the web find a good use of it by customizing them.

Fuzzy Logic
Reply #5 Monday, November 13, 2006 1:15 PM

Why are you here?

Dunno, must have a masochistic streak or something...

Lantec
Reply #6 Monday, November 13, 2006 1:33 PM

Why are you here?

Free beer & peanuts.....

no wait....

that's somewhere else......gotta go!

jebro
Reply #7 Monday, November 13, 2006 1:59 PM

Why are you here?

I got lost in cyberspace ending up here and can't find my way out. Everytime I try to I only find myself dressed up in a new awesome looking skin...

Phoon
Reply #8 Monday, November 13, 2006 2:09 PM

In the early and mid 90's I was engrossed with DOOM and started creating levels for it (WAD files if you'll recall). From there is was Duke Nukem. I even managed to get some of them published in some books and CD's that are out there. Skinning Windows kind of remined me of those days, but I never got as good at it as I was with level creating. Time is not as free as it used to be...

Corky_O
Reply #9 Monday, November 13, 2006 2:21 PM

Reasons:

1 - No better site for PC customization (not really an answer to the question).

2 - Found that the ability to change the GUI appearance to suit personal taste is a form of freedom.

3 - No reason to leave (the door has not presented itself, either).

navigatsio
Reply #10 Monday, November 13, 2006 3:53 PM

It's artistic expression and a creative outlet for me. I can't paint, sculpt or carve (tried 'em all and failed miserably) so pushing pixels around is what I've chosen to express myself.

And I think it is art, I mean, you normally have all the necessary elements (shading, shadowing, lighting, coloring, shaping, layering, etc.) using them all to try and convey an idea, thought, inspiration, etc. just the same as any "traditional" art form. Your chosen tool is a mouse though rather than brush, chistle, etc. I don't necessarily refer to all blinds, visual styles, etc. as "themes" though, especially if they're so minimalistic they have no personality whatsoever. Guess that's where my definition of "skin" begins.

Fairyy~
Reply #11 Monday, November 13, 2006 3:59 PM

Why am I here ?

Good question. I honestly didn't come here of my own free will. I was dragged here by a friend, kicking and fighting and thinking this is the stupidest ( skinning ) thing I've ever seen. Its a computer why on earth do I care what it looks like as long as I get where I click to. After being dragged here so often I decided I might as well bite the bullet and look around. First week I was here I had a little run in with this Aussie guy that I don't recall his name at the moment but I think he corrected my spelling or something annoying like that.....
Next thing I know...I started to come here and take a look by myself. One reason I still enjoy the screen shot section is so many start out in that area just dabbling about modding others work but in the process learning....
I may never skin a windowsblind. But thats ok. I have fun doing what I do. I enjoy watching others start off with little ' things ' and progress to making top notch windowblinds etc. In the process I've met some nice people here...thats a plus and its free.

RPGFX
Reply #12 Monday, November 13, 2006 5:15 PM

For me it all started when I was searching the web for Star Wars icons. I remember while searching I was surprised that there were so many icons out there that people were creating that were 1000 times cooler than the xp icons. Soon, it didn't matter if they were Star Wars, I was just searching for cool icons, then "BAM!" I came upon Wincustomize. "You can change the graphics on the whole windows shell?" "Holy S@#T!!" And the rest is history.

I started commenting on things, and meeting some people, and making some friends. Wincustomize became my homepage, and I visited everytime I sat down at my computer. I was always excited to see what amazing new things it would offer.

As far as skinning, I've always been an artist, but never really did anything on the computer until I found that you could change the way all these programs looked. I started learning Coreldraw by creating some wallpapers, then I started doing some Sysmetrix skins. I finally mastered Coreldraw, and tech style walls became my calling card. Eventually I started doing Rainy's, then cursors, and a handful of dock icons. I've always wanted to do a Windowblind, but it's just never happened. I've got maybe 3 unfinished ones on my hard drive, but I doubt they'll ever see the light of day. When I started this, I had no kids, and tons of free time... now, I have a 3 year old son and another son on the way this coming February... so time is getting more and more precious. But even if I never make another skin, I'll always come here to see the amazing artwork that gets uploaded everyday!

tawoods
Reply #13 Monday, November 13, 2006 5:29 PM

Bloody hell Jafo, if no one else is going to say it I will, I came here to get spelling lessons

I got started by my wife making walls then ended up at Skinnalicious as a Webmaster and Cliff got me started skinning, also Fairry and starone helped me alot and if I can ever get the time I WILL FINISH A WB!!!!!

Also I will have my own skinning site going live in the near future and all are welcome to come....it will be called Skinz Corner so look for it on a block near you