friendly note to wallpaper artists
Wednesday, July 17, 2002 by migellito | Discussion: WinCustomize Talk
hi 
as a moderator, i really enjoy seeing the vast variety of ideas running around out there. only a fraction get on the site, but it's neat to see what people are thinking.
i thought i might give out a couple quick tips
1:: text in a desktop pic is almost always a bad idea. this is especially true for 'signing' your submission. remember, they know who did it when they download it - they probably would rather not see that sig all day other text is sometimes ok, but only when it really becomes part of the art, rather than labeling.
2:: try your best to include sizes above 800x600. it's a rarely used res these days, and shrinking is better than stretching.
3:: if it didn't take more than a couple minutes, but looks kinda neat, it probably won't get posted.
4:: the vast overwhelming majority of stuff created with things like terragen, bryce, etc. will not make it on. the exception is when it's been used to do something unusual or unexpected, or if extra care and work have obviously been poured into it.
5:: much like 4, the products of a few snappy twists of a swirl, blur, lens flare etc. will likely not see airtime. they often look pretty cool, but unless the effect is supporting solid art underneath it's likely going to hit the cutting room floor.
again, just some friendly notes
as a moderator, i really enjoy seeing the vast variety of ideas running around out there. only a fraction get on the site, but it's neat to see what people are thinking.
i thought i might give out a couple quick tips
1:: text in a desktop pic is almost always a bad idea. this is especially true for 'signing' your submission. remember, they know who did it when they download it - they probably would rather not see that sig all day
other text is sometimes ok, but only when it really becomes part of the art, rather than labeling.2:: try your best to include sizes above 800x600. it's a rarely used res these days, and shrinking is better than stretching.
3:: if it didn't take more than a couple minutes, but looks kinda neat, it probably won't get posted.
4:: the vast overwhelming majority of stuff created with things like terragen, bryce, etc. will not make it on. the exception is when it's been used to do something unusual or unexpected, or if extra care and work have obviously been poured into it.
5:: much like 4, the products of a few snappy twists of a swirl, blur, lens flare etc. will likely not see airtime. they often look pretty cool, but unless the effect is supporting solid art underneath it's likely going to hit the cutting room floor.
again, just some friendly notes
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PixelCargo
Reply #2 Thursday, July 18, 2002 12:04 AM
Reply #2 Thursday, July 18, 2002 12:04 AM
Im just glad theyr posting my wallapapers and am rarely putting on text myself. I dont have much experience with photoshop so im not an expert in detailing my wallapapers but will be in the future
Koasati
Reply #3 Thursday, July 18, 2002 12:09 AM
Reply #3 Thursday, July 18, 2002 12:09 AM
I generally won't use a wall with text.........There are some exceptions, but not often. I especially dislike links or email address plastered on walls.
At one point Crumbut, talked me into signing my walls, but I discontinued the practice quickly.
Bill, text so tiny I couldn't see it without maagnification would be cool!
At one point Crumbut, talked me into signing my walls, but I discontinued the practice quickly.
Bill, text so tiny I couldn't see it without maagnification would be cool!
Kelly Dickson
Reply #4 Thursday, July 18, 2002 1:37 AM
Reply #4 Thursday, July 18, 2002 1:37 AM
When I put my sig on a wallpaper I usually try to do it in the least invasive way possible, like making the text the same color as whatever's behind it then give it a slight dropshadow or a pillow emboss to make it visible.....just my 2 cents worth...lol
Jafo
Reply #5 Thursday, July 18, 2002 2:41 AM
Reply #5 Thursday, July 18, 2002 2:41 AM
Rendered Perspectives in Architecture usually have a signature 'hidden' as a bit of 'grassy knoll' [no, not 'that' one]...just looking like more 'grass'....eg, Paul Martin '02 in freehand ink line.
There's no 'real' harm in that, but often people will have "MY SITE IS KEWL.COM" emblazoned across the wall in high contrast neon lights.....yes, their 'site' may be 'kewl', but the resultant wall is not...
There's no 'real' harm in that, but often people will have "MY SITE IS KEWL.COM" emblazoned across the wall in high contrast neon lights.....yes, their 'site' may be 'kewl', but the resultant wall is not...
grayhaze
Reply #6 Thursday, July 18, 2002 9:57 AM
Reply #6 Thursday, July 18, 2002 9:57 AM
On the rare occasion that I do put together a wallpaper for public consumption, I always try to put a 'Copyright ©2002 grayhaze.com' text in the bottom which will be hidden 90% of the time by the taskbar. It goes some way toward preventing unauthorized redistribution of the wallpaper, just as I put a copyright message in the UIS file of a WB skin.
Caylynn
Reply #7 Thursday, July 18, 2002 11:15 AM
Reply #7 Thursday, July 18, 2002 11:15 AM
I'm with grayhaze. I think it's important for artists to sign their works, but they can do so in an unobtrusive way. If the sig is hidden by the taskbar, or done discretely so that it doesn't show up much, then I don't think anyone will complain.
Koasati
Reply #8 Thursday, July 18, 2002 1:38 PM
Reply #8 Thursday, July 18, 2002 1:38 PM
Just don't assume everyone has a taskbar at the bottom of the screen. 99% of the time I don't even have a taskbar in the traditional sense, and very rarely is it on the bottom. Ironic that the HvD theme I working on at the moment does have a taskbar at the bottom.
Carlitus
Reply #9 Thursday, July 18, 2002 1:58 PM
Reply #9 Thursday, July 18, 2002 1:58 PM
migellito:
1.-i don't like text in my desktops, specially propaganda
2.-my list walls not include 800x600, because the preview are 800x600 sized! And you not remember: "please, include 1600x1200 sizes" there's some people that are using this size
4.- you have all reason in this point: if a 3d image are original, not a simple water and sky rendered in bryce, a rendered image are wellcome. For example: coreg2 walls are good renders to use as wallpapers.
5.- Have you 1/2 reason. If the effect is good and not exagerate, it wellcomes. I prefer a Shield flied camera effect than a ultra-galactic convergence curve. I know, some lens flare are exagerate
In conclusion, any effect/program are wellcome if the result are good!
1.-i don't like text in my desktops, specially propaganda
2.-my list walls not include 800x600, because the preview are 800x600 sized! And you not remember: "please, include 1600x1200 sizes" there's some people that are using this size
4.- you have all reason in this point: if a 3d image are original, not a simple water and sky rendered in bryce, a rendered image are wellcome. For example: coreg2 walls are good renders to use as wallpapers.
5.- Have you 1/2 reason. If the effect is good and not exagerate, it wellcomes. I prefer a Shield flied camera effect than a ultra-galactic convergence curve. I know, some lens flare are exagerate
In conclusion, any effect/program are wellcome if the result are good!
PixelCargo
Reply #10 Thursday, July 18, 2002 2:57 PM Thanks Carlitus ,I only post my 3d wallpapers if they impress me and no i will not make sceneries ,those take (I HEARD) 5 seconds with a certain program and I will start to modify my wallpapers more often like I did with my "dragonseyez" wallpaper unless they standout like GreyslideXP.
Note: If you do want to sign,copiright your wallapaper simply add a transparency that only you know where it is so you can say "Hey look thats my name zoom in" know what I mean?
Reply #10 Thursday, July 18, 2002 2:57 PM
Thanks Carlitus ,I only post my 3d wallpapers if they impress me and no i will not make sceneries ,those take (I HEARD) 5 seconds with a certain program and I will start to modify my wallpapers more often like I did with my "dragonseyez" wallpaper unless they standout like GreyslideXP.Note: If you do want to sign,copiright your wallapaper simply add a transparency that only you know where it is so you can say "Hey look thats my name zoom in" know what I mean?
Lecrayon
Reply #11 Thursday, July 18, 2002 3:30 PM
Reply #11 Thursday, July 18, 2002 3:30 PM
Interesting comments about signing wallpapers..As a painter I always sign my canvas 
, however not as pompous as many other artists. Mine has some special features from which you can tell it's a real "Jacob". On the wallpapers I won't bother, most of the time I would place the title somewhere where it isn't noticed first hand. About programs that are able to render landscapes in no time: To me it would depend on how original the piece is. The time how much is spent on a piece isn't corresponding with making an image better. It seems admins sometimes say, the longer you spend on your work the better it becomnes... hmmm...I thought carlitus had a point with his sincerity thread Also you sometimes can see which programs are used to obtain certain effects. And sometimes I find them used way too much and a lot of wallpapers are becoming like more of the same. Again carlitus ones do differ luckily Also Migellito, I see sometimes works that have incorrect light/shadow effects. You might want to have a close look at such ones too. If you want to make a surrealistic wallpaper, you need to be careful about just applying your "light" function and give each object the same light..that doesn't work, and there you are at a point that you really have to start to "paint". Just some rambling thoughts about other things you could look at. 
, however not as pompous as many other artists. Mine has some special features from which you can tell it's a real "Jacob". On the wallpapers I won't bother, most of the time I would place the title somewhere where it isn't noticed first hand. About programs that are able to render landscapes in no time: To me it would depend on how original the piece is. The time how much is spent on a piece isn't corresponding with making an image better. It seems admins sometimes say, the longer you spend on your work the better it becomnes... hmmm...I thought carlitus had a point with his sincerity thread Also you sometimes can see which programs are used to obtain certain effects. And sometimes I find them used way too much and a lot of wallpapers are becoming like more of the same. Again carlitus ones do differ luckily Also Migellito, I see sometimes works that have incorrect light/shadow effects. You might want to have a close look at such ones too. If you want to make a surrealistic wallpaper, you need to be careful about just applying your "light" function and give each object the same light..that doesn't work, and there you are at a point that you really have to start to "paint". Just some rambling thoughts about other things you could look at. 
paxx
Reply #12 Thursday, July 18, 2002 3:50 PM
Reply #12 Thursday, July 18, 2002 3:50 PM
I agree about the signatures: a small unobstructive signature at the bottom is harmless.
About resolutions, us tech guys sometimes forget about the real world. I understand the importance of including wallpapers for 1024 and 1280 resolutions, but lets not forget that most people still use 800x600 resolutions. According to the latest stats I read (2001), it about like this:
640 x 480 8.9%
800 x 600 49.5%
1024 x 768 22.5%
1280 x 1024 2.0%
Unknown 14.8%
The average downloader just downloads. They don't post, they don't answer survey, so we never hear about them, and therefore tend to forget them.
About resolutions, us tech guys sometimes forget about the real world. I understand the importance of including wallpapers for 1024 and 1280 resolutions, but lets not forget that most people still use 800x600 resolutions. According to the latest stats I read (2001), it about like this:
640 x 480 8.9%
800 x 600 49.5%
1024 x 768 22.5%
1280 x 1024 2.0%
Unknown 14.8%
The average downloader just downloads. They don't post, they don't answer survey, so we never hear about them, and therefore tend to forget them.
Carlitus
Reply #13 Thursday, July 18, 2002 3:59 PM
Reply #13 Thursday, July 18, 2002 3:59 PM
spending time on wallpapers?
https://www.wincustomize.com/skins.asp?library=8&SkinID=581 = 30 hours
https://www.wincustomize.com/skins.asp?library=8&SkinID=3885 = 6 hours
and finally, my "beast" wall:
https://www.wincustomize.com/skins.asp?library=8&SkinID=3791 = less than 10 minutes
don't worry, migellito, there's lots of sites with poor quality wallpapers than Wincustomize.
My prefered sinthetic wallpaper is Poma = 20 minutes. It's a easy wallpaper, i know, but this is a lod project finally released thanks to 3d programs.
I prefer to unsign my sinthetic walls, but if there's a complete painting, of course, i will sign with Carles (my real name) or Carlitus will little but readable signature
https://www.wincustomize.com/skins.asp?library=8&SkinID=581 = 30 hours
https://www.wincustomize.com/skins.asp?library=8&SkinID=3885 = 6 hours
and finally, my "beast" wall:
https://www.wincustomize.com/skins.asp?library=8&SkinID=3791 = less than 10 minutes
don't worry, migellito, there's lots of sites with poor quality wallpapers than Wincustomize.
My prefered sinthetic wallpaper is Poma = 20 minutes. It's a easy wallpaper, i know, but this is a lod project finally released thanks to 3d programs.
I prefer to unsign my sinthetic walls, but if there's a complete painting, of course, i will sign with Carles (my real name) or Carlitus will little but readable signature
migellito
Reply #14 Thursday, July 18, 2002 5:01 PM
Reply #14 Thursday, July 18, 2002 5:01 PM
as far as the signatures go, i was basically referring to the obtrusive ones, where it commands attention rather than serving as signing your work see jafo above.
as far as resolution, shrinking is still better than stretching
and i didn't intend this as me giving out my personal opinions.. it's just what i've observed through the moderation process over the past year or so.
see jafo above.as far as resolution, shrinking is still better than stretching
and i didn't intend this as me giving out my personal opinions.. it's just what i've observed through the moderation process over the past year or so.
keymastr1008
Reply #15 Thursday, July 18, 2002 5:20 PM
Reply #15 Thursday, July 18, 2002 5:20 PM
I personally hate text. I love the walls by coreg2 - I'm currently using his SlipHive - but I edited it in photoshop... killed the text.
PixelCargo
Reply #16 Thursday, July 18, 2002 7:53 PM
Reply #16 Thursday, July 18, 2002 7:53 PM
Hehe I intentionaly put the (equalizer effect) right in the middle of SlipHive so ppl who dont like text or the effect could just drag a mask and remove it but now i dont put text 
KarmaGirl
Reply #18 Friday, July 19, 2002 2:04 PM
Reply #18 Friday, July 19, 2002 2:04 PM
The biggest thing to remember when making a wallpaper is that it needs to function very well as a wallpaper. that is why text on it is usually bad. The signatures at the bottom are fine, but when there is a lot of text, it becomes hard to see/read the icons. So, even if a submission is really original and well done, it may still be rejected if it doesn't actually work well as a wallpaper.
Lecrayon
Reply #19 Saturday, July 20, 2002 6:58 AM
Reply #19 Saturday, July 20, 2002 6:58 AM
Now I am tempted to make one with the flying alphabet on it
Carlitus
Reply #20 Saturday, July 20, 2002 9:34 AM
Reply #20 Saturday, July 20, 2002 9:34 AM
I'm being nervous awaiting your alphabetic wallpaper, Lecrayon! it will be excellent with white text over black background!
it will be excellent with white text over black background! Please login to comment and/or vote for this skin.
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Reply #1 Wednesday, July 17, 2002 11:56 PM
Personally I like it when wall artists put a sig on the bottom. I usually have it covered with the taskbar but I know there are many that don't use or hide it. I rarely keep the zips that wallpapers come in so all thats left for me is the image itself, unlike skins where a text file can easily be hidden. Certainly I know who the author is when I download it, but hey six months later I can't remember.
Wouldn't it be OK if they were shaded in or tiny so you could see it if you exapanded the image?