I think this year has been very fertile about wb releases. I have decided to pick 10 of them by giving just a brief summary about each author and skin. Just recalling this is based upon my personal feeling.

I would like to thank the authors and everybody visiting this thread by wishing A Happy New Year.

As well I am hoping nobody feels like being offended upon reading my comments. 

Yours,

Tom

1. Piranha by neone6

This being a very original blind with a plenty of animations in it. You may not find it usable, you may not be happy about some elements. BUT to me this one Andy did is pretty much remarkable. E.g. the starmenu animation is beyond my imagination. And the startbutton is a hell of skinning itself. I keep on saying that Andy is a huge talent. And if he improves the balance between artistic spirit and usability he might be a real iron in the fire in the nearest future. vStyler said he might be dangerous. He was right. Andy, keep up the splendid work.

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2. Electrosexual by Vampothika

A very very original blind. I can hardly be recalling if I have ever seen the coolest startmenu. As a complex it gives a wondeful 3Dish feel

with a sleek animation in it. It has a quite overall too. If I could change something, I used a bit lighter windows text. But that is just my opinion and I may be wrong. What one is complaining about the other may love for sure. I have always wanted to do something similar. But this is so original

and cool that I will not even try to do something like this. Absolutely gorgeous Kitty.

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3. HALL 2030 by vStyler

A master piece by a real master. Nope this is no flattering. This is true. John has always been puting a pile of thoughts to every new blind he comes up with. One thinks how the hell is possible he is so gifted person. I guess this is because he was born to be the first class skinner. But back to the skin. The overall and details (even tiny details) being perfectly executed. This is a shining example of the balance between artistic spirit or thought and being user friendly. Perhaps I would have changed the windows background to the light grey but I guess John purposely did it white as a contrast to the darker elements. Purely and simply FANTASTIC

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4. Cimmerian by Xiandy

A perfectly executed blind. Very original and yet usable. Another person here being abnormally gifted. Cyndie will never stop amaze me

and I am so looking forward to any new skin of hers. BRAVO

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5. Tanger by LightStar

Yay this being so juicy that when watching it I wanna get FANTA or a kilo of oranges before my mouth. Sharp design and balanced colours making this a very usable skin. This one is the fantastic example of creativity, simplicity and usability. GORGEOUS PURE BEAUTY, Tom

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6. Day Spa by k10w3

A phrase : "Somebody knows their stuff " is more than fitting here. A bamboo styled skin being both original and usable with a veru good attention to the details makes this so hot. Eveything was put together flawlessly. But what you might be expecting from Karen. A must have indeed.

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7. future sound 3 by madcat21

Great thoughts of a one talanted man. Apart from some minor glitches e.g. nearly unreadable titlebar text, this does show author's quality. Madcat21  has improved his works by miles in a quite short period. A precise craftmanship here without any doubt. 

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8. Structure by DaveBax

This one being another example that only practice makes almost perfect. When installing this blind for a first time I was a bit sceptic. Not everything as a complex made sense to me. However when going thru I felt in love with it. And when bearing in mind the fact what a progress in skinning Dave reached here I was getting back to him with congrats. Dave, I wish you tuns of new ideas for the 2013.

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9. Comet by 2of3

Why this didn't succeed in GUIChamps I am just wondering at. This is a must have at the first look. Perhaps not the first "space" skin in wb gallery. If I go thru it I migh be finding a couple (but not sure)  others made. But to me, this hear is a one very original skin being profi executed. Colour choices just flawless, overall is fantastic and in paralel there's a great usability in it. 

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10. Espionage by theAvman

I thought the only person capable of doing red-black sexy skins is vStyler (remembering Venom?) But Harley just striked me to the head by this. 

Original, profi, perfect recolour ability, with addons .... Just awesome. Harley, you just rock, mate.