There could be another option, appreciating the current budding skinners and rewarding them for their work. I see there are skinners here that have a great talent but they aren't getting the appreciation they deserve. 

Where have all the Windowblinds Master Skinners gone?

When I just looked I believe the above is the name of this thread.

All the Masters are deserving of the title but it doesn't change the fact that some are active but don't skin anymore for their own reason which I respect. To busy, ran out of ideas, just don't feel like skinning anymore, or whatever. To have a contest of just Masters is fine but their needs to be a thread titled as such to see how many would actually commit. Not much sense in having a contest for say 2 to 5 Masers. Also several very talented people would be left out simply because they don't have that title. 

That is an easy fix Dave, have it open for all. I think because the thread was talking about Master Skinners that is why it was suggested to have them involved but there is no reason it could not be open to all which I am for.

I thought skinning was about art, and master skinning was about cash.

If masters want to pass because it is not lucrative, then they are true masters by definition.

How this evolved into a contest thread is moot,but is way off point as far as "where have all the masters gone".

Ultimately I think the users are getting great skins regardless of titles.

Although, some users who contribute regularly and do so with nice work, may deserve a promotion just to show some appreciation for all the time and work spent skinning.This seems to be a very slow process, a bunch of talent is available to choose from, and I refer to others, not myself.

I would imagine the free skins attract way more attention than pay skins anyhow.Hell, I'm cheap, I like free.

I think a true skinner skins regardless of time, money, or any other reason short of death or dismemberment.

I have one of the worst pains twenty four hours a day from carpal and I still skin.So. who cares is my opinion on where they are at.

Cheers.

But, I am always in for a contest. Probably get my arse kicked, but, fun none-the-less.

"How this evolved into a contest thread is moot"

Doortech this hardly evolved into a contest thread. It was a couple of people (me being one of them) who made a simple and short suggestion that has taken up a few lines. I have no power to dictate how this thread progresses and I even have mixed feelings about a contest however if you read Toms reply in post 18 you will see he himself is ok with getting off topic even though I do not believe we have. It all has to do with skinning and I believe the initial contest reference was made to perhaps drum up some interest and maybe get some skinners involved who have not been seen for a while. If someone does not agree with it then they are free to voice that as well which you did.

It was meant to get the Masters involved as well as many others. A Suite that revolves around one or more Master skins created as variations on a single theme. Such a community project would, of course, be open to all and may even rival one of the greatest themes, IMO, ever created, Heavy Equipment! That theme included just about every proggie SD has and then some. Could be one to draw some of the Masters out and that is what this thread is all about. Lets hear it for the Master skinners wherever they may be. 

I don't do Windowblinds. And for health reasons I doubt I'll be doing much of anything else. And I thought we were talking "actively" producing Windowblinds.

I was hoping to encourage you to do a Winstep. 

If you can't, you can't.

I miss you, Steve. 

As mentioned. Your docks and winstep themes are always Master quality. Windowblinds aren't the only reason for being a Master.You are a Master and truly deserved as are the other Masters. Health as other things can get in the way of skinning and speaking for all that know you I hope your health improves. You taught me most of what I know about making docks and that will never be forgotten.

I say this often and again it's only my opinion. I really don't think a contest is going to bring out anyone that has other things going on in their life. I'm not Tom (lightstar) but in one way I am. Home all day with nothing to do, so to pass the time and do something I enjoy, I skin. Hell it's better than taking naps all day and missing life. lol.

Yep! But I am actually taking today off, no skinning today! (Well... maybe no skinning, let me think on that.)

Thanks. Make me look bad. However I still think you will at least look at something you are working on and think about it.

DON, Didn't say I wasn't going to take a nap. Just said not all day. 

OK, OK... so I couldn't stop and decided to start work on a new skin called Dreamer... oh well.

I figured as much.Skinning junkies fever!

Good thing we like skins!

Good man.Keeping em happy!

Anybody want to see what I'm workin' on?

Curiously I'd be one to call HG_Eliminator the most 'Master' from that bunch.  The rest listed have 'just' done a lot over the years re skinning...

[that's cos HG_E was pretty darn good at Litestep]

Me personally...I've skinned a lot of 'stuff' that people these days might not have heard of...and as with others who have been doing it for 'yonks' have got caught up in other stuff.....Adminning takes a wee bit of time....and my skinning these days is centered around aircraft skins for MS FSX.  I find them quaintly challenging as every aircraft 'model' does it differently.....quite significantly more diverse than WB1 vs WB8, etc.

It's also important to note that 'Master' level does not only relate to skinning 'quality' but to the overall quality of a person's interest/devotion/involvement with the craft of skinning.  That being the case is why you see those names listed above.

Also it's important to remember that the 'Master' level predates the commercial aspect available to the level....

I'd like to put my 1/2 cent in with "JuniorCrooks": It seems that the trend nowadays is "geometric" patterns and grayscales, all in the name of efficiency (or something). Strange: now that the tech and OS will support it, all of the imagination has evaporated. Check out https://www.wincustomize.com/explore/windowblinds/6568/ by "Stardock Design". Now THAT's some skin! I almost never see skins with that level of animation! And that hasn't been updated since 2008!!  I'd love to see some of the better designs (Troll Thumping, Harry Potter, Flash, My Halloween by Xav73...) updated to take advantage of the modern systems!  (btw, awesome Halloween skin DoorTech1!) We have Xmas coming up, anybody up to the challenge to remake the oldies? Or at least something that can stand up to these oldies!  -If anybody's pocketbooks have been the reason for no longer skinning, we're sorry but the economy has hit a lot of us pretty hard.  Your efforts are sorely missed!

Windowblinds ROCKS!  So does DesktopX: I love my animated desktop icons!  And cursors and sound effects! Thank you all!