Hi again,TNBrat!

First of all, I have no answer to why the bootskins look different than in the previews. They look the same on my computer, and also on a few other machines I have tested them on. If you have installed any servicepacks from Microsoft lately, I would advise you to uninstall Bootskin (remember to apply the default bootscreen first), then reinstall it. That might solve a few conflicts with Bootskin Editor and Windows, especially after the SP2.

I use Adobe Photoshop only for preparing images for my bootskins and other work. The secret lies in how to select the (4-bit) 16 colours. In Photoshop there is an option to choose beteen Adaptive, Perpetual or Selective colours, and in addition, the "diffusion" can be adjusted from 1-100%. I don't know if there is a similar way things are done in Paintshop since I have never used that program, so I can't help you there. In addition to that, I sometimes use colour palettes and "switch" to different or similar colors to make the image less "grainy". This is a try and fail/succeed technique every time, since all pictures have different colours and palettes. A good way to practice, is to try to make copies of some of adni18's bootskins, to see if you can make them better. He has made a lot from his walls - all available at Wincustomize.com.

I made a bootskin for CP35 of our friend Cliff's artwork for you to take a look at. Maybe you can make a better version, since I have no intentions in submitting my version anywhere. If you decide to post any or all of it in your name, a thank you in the description is all I ask!

Good luck with your artwork - I'm sure you will make some beautiful skins in the future if you practice and stay open for constructive criticism!

Yrgal

 

----Original Message Follows----

From: "TNBrat!" tnbrat@bellsouth.net
To: "Yrgal Rafgah" yrgal@hotmail.com
Subject: Re: bootskins
Date: Sat, 4 Sep 2004 14:05:47 -0500

Hey, that's great! Thanks, I'll add your Bootskins instead of mine! They are very nice. btw....Much better than the ones I made! Though for some reason the preview of the Boot in the BootSkin rogram itself looks WAY different from the way the skin looks when actually applied. I was wondering if you could give me a few pointers on prepairing the images for BootSkins? The first few boot skins I made turned out really well, but lately they haven't been acting right. I reformated my computer and lost all my saved settings in PSP8, what program do you use? I've also tried Skin Studio, but I can't get anything even close to useable from it! I would really appreceiate the help. Especially since I've stared a new Suite of my own, but also because I'm working with Cliff on his suites and I want to be able to produce high quality skins for him too. I'm having problems with the BootSkin progrm itself, so I'm going over to WC to see if I can get some help there! Thanks again for letting me add your Boots to the Suite! I will of course give you the credit you deserve! I've already updated the CP34 skins I have left at WC to include links to yours instead of mine! Look froward to hearing from you!