Icon-A-Day, Icon # 34, JPG File
Let us take a brake from folders.
Monday, February 7, 2005 by mormegil | Discussion: Icons
| Icon 34 (JPG File) Today we will take a bit a break from the folder icons, and do one of the File Type icons. I am still not quite set in my ways on the File icons and hope this one will go a bit further in establishing the style that will carry thru the entire pack. |
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| Step 1:
We will start by, copying our Default document and My Pictures folder. .jpg) |
Step 2: I want to have the color band of all the Graphics file types to have a kind of RGB fade. So I mess with the band until I like what I see. .jpg) |
Step 3: Now I copy the Picture out of one of the Photos in the My Pictures folder, and crop it down to fit on the white portion of our file. .jpg) |
| Step 4: I am going make the entire file area show a transparent version of the photo, so I use the Interactive Transparency tool and give it a gradient. .jpg) |
Step 5: Now we copy the photo from the folder and place it in front of the file. I skew it a bit to make it look like it is leaning a bit more on the file. .jpg) |
Step 5: Then I copy the paint brush from our Shared Pictures folder, and set it in front of the picture. Using the Reflection techniques I give our file and picture a reflection. .jpg) |
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Step 7: The last thing I do is give the picture a shadow. Finished Icon image .jpg) |
SS.jpg){kind=icon} |
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Well, I am still not 100% sold on the underlining style
of the file icons, but we will move on to another tomorrow and see if it
grows on me. |
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Icon-A-Day, Icon # 33, Network Connections Folder
1, 2, 3, Bam were done.
Sunday, February 6, 2005 by mormegil | Discussion: Icons
| Icon 33 (Network Connections) Most likely this will be the easiest icon we will do. We already have the Web Folder icon from Lesson # 20, and we already have several "System Folders" from icons like last nights. To make our Network Connections icon we will simply take elements from two icons and move them together. I know some of you will say it looks too much like the Web Folder, but the truth is that most people will never see the web folder, and this one will be seen much more often, since it is a Control Panel icon. Note: When in Package Builder mode of IconPackager this Icon is called "Dialup Networking" | |
| Step 1: First thing we do is copy our Web Folder, & ActiveX Folders from earlier. .jpg) |
Step 2: Now I delete the Folder Portion of our Web Folder, and the X part of out ActiveX folder. .jpg) |
| Step 4: Now I move the Two Elements together. Bam. We're done. .jpg) |
Finished Icon Image.jpg) |
SS.jpg){kind=icon}
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Tune in tomorrow for something more exiting. | |
WinCustomize User Page Focus: gef
The WinCustomize User Focus Articles
Sunday, February 6, 2005 by joeKnowledge | Discussion: Community
gef, gef, mighty gef!!! DesktopX's greatest ally in theme submissions.Is anyone else singing the 'gef song'?
If you look into the DesktopX theme category, there is a very large chance that you will see gef's name a few times more than some others. Maybe this is why he has the lead in DesktopX theme downloads. gef also has like a billion trillion downloads (closer to a million)!gef has made countless themes and other such customization objects on WinCustomize.
Take a look at some of the recent uploads:
- Basic blue by gef for DesktopX Themes
- Incredible_2 by gef for DesktopX Themes
- Office System 1.1 by gef for DesktopX Themes
- Incredible_logon by gef for Logons
- Cellular_longhorn by gef for DesktopX Themes
- Toxic_logon by gef for Logons
- Destruction by gef for DesktopX Themes IMPORTANT!!!
Stalkers!!!!! gef has stalkers watching his every move. I personally, rather be a watcher then to STALK people but to each his own. I guess if I had to stalk someone I would give gef a shot.
Oh, and by the way, a skin you might want to check out is Destruction...
Features:
- Semi-transparent
- Longhorn dock activates on mouseover
- Full menu system
- Analogue clock
- DXPlayer controls
- Shortcut buttons activated on mouseover
And you might want to see these 2 also:
Longhorn_V2 for DesktopX
GT2 for DesktopX
Until the next WinCustomize User Page Focus, I'm joeknowledge/joetheblow
Icon-A-Day, Icon # 32, Folder options.
Folder Options Folder, is hard to say.
Saturday, February 5, 2005 by mormegil | Discussion: Icons
| Icon 32 (Folder Options) I wanted to do something simple today so I could have time for the making this weeks issue of CorelDRAW for skinners, so I thought it would be nice to do the Folder Options folder. This is a new icon in the supported folders of IconPackager, and one that you will see if you look for it in the Control Panel. The icon ended up taking a bit more time than I expected, because I wanted to do something kind of neat. (And because I was watching bad movies while I did it). So off we go. |
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| Step 1:
Once more we will start with the Admin Folder, removing the people overlays. .jpg) |
Step 2: My idea for this icon is to do a check box overlaying a "System Folder" But I want the check to be cool so I am going to place it on a piece of glass. So we start by drawing a check, and placing it on top of a few rectangles. .jpg) |
Step 3: Now I group those together and slant it back with the Perspective tool. .jpg) |
| Step 4: Now fill the back shape, with white, and using the Interactive Transparency tool I give it a gradient transparency. I copy the back shape twice, then offset the two copies and trim them down. This gives us the illusion of depth to our glass. .jpg) |
Step 5: Now I fill the check with a Contour and Gradient, Much like in the last two icons, but without the glare. Then I pull a simple drop shadow of the check. I trim the shadow down a bit with the node edit tool, to make it look like it is only dropping on the glass. .jpg) |
Step 5: Using the Reflection techniques on our check box we make a nice reflection. .jpg) |
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Step 5: Using the Shadow Techniques I make a pretty elaborate shadow to place behind our checkbox. It is subtle in the finial image but it is the polish we want. .jpg) |
Finished Icon Image.jpg) |
SS.jpg){kind=icon} |
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One more folder down. I'm off to do CorelDRAW for
skinners #4. Check back in tomorrow for more. |
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WinCustomize User Page Focus: SS Goku
The WinCustomize User Focus Articles
Saturday, February 5, 2005 by joeKnowledge | Discussion: Community
If there was a king of screenshots, SS Guko took his place in the category!
Son GOKU’S-HOUSE has well over a billion (MAYBE LESS) screenshots of desktop configurations that included some of the hottest skins on the net. If you wanted to figure out what style you wanted to set up your desktop to day, you can take a hint from SS Guko home page full of screenshots.Are screenshots helpful? Yes they can be! Maybe you haven’t noticed a skin from another website but then see it in a screenshot and you inquire the screenshot author where such and item can be found. Looking at SS Goku’s screenshot will give you plenty to ask and wonder about. (By the way learn how to make screenshots HERE and don't forget to say what is in it!)
As a member since 2002, he has been around long enough to have skins such as DuoPixels’ Doublet (Screenshot HERE) and Alien Technology
SS Goku will respond to requests as to what something is if its not mentioned in the comments. There are times where there is something there that isn’t available. At that point someone asks and BEHOLD SS Goku made a matching skin.
Now that’s the spirit of getting into skinning (or does it make people lazy by asking SS Goku to make matching skins... hmmm... sounds like me should do and interview and ask SS Goku himself.
Take a look at some of the recent uploads:
- ZippoQuest2 by SS GOKU for ScreenShots
- Zero Degrees by SS GOKU for ScreenShots
- Carolina Blue by SS GOKU for ScreenShots
- 1-UP by SS GOKU for ScreenShots
- Zion by SS GOKU for Rainlendar
- TRS-2 by SS GOKU for ScreenShots
- Alais Redux by SS GOKU for Rainlendar
- Digital Goku by SS GOKU for ScreenShots
- Jamaican-Green by SS GOKU for ScreenShots
SS Goku has made some cool matching skins in calendars, (Rainlender and DesktopX) and weather widgets. He has a Devaint Art account that your welcome to visit here:
SS Goku on Deviant Art
He seems to have a few watchers there…
Speaking of recommendations, it would seem SS Guko has a few here at WinCustomize as well.
Recommendations
As well as some watchers:
SS Goku also has contributed to WinCustomize in other was such as commenting on works, giving ratings and is also a subscriber.
So long live SS Goku, King of Screenshots
Until the next WinCustomize User Page Focus, I'm joeknowledge/joetheblow
Icon-A-Day, Icons #28, 29 & 30, The Shared Folders
Three for the price of One.
Thursday, February 3, 2005 by mormegil | Discussion: Icons
| Icon 27, 28 & 29 (Shared Folders) Today we will use several elements that we did over the last few tutorials. Lets put together the "Shared Folders", My Video, My Music & My Pictures. | ||
| Step 1a: For these icons we will re-use the little guys we made yesterday, as well as our My Video, My Music, and My Pictures Folders. .jpg) |
Step 2a: The Shared Video Folder is going to be easiest, I simply move the reel to the inside of the folder and give it a standard drop shadow. .jpg) |
Step 3a: I move the folder front back in place, and put a copy of the Admin overlay on top. Finished Icon Image .jpg) |
| Step 1b: For the Shared Music folder I just delete the Red note, form the My Music Folder, and place the Blue notes inside the folder. I also make the Green note bigger. .jpg) |
Step 2b: I copy our Admin Overlay over the folder and tweak the reflection with the Node Edit tool to make sure it looks right. I also Tweak the size and skew of the Green note, to make sure it looks good. .jpg) |
Finished Icon Image .jpg) |
| Step 1c: For the Shared Pictures folder I rotate the paint brush and lay it down in front of the folder. I also delete the originals reflection and paint stroke. .jpg) |
Step 2c: I use the mesh fill tool to make a new brush tip. .jpg) |
Step 3c: Now I adjust the glare bitmap a bit with the Node Edit tool to polish it off. .jpg) |
Finished Icon Image.jpg) |
SS.jpg){kind=icon} Click here to download the finished icon. | |
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There you go, 3 for the price of 1. Tomorrow we will move further into the folder icons. | ||
Icon-A-Day, Icon # 27, Admin Folder
More folders, and more usefull elements.
Wednesday, February 2, 2005 by mormegil | Discussion: Icons
| Icon 27 (Admin Folder) Moving on through the folders, we come to the Administration Folder. This is another folder that most people don't ever see, but its supported and we want to do a full pack, so we will do it anyway. Also we can re-use several of the elements we are going to make in the process. |
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| Step 1:
First thing first, we copy our Open Folder icon. .jpg) |
Step 2: Now I take the word file from our word folder and take the DOC extension off the top of the file. And place it in the folder. .jpg) |
Step 3: I use the Polygon tool to make a gear that we can place in the folder. .jpg) |
| Step 4: Using the same techniques as yesterday I give the gear a "Poor Mans Bevel" (See Contour Video for more) .jpg) |
Step 5: I fill in the Gear with some gradient fills. Then I draw Two Little "People" that I can use for an overlay. .jpg) |
Step 5: Now same as the gear, and the "T" yesterday I use the techniques from the Contour Video I give the two figures a bevel. .jpg) |
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Step 6: Using our Gloss, Shadow and Reflection techniques I give my little figures a shadow and add some reflections. One more thing, I decided I don't like the file in there so I duplicate the gear, and delete it. .jpg) |
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SS.jpg){kind=icon} Click here to download the finished icon. |
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Tomorrow we will have a 3 for 1 special when we take our
little people we made tonight and make the 3 Shared Documents Folders. |
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Icon-A-Day, Icon # 26, The Fonts Folder
Moving into the less well known folder Icons.
Tuesday, February 1, 2005 by mormegil | Discussion: Icons
| Icon 26 (Fonts Folder) Icon Packager supports the changing of a lot of the system folders, some of which the average user probably does not ever see, however if I don't do all the supported icons in a pack I feel like I'm cheating. (And you know I will get an email from someone asking why I didn't complete the pack). So over the next few days we will polish off some of the more obscure folders. Today's is one that is seen more often than others: the Fonts Folder. |
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| Step 1:
First thing first, we copy our Open Folder icon. |
Step 2: I want to have a big T leaning on our folder so I type in a "T", find a font I like, and use the Perspective tool to slant it back a bit. .jpg) |
Step 3: Now I do two Contours to do a "poor mans bevel" See the Contour Video for more on this technique. .jpg) |
| Step 4: I use a few Gradient Fills to fill in our Big "T". .jpg) |
Step 5: Because the T is pretty big, and just to be polished, I go in with the Node Edit tool and move a few nodes around in the back contour to make it look a bit more like an extrusion. .jpg) |
Step 6: Using our Gloss, Shadow and Reflection techniques I "pretty up" the "T" so it matches our other folders. .jpg) |
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Step 7: Now I want a Font File in our folder, so I copy the Text File, and using the Text Tool, make a "Font" File. (I may use this later to make the *.ttf file type icon). I use the Perspective tool to place the file inside the folder. .jpg) |
Step 8: I decide that I don't like the way the Red and Teal look together so I go back in and change the colors on the file to red to match our big T. .jpg) |
Finished Icon Image
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SS.jpg){kind=icon} Click here to download the finished icon. |
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Now as a former sign designer fonts are important to me
and I see this folder a lot, but some of you may never look at
it again. Those of you who do will have something that fits in the
theme and does not hurt your eyes. See you tomorrow. |
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How Much Competition Can The Market Bear?
Netscape vs Mozilla vs Firefox vs Opera vs Internet Explorer
Tuesday, February 1, 2005 by Zoomba | Discussion: Industry
NCSA Mosaic -> Netscape 1-7 -> Mozilla -> Firefox -> Netscape 8
So now, by that train of logic, Netscape is loosely based on itself rather than being a direct evolution from previous versions.
Netscape, Mozilla and Firefox are all competing against Microsoft for market share in the web browser arena. IE rules supreme here through a combination of shady business moves by MS, and sheer incompetence by Netscape. The browser wars were declared over and dead years ago, no one can really argue who won. However, now we have a revival of that old competition, though it’s not quite as close as it used to be. Firefox right now represents the best threat to IE, taking up roughly 20% of the pie (MS still holds about 70%, and various versions of Netscape, Mozilla and Opera make up the remaining 10ish%). So you’d think Microsoft might be feeling a bit uncomfortable, that maybe they’d be rethinking their IE strategy, right? Well, probably not.
Most computer users don’t really care what the name of the program is that lets them check CNN.Com, or access their bank information online. To many, the web browser is just another feature of the Operating System itself, not a separate application that they could find a replacement for (issues of IE being built into Windows notwithstanding). To the average user, a computer is a black box that just has to work and they’ll take whatever is thrown at them by default.
Let’s say that the above population is steady at about 60% of all computer users (it’s likely higher, but we’ll go with that number). So that’s over half of all surfers who will always use Internet Explorer. That leaves 40% to be given to a competitor. Now, even 40%, while not quite half, is a respectable chunk and can provide some real power to whoever makes the browser that sucks up that share. Even at 40%, a competitor could give Microsoft a bit to worry about and would likely spur them on to better their own product. Even though the tables are slanted, you still have the recipe for good, healthy competition.
As things are going though, even if IE drops to 60%, or hell even 50%, we’ll never see any real competition. The reason is the other side of the line is too busy trying to edge out each other. Netscape is going after the AOL crowd… Mozilla is trying to act as a technology platform, and Firefox is just doing its own thing and is somehow gathering popularity. They’re taking the market and fragmenting it severely. Netscape has the brand recognition that the other two could only dream of, yet it’s the browser whose horrible design decisions were what finally tipped the scale towards Microsoft. Mozilla is trying to be the end-all-be-all tool and tech platform… it’s a beast of a browser. Firefox is just trying to take what Mozilla is doing, strip out all the crap, and build something that just flat-out works without being bogged down by bloat. Problem is that while they all technically work together, they’re trying to undermine and outdo one another.
There’s a lot to say for limited product choice in some cases. Yes, greater choice in a lot of cases means greater competition. In computing though that doesn’t hold true, because the consumer doesn’t know enough to be able to pick the “better” product. Mac OSX is a better product in terms of technology, security, ease of use and all that. For the average user, it even has all the software you need. But it’s not even making a dent in the market share of Windows. Certain distros of Linux are making huge strides in terms of usability, but aside from in the tech geek arena (where quality does matter), it’s not really touching Windows on the desktop. The better product doesn’t always win in this arena. You win through being quickly recognizable. You achieve that by being one of the two or three dominant providers in a given area.
With such an entrenched user base for IE, having four or five competitors isn’t going to do much to dislodge MS’s stranglehold on the market. The Mozilla camp (since they’re all the same core technology) needs to realize that there is a lot more to gain by banding together under one browser and using their resources to push that, instead of putting out a whole bunch of different products that are only incrementally different and ultimately lose out to MS just because they have the single largest chunk and no one else can come close.
Sadly, until the tech community as a whole realizes that it’s not us geeks who choose the successful technologies but Mom and Pop Smith who can’t even program their VCRs, we won’t see anyone come close to challenging Microsoft in any market.
Icon-A-Day, Icon # 25, My Pictures Folder
The Last of the "My" Folders. 11:54pm. Made it in :)
Monday, January 31, 2005 by mormegil | Discussion: Icons
| Icon 25 (My Pictures Folder) It's a bit late tonight, but I promised the My Pictures Folder today, and I don't want to make a liar of myself. So lets get moving before time runs out. |
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| Step 1:
First thing first, we copy our Open Folder icon. |
Step 2: Now I want to have some photos in the folder, and a brush in front, leaning on the folder. This should match the My Music and My Video folder and help us keep a consistent style. I mock these up with some rectangles and the mesh tool. .jpg) |
Step 3: Once I am happy with the overall layout of my elements, I go in with the mesh tool and start doing some details. See the Mesh Fill Video for more on how I do this. .jpg) |
| Step 4: Once I have my brush looking ok, I give the brush handle some gloss; (See Gloss video for more on this) .jpg) |
Step 5: I want the brush to be trailing some paint, so I use the mesh tool to give myself a blob of paint trailing off the brush head. .jpg) |
Step 6: Now, most people will use this folder for Photos so lets make some. I take some pictures that I stole from the Galactic Civilizations Artwork folder. Using the Node edit tool I crop them so they fit on our Photo shapes I have already done. .jpg) |
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Step 7: Using basic drawing techniques I make a border for the Photos, as well as corners to make them look a bit more stylized. .jpg) |
Step 8: Now using the Drop Shadow Techniques we have gone over I make some drop shadows for the brush, to make it look a bit more realistic. .jpg) |
Step 9: Now using the Reflection Techniques we have used before, I make a subtle reflection on the folder, and one on the floor in front of the folder.
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Finished Icon Image
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SS.jpg){kind=icon} Click here to download the finished icon. |
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Tomorrow we will try a more obscure, but important
none-the-less, folder, so check back in then. |
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