If you use a PC day in and day out, customizing your desktop environment is something you can do to bring a more “personal” touch to your desktop. WindowBlinds allows users of Windows XP and Windows Vista the option to change the look and feel of their desktop by changing the visual style of Windows, also called skinning. There are literally thousands and thousands of skins for WindowBlinds created by hobbyists, all the way up to professional graphic designers. There are skins to match just about every taste and style, however, sometimes you might want your own style or just a few simple UI changes. This is where SkinStudio comes in.
Windows XP (Un-skinned and skinned)
SkinStudio is an application developed by Stardock, which also develop WindowBlinds. SkinStudio’s main function is to create and edit skins for use with WindowBlinds. At first thought, creating skins for Windows could be a daunting task, but SkinStudio has been developed for making skins or modifying existing ones easy for the every day user. You might like the look of a particular visual style or theme, but just want to change the start button for example. You can easily do this with SkinStudio, and I wanted to share some resources to get your started.
Some things you will need:
- A copy of SkinStudio. SkinStudio is a free download, and SkinStudio Pro is available for purchase for just $20.
- Graphics editor of choice. There are many options here, some paid and some for free. My favorite free editors are Paint.NET and the Gimp. Other applications I recommend are Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, and Paint Shop Pro.
- SkinStudio tutorial. This tutorial was created with beginners in mind, and goes through the complete process of creating a skin from start to finish. It’s also available as a .pdf download, so you can print and follow from there as well.
- WinCustomize Wiki. The WC Wiki has a ton of resources, many of which are generated by the skinning community themselves. It’s a great place to get other tutorials.
With the tools above, you can have your new or modified skin going in no time at all. SkinStudio has different categories to help you find the section of skin you want to create.
For more information, including screenshots and downloads, visit www.skinstudio.net.