Hi everyone!

This edition of Skinning Community Interviews is special it is the second time I have interviewed this amazing artist and skinner.

Enjoy! [e digicons]:)[/e]

Read the interview here.

Hi Everyone.

As the most of you know, I have been doing interviews on the best skinners, for years now. [e digicons]:)[/e]

This last one is no exception; it is on, Digital Chet. Read the interview here.

A simple greeting of gratitude, is just what mom wanted.

To all Moms, Happy Mother's Day.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el4EzgHiPpI[/video]

First of all, I have to say how much I have missed all of you and SDN.

With that being said, while being respectful of family wishes, I feel I owe the members of SDN, something.

A long story short, (as with many others) times are tough. More so when loved ones have medical conditions or are hospitalized.

I am a very personal person. I have a very close circle of friends who have been there for our family.

Prayer helps. Things have stabilized here. But we need more prayers.

I am back SDN’rs (As Hankers would say). I will be spending more time at home, and I hope more time on SDN as well.

The SDN spotlight is “my baby”, and with artists lined up that is first priority, then the galleries.

There has been some great skins uploaded and I can’t wait to dig into them.

Thanks Mike and Hank. I am back.

[img]http://db.tt/TqyLxxt[/img]

I have been using my wife's Samsung Galaxy S Epic and My daughter's HTC EVO (both have android 2.1.1 and have 4G speed connected) and neither compare to the multitasking speed of my Palm running webos 1.45.

Happy Birthday to my man and WC Master 2of3,
whose skins and community support are over the line.

[e digicons]:moo:[/e] [e digicons]5*[/e] [e digicons]k6[/e] [e digicons]:beer:[/e] [e digicons]:pizza:[/e] [e digicons]:w00t:[/e] [e digicons]:karma:[/e]

Well he usually beats everyone to the punch, with regards to birthday wishes.....

I may not be the first... but

Happy Birthday, Tim

Thanks for Everything, Bro.

Here is to another Great year!!

2of3 and I were chatting a while back about a new WindowBlinds skin for SDN.
We came up with some ideas and bounced them around to a few people, and the community project idea was set.
The purpose of the project was to design a suite by SDN members to promote this great site and as a tribute of the dedication
SK Originals, Hankers & WOM made throughout the skinning community.
Many of the graphics for the project were inspired by the site and were done by 2of3 before the team was assembled.
With a very talented team assembled the project started in March.
The release was pushed back in order to make the suite the best that it can be.
I have found that Skinning.net means a lot to the project team members. Most of them can tell you the first time SK Originals helped them with a skin. Some can tell you when they had be to set back on the straight and narrow by WOM, as well tell you of the guidance that he and Hankers has given to them. This is a complete suite of skins done by very talented people. I want to thank them all for their contributions and patience.

Go on over to the Downloads Gallery at Skinning.net and check out the suite!Link

WindowBlinds: 2of3, Xiandi, & The A/V Man Link

BootSkin: Quentin94 (ArileenDesign) Link

BootSkinPro: Quentin94 (ArileenDesign) Link

LogonStudio (XP): Quentin94 (ArileenDesign) Link

LogonStudio (Vista): Quentin94 (ArileenDesign) Link

Wall Package: PuterDudeJim (Redneck Dude) Link

Icon Package (Lite Edition): KittyMalone (Vampothika) Link

CursorFX: PuterDudeJim (Redneck Dude) Link

DX Theme: Murex  http://www.skinning.net/nexus/download.php?view.1786

Right click: bk13garbageman Link

ObjectDock: PuterDudeJim (Redneck Dude) http://www.skinning.net/nexus/download.php?view.1780

SysMetrix: Lan-Tec Link

Rainlendar: Lovely62 Link

Xion Player: Black-Knight Link

WinAmp Skin: The D2JBug Link

Some skins have been uploaded to WinCustomize.
Icon Package: KittyMalone (Vampothika) Link

A Skinner's World Dream: CarGuy1 Link

A Skinner's World Screensaver (Full screen): Jimbo9294 Link

A Skinner's World Team Screensaver (Wide screen): Jimbo9294 Link

There are also a few bonus skins and cool graphics as well a team video.

DesktopX Clock Gadget: The A/V Man Link

Bonus RightClick Skin: Lan-Tec Link

A Skinner’s World Avatars: Jimbo9294 Link

A Skinner's World - Skin Like I Do (Screen Saver Preview) Jimbo9294 Link

A Skinner's World - Skin Like I Do (Project Team Member Video) Jimbo9294 Link

Enjoy! [e digicons]B)[/e]

This series is a first for me in many ways.

This is my first screen saver based on a Dream file.

It is my first HD screen saver and compiled in surround sound.

It is the first screen saver built around the audio. It is usually the other way around.

The Hypnotic Version is my biggest video, weighing in over 250MB.

In addition, it is my first screen saver in 6 months.

CarGuy1 did an awesome job on the Dream file. The Fools Gold Screen Saver features Carguy1’s video and some cool audio. All I wanted to do with the Dream Version was to just add the audio and then focus my attention on the Skinning.net Community Project.

The audio is about the first 90 seconds of a midi file I did about seven years ago.

About 2 months ago when the Dream Version was almost done, my son, Adam says, “I remember that one…” “You should make a screen saver out of the whole song”, he said. Then came Hypnotic, and with the Skinner’s World project in full gear, I almost dropped the whole idea of a second screen saver.

My son was the one who encouraged me to come up with a video mix using the dream video and the whole song. I started with by putting the song back into the midi maker, fired up the keyboard, and went to work on some new echo effects. However, the audio is still pretty much the same as it was 7 years ago. The video starts of like the Dream Version but soon explodes into full rhythm with the music as it goes through different phases and transitions….Hypnotizing to the end.

I now want say, I am sorry to the Skinner’s World Team for the short absence, I was self-absorbed in completing this saver. I am in the final stages now.

Specifics Both screen savers:

Video:

Corel Ulead VideoStudio 11:

Most transitions, mixing & editing audio, final videos)

Presto! VideoWorks 6:

The firefly transition

Windows Movie Maker

Draft ideas and tests

Audio:

My old Yamaha RPS77 Keyboard

Audio Software:

Anvil Studio

FL Studio Producer Edition (Fruity Loops)

Corel Ulead VideoStudio 11

Images for Screen Savers:

Adobe Photoshop CS2:

Splash screen and configuration window

Xara3D 6:

Text effects

IconDeveloper:

Screen saver icons

Credits:

2of3 for Fool's Gold and the permission to do the screen savers and a big thank you to CarGuy1 for the Dream file, the emails, the links and the permission to use his dream video.

About a year ago, the company I work for decided to redesign their website. The website is almost complete and as with every other project, I start reflecting on it.

I started with this company about the same time I became a member at WinCustomize. I started as a shipping associate in the freezer department and worked my way to my current position as night shipping manager.

During that same period, I made many friends here at WinCustomize and at other sites.

I have made some screen savers and helped on several community projects.

I have found the skinning community as a whole will reach out and help when asked.

So, when I decided to mention the idea of redesigning the company website at the past annual meeting, I knew I would be able to deliver what ever they wanted, because I had the confidence in what I have learned so far, and the support of a Community if I needed help along the way.

With this project, it took me, first, back to instructions I learned early on, from the very beginning, when I started to reach out to the community.

The lessons had everything from, making To Do Lists and sticking to project deadlines, making simple .gifs to using layers in Photoshop, making a website template and applying html code. Then I realized that, secondly, the community helped by, all of the tips and emails, the instant messaging and chat sessions, and the long list of tutorial links, (that I saved through out the years) that proved to be a valuable reference resource.

The point is though, I learned it all here, at the community of artists, I like to refer as friends, friends from different skinning sites, all of whom I met through WinCustomize, either in the forums or on IRC.

It has been a long process (A website committee was setup to monitor the progress). It also has been challenging juggling two positions at work. Besides my regular everyday job and the task of redesigning the website, I have the other responsibilities that go along with maintaining a website.

I must say though, I have had fun with it. So far, everyone is happy. I am proud of the site.

There are many benefits to being a member of this community, the friendships are the most important.

[IMG]http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/912/schiffscapture1002kz0.jpg[/IMG]