Bootskins?

from WinCustomize Forums
Why is it that every image I try to use for a bootskin comes out all distorted and crap when I use skinstudio to prepare it but all the bootskins in the gallery here look fine? With every image I have used I have tried every possible combination of "resampling" and "dither" all to no avail...whats the go?
beginners
2,601 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Walk us through what you are doing. Bootskins are VERY tempermental about colors.

Take a look at Bootskin Buddy:

http://www.desktopgadgets.com/ViewGadget.aspx?GadgetID=52
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ok, I'll get a picture like any of the following;

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/5708/bootskintestvx6.jpg

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/8614/sunsettrigun2zp2.jpg

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/893/alonetriguntp9.jpg


Those are just random pictures I have tried to use before to no avail.

Now what I do is open Skin Studio. Go to Tools > Bootskin > Prepare Image and then I browse and find the image I want, open it up and then try to find the best combination of "resampling" and "dither" so that the images looks as good as possible, but all combinations make them look really really dodgy, and I don't get how that works when people can load up images like the following and not have the same issue;

https://www.wincustomize.com/Preview.aspx?Source=PantherLady/bootskin/7581.jpg

https://www.wincustomize.com/Preview.aspx?Source=unclerob/bootskin/7582.jpg

https://www.wincustomize.com/Preview.aspx?Source=Manic_Maker/bootskin/7592.jpg


Now I know you can't always have the image "perfect" but getting it damn close to what the original file was seems to be out of my grasp.

Any ideas?


EDIT: Sorry I couldn't post hyperlinks, but they kept screwing up and not working.
WindowBlinds - Free yourself of the default settings, customize your desktop.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I use IrfanView for 99 % of the bootskins I make.
From menu bar in IrfanView, Image, decrease color depth, check 16 color, click ok.
It does a better job, IMO, than Photo Shop and Paint Shop Pro.
download IrfanView
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ok, now that I'm avoiding the SkinStudio crap all is working well, really appreciate the help guys, thanks.

Also I just submitted my first bootskin, still awaiting approval, but keep an eye out for it...it's called "Blue Warp"