With "Auto-Tone Skin" checked StyleSkin automatically adjusts the tone of the skin to be a "middling" tone. Un-checking Auto-Tone Skin will allow you to create brighter or darker skins, however the 3D rendering effect may not be as visually convincing.
It is best to use the primary colors: Red, Green, Blue and Cyan, Magenta and Yellow for Key Colors as they can be reliably read on any computer's display.
The "Go" button (The arrow in the Standard Toolbar) repeats the last rendering action, and can be handy in the cases where you wish to try different setting for a particular element.
If you use the native template editor, then you can easily export the images that make up your buttons by clicking Tools, Export Button Images.
By adjusting Color Variance down, rather than up, you can darken the tone, suitable for advanced weathering effects.
If you have a screen resolution of 800 x 600 or smaller it is wise to show only the tool palettes you are using. You can print out a quick reference template by clicking View, Tool Palettes, Print Keyboard Mask.
Many Textures display the texture as it is being generated. This allows you to stop the texturing process during creation by clicking the "Stop" button on the "Generating Texture..." dialog box.
To make Homemade Mayonnaise, add one large egg, ╝ teaspoon of dry mustard, ╜ teaspoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to your (absolutely dry) food processor. While the ingredients blend add a thin stream of sunflower oil (it takes about ╜ litre) to the bowl until it thickens and becomes white and fluffy. Enjoy!
Many graphic programs create tones that they cannot directly display by patterning the two closest tones they can display. You can test if your imported template image suffers from this by clicking Tools, Pattern Check.
To create visually convincing down buttons StyleSkin can move the text on the template over and down one pixel. Checking Auto Text Down in the Tools menu allows StyleSkin to automatically perform this action, restoring the template after it has finished.
If you wish to create multiple buttons of the same size and dimension in the native template editor, try clicking a button and pressing Edit, Copy, and then Edit, Paste for each new button you want. You can then move and re-caption the buttons accordingly.
Importing a texture causes the imported image to be tiled across the texture if it is smaller than the skin. If you wish to stretch the image over the skin, just open the image in another program (e.g. MS Paint), copy it and then return to StyleSkin and click Edit, Paste Special, Scale Image to Fit.
If you wish to modify a texture by hand you can click the Texture Tab, and select File, Save Image As in order to open it in your favorite graphics editor. Alternatively you can use the drawing tools provided with StyleSkin to touch the texture up in place.
If you wish to place a shape accurately in the native template editor, try turning off Snap to Grid. This will allow you to position the shape without it locking to the grid.
You can set the default effects settings by opening and effects setting file, or setting the effects the way you like them, and selecting File, Save Effects As and navigating to the program's directory and saving the file over the default.efx file.
If you find it is taking some time to render your skins, try hiding the Progress Bar (View, Progress Bar). Showing this bar takes time, time you might better enjoy looking at your finished skin...
You can set the default template the program starts with by creating or opening a native template file (not an imported image), and then clicking the File menu and selecting Save Image/ Template As. Navigate to the application's directory and save the template over the default.tpl file.
If you wish to select an object without dragging it, try clicking on it with the right mouse button. Native template shapes can be dragged while holding the left mouse button, but can only be selected with the right.
You can type any notes or reminders on your Effects Settings in the Effects Note (F12). This is particularly useful if you intend to pass the effects file onto others and want to let them know where it came from, or techniques for improving the appearance. A dialog box will be shown to the User displaying the contents on the Notes when they load the effects
While native templates automatically set their key colors, imported graphical templates may be in a different key color scheme to the one your effect settings are in. You can set your key colors to match the template by left-clicking on the key color, and then clicking the matching section of the tempate. Alternatively you can convert the image over to your key colors by clicking Tools, Convert Key Colors.
Consider accenting buttons or flat areas by turning Tools, Auto-Tone Skin off, or by adjusting the texture or color. This can add interest to the skin, and darkening the tone on flat areas can add depth.
If you want to see this program improve, you can email us (admin@pollensoftware.com) and let us know where you would like to see improvements or where you have found any bugs. You can go to our web site by clicking Help, StyleSkin on the Web... or by pressing Ctrl+W.
When rendering a photo, you can choose to have parts of the screen rendered normally. To do this first photo render the complete skin and then under render choose the single item you would like rendered normally. This is useful if you would like an indented display screen on a blank area of the photo.
To make Blue-Cheese Dressing, add one cup of buttermilk, ╛ teaspoon of salad herbs, ╜ teaspoon of garlic powder, ╜ teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon onion powder and 100 grams (a standard portion) of blue-vein cheese to your processor. Blend in bursts until cheese in broken into chucks no larger than 1 cm (about ╝ inch). Blend in 1 cup of homemade mayonnaise (also in Tip of Day) in short bursts. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving. Enjoy!
If you wish to share your image based templates with others, consider giving them an effects file with the key colors set to those you used in your template. Then, if they want to convert your key colors to the ones they use, they can click Tools, Convert Key Colors and refer it to effects file you gave them to convert the image.
For advanced template design, try creating your template in a graphics program, or even in a program like MS PowerPoint. You can easy take a screenshot (print screen button) and paste it into a graphics editor for cropping.
Want to turn you favorite photo into a skin? Then try the Photo Render option available in StyleSkin! They can turn a photo into a skin with minimal disruption to the photo image. Its easy, just import your photo as the texture and click Render, Photo Render!
Have you tried our other software? Pollen Software even distributes customizable menu software that is fully skinable! Just look for Autorun Maestro and AUTOption Graphic on our Internet site! http://www.pollensoftware.com/
If you would like to see the progress of your skin as it is rendering just restore the Zoom/ Preview tool palette. You can do this by clicking on the Zoom/ Preview restore button, or by clicking on View, Tool Palettes, Zoom/ Preview. Or you can use the keyboard shortcut CTRL+F3.
For an unusual effect, try positioning your text over a display with the text shape set to transparent. If you then adjust the text rendered color to be the same as the display then you will get a text shadowing effect. If you want to make the text more or less apparent try adjusting the Display Depth and Density settings.
If you want to see where your shapes will snap to, try turning on Show Grid. This is available on the right-hand side of the Standard Toolbar.
Many of the Textures in StyleSkin are rendered progressively. If you can see the texture rendering, then you can stop the process at any time and keep the texture at that point. If the you cannot see the texture as it is being rendered, then the texture will remain as it was before.
If you are working in a Native Template (rather than an imported bitmap), you must select the template tab before you can undo template changes. Otherwise changes to the Texture or Output tabs will be undone.
When adjusting color variances/skin rendering etc only adjust them by small amounts - otherwise the effects will be too strong and may result in undesirable outputs.
If you wish to move or resize a shape pixel by pixel you can click the shape and use the arrow keys on the keyboard to move the shape. To resize the shape you can hold down shift while you use the arrows.
When saving ensure you are on the correct tab before you hit save. For example, if you wish to save a particular template click the Template tab underneath your skin. If you wish to save the texture click the texture tab first and if you wish to save the output image click the output tab.
If you have created an effect or template you would like to share please see StyleSkin's Internet site! We will be hosting a sharing area where you will be able to download effects and templates others have created.
If you have rendered a template and decide to make a small change try re-rendering only the part that was changed (under render on the menu bar) to save time.
When rendering the complete template (eg the texture is also rendered) pressing stop during texture rendering will not stop the entire render, instead this will cause the program to begin rendering the output. To stop the entire render, just press stop again.
If you want to make a skin with an image (e.g. a photo), go to Texture/Import and find the image you would like to skin. Then under the render tab choose Photo Render.
When photo rendering it is a good idea to click on Render/Photo Render/Photo Control descriptions. This changes all the tool palettes over to offer you appropriate descriptions for photo rendering.
If you wish to quickly move the tool palettes out of the way, try double-clicking on an unused section. This will cause the tool palettes to change orientation and can be handy if you find you want to render a wider or taller than normal skin.
Altering the Effect Density (under the Texture Rendering Tool Palette) can change a texture significantly. By experimenting with different textures at different densities you can create many different results.
To move the tool palette markers one increment at a time, click on the marker than use the keyboard left and right arrows to adjust.
You can create your own program with your skin using Autorun Maestro! Just click "Export to Autorun Maestro..." on the Tools menu. You can even create programs of any shape, just refer to the Help for full instructions on how simple this is to set up.
