Andrew, you can upload those themes to DeviantArt and Wincustomize, if you want to do that, it is absolutely fine with me - in fact, I think the extra exposure would be a good thing. My understanding was that keeping them here for now was your own choice.

My main goal with the Winstep gallery is simply to make sure Winstep themes are safely and permanently stored on the Winstep web site itself, rather than relying entirely on third-party sites that I have no control over and which could disappear, change direction, or stop hosting Winstep content at any time.

And yes, for the time being the gallery will remain somewhat private, simply because - as you know - I still want to improve both its functionality and its visual presentation before treating it as a fully public-facing part of the site.

I suspect the Winstep Theme Builder and a revamped Winstep Themes Gallery will both happen at roughly the same time, but it's still too early to say.

@Jorge - I get that. Thanks for the encouragement. As I have mentioned in PM's, I uploaded knowing you can do with them as you wish. Should you wish to upload any to those sites of the themes, you were given permission like the TOS on uploading to do with them as best serves Winstep, so feel free to upload to other sites. I have zero desire.

P.S - Re the email suggestion - I left out the "more" button that appears when the scaling reaches maximum vertically, this is what I meant by limiting the number of available links per menu for user configurable menu consistency, that a 'more' button appears if there are more links than the number the user or skinner selected. The user would have control of course to change whatever the skinner selected by default. e.g. the fourth menu in the image below at the bottom idea.


SIDE NOTE on current florilegium of Music Style summary themes:

I have noticed a few things here and there slipped through the cracks, so I will do updates as I find them over time. I fixed one of the theme menus in Contemporary Rock because it did some weird resizing stuff. I changed some minor settings. Sometime tomorrow.
Cheers

GOSPEL THEME UPDATED in gallery for anyone who just downloaded(Page 1).
Contemporary Rock THEME UPDATED in gallery for anyone who just downloaded (Page 3).

fixed environment variables I missed.
Cheers

Different approach:

I used the Winstep mechanics and calls to the Internet in this one.
Obviously, if a focus is on Zodiac, then the Moon's position in which Starsign would be important.
So what appears to be a wallpaper is not. It is the Moon sign created specifically for this theme only which is the centerpiece and focus.
The image in the center will change as the starsign the moon is in changes.... closest resemblance to an auto-changing wallpaper. I'll see how it compresses before I make any real assessment as to its validity.

It is functional totally, very spare because it needs to be for the concept to work and as the images show, anyone can move it per usual. It is intended to be center screen but that's up to whomever uses it.

The first image I created for it and as seen, pretty much any sparse wallpaper within reason should work. I did a second example to illustrate this point.
I am still deciding on my color choices at this point.... I'll upload when its finished which might not be soon. The reason being that whichever color theme I decide upon, I either have 10 of 11 module colors to change or 12 Zodiac sign colors.
This is what happens when enthusiasm overrides practicality.
Cheers

Will it be one topic or 12 topics with Zodiac signs? It seems to me that there will be more imagination for creativity in 12 themes!

I understand where you are coming from and that is a good idea, but after doing 25 themes that could have easily extended into double that, my energy levels are a little low.

It is in the Gallery now - I have finished it and my reasoning was that the centerpiece will actually change as the moon cycle changes visibly on your desktop. So the Lion in this finished theme below, when the moon cycles to Virgo will exhibit as relevant similarly crafted Virgin appropriate to the Sign, then the next a set of Scales (Libra), so on and so forth.



These were created specifically for this theme.

An interesting topic! And an unusual solution for moving zodiac signs across the screen! Thank you very much!

Last 6 of Music styles are uploaded and available.
25 in all for the entire set.
Cheers

Hello BassdudeNZ,
I find the 3D textures in your various themes excellent, very detailed and beautiful...
A few questions, if you don't mind answering :
Do you use an online AI site to create your 3D textures like Canva, PicLumen, Tripo, Meshy, or others?
Or do you use software like Photoshop, Adobe, or similar programs?
I know that curiosity is a bad trait, but I’d really love to know...
I’m just eager to learn, as I’m a complete novice when it comes to generative AI...
Thanks for your excellent work.

Thanks Picco - Your Gold and black theme tribute on Wincustomize is lovely by the way.
I avoid A.I. except for for wallpapers because as you know, this seems to be an area where using what exists gets complicated. So I envisage an idea and tell it what I want until it gets it right. As you may also know, it doesn't get it right often unfortunately and takes many refreshes and attempts.
I use 3D studio, Substance mainly for 3D style work. I use Bryce for landscapes and Poser for caricatures when I want to make my own 3D style wallpapers and emulate faces, so this is done in wireframes mostly though you can paste 2d graphics over a 3D wireframe For vectors I use adobe Illustrator, and lightroom, Photoshop and fireworks mainly for editing. While Fireworks is antiquated in many ways, it is great for slicing up menus for title, button and endcap.

The advantage for me personally, is I save all the wireframes always. So say I need a new a fish for example for a new theme, it becomes simply editing positioning, sizing and textures most of the time. So keeping libraries of what I have already done helps a lot. Photoshop. Illustrator and fireworks are great for layers as I am sure you know so that helps a lot and I save most of my work on another Library drive.

I hope that answers everything?

That said, I tried Adobe Firefly yesterday so it is interesting you asked. It can do what I do in a tenth of the time and in many cases, much better.... I'm certainly thinking about it. It was quite scary actually just how good it is.

P.S. - If you look at icons 2 in the gallery in the icons section, I did not say anything, but Jorge mentioned he used copilot for his Program File icons. Half of them are me and the other half are copilot. Hopefully, people can tell the difference. I just did not say anything. I found copilot too painful and dare I say 'childlike' in understanding simple requests, so I avoid it.

Respected BassdudeNZ! The disk icon is half-displayed. It is displayed correctly as a ring and pie chart! Can you tell me how to fix it?

That is me not scaling the horizontal overlay width correctly which I apologise I missed.
I will reupload it.
Thanks for drawing my attention to it !! I appreciate it. Go to themes in preferences with the file, select 'ZODIAC' and when it asks to overwrite, say yes.
I will post an edit in this after I have re-uploaded.

EDIT - UPDATE2

In the gallery now.

Thanks for your replies...

I really admire the mastery and 3D rendering skills you demonstrate in handling all that software and AI.
Personally, I only work with GIMP a program I’ve known quite well for about twenty years. I also have Photoshop, but its complexity really puts me off; it feels like an overly convoluted, clunky mess, so I always end up abandoning it and going back to GIMP for simpler projects.
Also, whenever I see the monthly or annual cost for the full suite of software you use Adobe Illustrator, Lightroom, and Firefly, I’m immediately put off. I did invest in Photoshop, but in the end, I hardly ever use it, except for specific functions that GIMP can't handle.
Then again, I’m not a true creator like you are. Aside from a few themes I made myself, I mostly take WindowBlinds themes created by others and convert them for Winstep.
Ultimately, I’m pretty good at the conversion process for Winstep, but not so much at creating things from scratch.
Thanks again, and keep up the exemplary work...

I think you do great stuff, sincerely. I admire how beautifully clean your work is and it is a credit to you. If you can do that converting, your own work should be great too surely?

Anyway, I use photoshop for layer editing only, its magnetic lasso has shown to be very useful and what I mainly use it for. Fireworks I use to put all the layers together even though I know Photoshop can do it, mainly because I can do the splicing for menus and the modules in a single location.. I agree Photoshop is cumbersome. I hope you decide to do your own creations at some point? It does not matter what we use whether Gimp which is still great or anything else. we use what works best for us. You are an artist and hopefully I'll get to see some of your own creations.
Cheers

Everything is fine! Thank you very much!