Doc.... it's a common 'issue' with skinning.  Designers attempt to get away from the 'normal' default GUI as much as they can push the envelope and often it's at the expense of genuine functionality/practicality.

People's default monitor lighting/settings can vary and exacerbate the issue too.  Often it's a very fine line between 'pretty' and 'functional'.

I've certainly been known to alter settings for textual backgrounds to compensate...though usually it's a contrast thing...where the backgrounds are TOO stark compared to the darker skins...

Thanks for the input Jafo, I do know how hard it can be when trying to get wider contraswt between fonts and backgrounds.

I downloaded Neone6's latest skin yesterday and because I liked it so much, I took it into SKS and adjusted font color in sections and transparency settings in a few other places just so I can keep his wonderful design on my machine without getting eye strain.

To everyone, I don't believe in judging other's work, I just appreciate it and if it needs a bit of tweaking for my machine, so be it.

I made a big mistake on one of my skins by not looking closely at the proper spacing of my start button and another skinner pointed it out much to my delight. I fixed the problem right away so the next downloaders didn't have to see the shifting button stages.

it can be very hard to get this right as I know ,iv got a very good screen for my art so I sometimes forget about others who haven't .its always best to have someone else to test blinds .I don't have enyone who will test mine so I have to just try my best..

why?? with all the helpful people out there i find that hard to believe!!

I would do skin testing for anyone, no problem, just let me know.

The problem is that if you have lets say a blue background and then a brighter blue font or green you are limited to certain colors especially if you pick a bad font color it strangely can happen that all of the font looks blurry or smudged...
The Decision for me mostly depends on- is the skin for myself or do i make a skin for someone else, if its for others then make it how you think its cool and if necessary you can still change the color or the font type afterwards.
BTW you can do that with skins you download aswell in SKS, im certain that there will be no problem if you change the color of a font in a skin just to read things better.
@ madcat / i like your skins and would test them aswell/ sadly im on windows8 and stilllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll wait.



 

I finally just took my favorite skins and did some windowblind color, texture and font changes. That will allow me to keep my favorite dewsigns on the screen for linger periods.

Eventually, I'll take the skins into SKS to make more specific changes.

I've looked all over and still havn't found a tutorial on making windowblind textures. I guess when all else fails, just read the instyructions provided with WB Lol.

I find on the dark skins the fonts are so dark I have a hard time reading them. the skins look so cool but I just can't use them with out getting a head ache.

the art that a lot of the people make here is world class but if I can't read what's on the screen I have to pass no matter how great it looks. 

usually one has only to ask,