So, I completed my second EVER digital brush artwork today.  It took me all day.  I've always considered myself good at drawing but I never though about using digital media as a means of creating.  The first time I completed one was a couple years ago for my boyfriend's birthday.  

That being said, I think I'm going to create a folder in my DA gallery for such conquests, and hopefully I'll see some improvement over time.  I'm really excited to unveil my first digital brush artwork for DA!  Customization will likely be put on the back burner for the time being while I sharpen my painting skills.  Thanks for your support guys, and I look forward to sharing more of my work with you!

~V

As much as I love Google Chrome, I've found myself on numerous occasions hopping back and forth between Chrome, Opera, and Firefox.  Each had something that the other didn't, and I couldn't bear to be without any of their individual features.  

As for Chrome, I loved all of the apps that were available to me.  Play games straight from your browser's start page?  Ch'yeah!  Bejeweled was one of my favorites.  I also fell in love with its sleek interface and minimal clutter.  However, Chrome had a major bug that the Google Developers have yet to address.  Or maybe it was intentional.  Unfortunately, it's so crippling that it was the reason why I finally made the switch back to Opera.  Turns out, there is no "Open" dialog- meaning that instead of giving you the option of either saving or opening a file after a download is complete, it just automatically saves to the default save location or opens a "Save" dialog.  This can be incredibly annoying when I'm just looking to open a torrent, a picture, and the like.  There's also an issue where it won't even come up at all.  There'll just be a flash on the screen (indicating that the "Save" dialog TRIED to open), but nothing will happen.  I usually had to resort to keeping Firefox or Opera open, just so I could paste the link and retry the download.  And I know I'm not the only one who has had this problem.  There's tons of documentation on the subject of the buggy dialogs, and subsequent complaints about Google's lack of action to solve the issue.  "Back to Firefox," they've all said.

Firefox will always have a place in my heart.  The first browser I was introduced to after IE7/8, it freed me from having to rely on a half-assed, poorly supported browser.  This also arose out of my need for a compatible browser for displaying HTML and CSS properly when I began to dabble in web design.  Switching to Opera after this was merely a matter of personal preference.  I simply liked the interface better, and I liked that it came with an integrated startpage.  But back to Firefox.  I was particularly fond of Ad-Block Plus, which is only really fully compatible with Firefox, as opposed to Chrome, where it's development is still in the Beta stage.  In addition to the typical ads one normally encounters, it also got rid of obtrusive video ads everwhere- including my favorite video sites: Hulu and South Park Studios.  So I kept Firefox around for this reason, and this reason alone.

I would've switched back to Opera sooner, but I didn't feel like putting up with their crappy "Opera Adblock."  But, I recently found an extension that has all the functionality of the original AdBlock Plus that I'm used to.  That, and I started checking out Opera's additional features like "Unite," and I must say, I'm fairly impressed.  I must say, I'm a fan.  So, it seems that I've finally found my 3-in-1.  I have the adblock functionality of Firefox, no dialog problems, and a nicely sleek interface.  I will probably use Chrome from time to time to have access to all of their great add-ons and applications, but that's about it.  If a future build of Chrome eradicates the dialog issue I'm having then I'll consider switching back, but for now, I feel at home with Opera.

What browsers do you guys use, and for what reason?  Which one do you think is best?

-V

_{I'm planning on greatly improving them before I start developing my "Orange Crush" idea.  I'm very excited about this!  I'm very pleased with how the mockup for Orange Crush came out, and I don't want to get started on another project until I'm completely satisfied with my other two, so that one's on hold for now (unfortunately.).  Some things that you guys have been communicating to me that you'd like to see with Shiroi/Kuroi are bigger font versions, maybe a transparent version, and to fix the frames and caption buttons.  So, my next update will likely include all of these fixes.  In addition, I'll work on the taskbar bug, which I know is preventing a lot of people (including myself) from using it right now.  So don't worry!}

<sub>Thanks to all of you who have supported the release of my first complete Windows 7 theme, "Shiroi" and the newly created spin-off, "Kuroi!"  Without your encouragement and feedback, this wouldn't have been possible for me.  Not to mention all the help I received during the making of my "ClearDark Beta" theme!  Believe it or not, it was those who backed me in the creation of Clear Dark Beta that have the most to do with the success of Shiroi and Kuroi.  I feel like Clear Dark was more of an experiment.  Nevertheless, I intend on finishing and improving it, so that it can be a usable theme on anyone's desktop.  

Aside from this, I stated in Shiroi's description that I'll likely be creating a whole "family," so to speak, of color-themed themes for Windows 7.  Shiroi and Kuroi being the first two of said family.  I'll probably make a blue, red, purple, and pink theme next, but I'm planning on going for the whole rainbow.   I think that it's an interesting concept that others have yet to tackle, so I'm on it.  Then, when I'm done, in addition to each separate theme and their individual releases as I complete them, I'll release a compilation containing each theme in one convenient zip.  I'll call it "Niji" meaning "Rainbow" in Japanese. ^_^

While that's in development, I'll finally start working on improving the mockups for my Pixel 7 Concept, New 7 Concept, and finally, Orange Crush, my first concept ever!  I'm also thinking of creating a metro theme, only because I haven't yet seen any that I've felt strongly about, in my opinion.  I think that while it comes across as so simple, it's a really challenging design to undertake BECAUSE of how minimal it is.  You have to pay extremely close attention to detail, or else the whole thing unravels.  Bad metro themes/application interfaces are a dime a dozen these days, so I'm out to change the public's opinion on said themes.  (That isn't to say that there ARE some people out there who do it right.  I salute you.)

So that's my to-do list!  

Is there anything in particular you'd like to see me work on first?  For now, I'm going to get started on improving some of the mockups I have sitting around in my "Concepts" section.  You can definitely tell I was a noob back then. >_>

-V</sub>

_{I was wondering what kind of screen capturing software you guys use?  I've been using Windows Snip for a long time, but it just isn't cutting it. (Duh.)  Gotta love that "out of the box" stuff.  It's fairly decent, but I've been wanting to take pictures of some of the elements of my theme for the new preview I'm trying to create once I release shiroi/kuroi together, and Snip won't allow me to capture the Start Menu.}

  <sub>Lemmie tell you, it feels SO good to be using my OWN Windows 7 theme for a change.  I think I appreciate it a lot more because I put so much hard work into it.  I'm very proud of myself- especially the fact that I completed it in a matter of days.  The only delay was that I went over to my boyfriend's house for a couple days, which allowed me a break from theming.  Because, when I'm dead set on finishing something, nothing else exists until I get it done.  o_O

Anyway, I hope you all like it.  I might keep up with the light theming because it's admittedly SO much easier than creating a dark theme.  So to those who can produce such themes seemingly flawlessly, more power to you.  But I don't yet have the skill to successfully create one without theme debilitating bugs.  Regardless, I WILL be trying my best to complete the "Clear Dark" theme that I have uploaded as a beta right now.  It'd be unfair to leave it unfinished after so many of you have waited patiently for its release.  So don't worry.  It will be done.  However, I think I might change a few elements of the theme apart of usability.  So what you see now is by no means the finished product.

So, that's it!  I'll likely be getting to work on providing .msstyle alternatives for my "Shiroi" theme, and maybe modding some others for personal use (unless I'm given permission by the original authors to release my modifications to the Deviantart community).

Thanks again!</sub>

<3V

<sub>I've finally done it!  It IS possible, y'all.  You CAN achieve 1px borders in WSB with the CORRECT images and sizing margins.  More on this later.  I'll probably make a tutorial or something.  I know this is something that a lot of people try to achieve and come up short, so I just want to let you all know that it CAN be done.  WITHOUT bugs, too.  I just had an epiphany today.  *dances*  I know some of you may already be familiar with certain methods to achieve a 1px border, but most don't.

That's all for now!</sub>

Okay, so here's what's up!  I've released the beta of the theme I've been working on for the past month.  This journal is just to make you guys aware of this.  Everything you need to know is in the description if you'd like to know more.

Okay, so, I've got WSB working again- after I uninstalled/reinstalled it.  Glad that's over with.

So!  I've got a major update for you guys.  After reinstalling WSB again, I actually got to work on another theme- based off of my most current mockup's dark theme.  I think it's a lot sleeker, and I improved the usability by using more contrast.  I think you guys will definitely like what I've done so far.  Surprisingly enough, I'm actually ALMOST done.   However, I'm a perfectionist, so it will probably be a week or two before I release it because I'd like to have as few bugs as possible.  Then, of course, if you find some afterwards, you can let me know so I can update the theme accordingly.  I am extremely proud of the progress I've made thus far, and hope that I can become realized as a dedicated themer once I've released a few.  

Thank you all for your patience- I'll upload the newest mockup to my gallery so that you all can see what I've been working on.  And I repeat...  I'm almost done!

-V

Btw, do any of you know where I can find any DECENT journal/gallery skins?  All the ones I've seen in the main DA gallery are anime-related, or poorly designed.  Thanks a lot!