Focus on Female Skinners: Interview with Crazygirl
Interview by Migellito

Sometimes a new career and a new life can be waiting for you in a place you least expect it. Perhaps a place you know well, but underestimate. The growing world of skinning is a place in which nearly anyone with some extra time, some talent, and a few tools can make a big impression on a lot of people. It's also far easier for an audience to feel an artist's path is clear, and to be convinced one should launch themselves down that path.

Should Crazygirl invest her future in a career of digital graphic design? There are hundreds of people downloading her work every day who I'm sure would return an immediate yes. Any career can be difficult or easy, drudgery or the energy that powers a person's life. The final determinant is the person themselves. In my opinion, there's an ever-brightening future out there for gui designers, and a better field would be hard to find. There is only one person who can make that decision, but here's hoping for the best.

Tek: Would you like to start out with a little background information about yourself?

Crazygirl: I was born in Queens, moved to Ohio when I was five. I was nothing but trouble all through school, and am still nothing but trouble sometimes *weg*.

I grew up with computers all around me, but never learned to turn one on until a few years ago. I was running windows 3.1 on my old computer, so about the only thing I had available to me was an old copy of Fauve Mattisse and MSpaint.

From there I was addicted. I fought until we finally upgraded the computer and suddenly I was introduced to a whole new world. "You mean, I can actually make this thing look the way I want it too?"

On a more personal level, I am a single mother of a wonderful four year old little girl. I live in my mother's house now (safety in numbers type of deal.) I plan on going back to college once my daughter starts school next fall. For now, however, I am stuck working at Kmart.

Tek: What do you plan on studying in school?

Crazygirl: I'll probably major in computer science with an emphasis on graphics. And minor in creative writing/journalism.

Tek: Sounds perfect for a position with Teknidermy ;)

When you realized you could make the computer look the way you wanted it to, what was the program that you first used to customise your machine?

Crazygirl: Well, I started out with neoplanet 4. Then I got lost in a sea of ICQ photoskins until I came across Skinz.org.

Tek: Have you stuck with Skinz.org, or have you branched out into some of the other design sites as well?

Crazygirl: I've uploaded some stuff at Deskmod, and a few at Screenphuck, but I usually only participate on the message board and such at Skinz.org. They seem to have a better community spirit.

Tek: There has been a lot of discussion about the community spirit, both positive and negative. Do you feel there is an overall design community, or just communities within sites?

Crazygirl: I think it is more like communities within sites. The few times I have been to Deskmod's message board, I've seen very few of the people from Skinz.org. And from what I have heard, there is no community at Custo anymore.

Tek: Although one can still go to the site, Custo hasn't been really maintained for some time.

Part of the strength of a community is working together on projects, and we've seen some of that at various sites. Have you worked in conjunction with other skinners?

Crazygirl: Kind of. Recently, I did a WindowBlinds skin called Paint the Town. Koasati made the Themebar set to go with it.

Tek: Is a cooperative effort something you would encourage others to try? Would you do it again yourself?

Crazygirl: Sure. But I think it has to be planned a little better than what I did with Koasati was.

I would definitely recommend it to other people. You get more ideas that way. And looking at your own work through someone else's eyes is very helpful. That's one thing I liked about working with koasati.

Tek: It strikes me as a good way to approach the concept of skin suites, which are definitely becoming more prevalent. You've done several suites yourself: what is your basic artistic approach when doing a set of skins for disparate programs?

Crazygirl: From what I can see is there really is no "basic" way to do it. I generally go by feel. I'll try something, open up all the apps I have skinned so far, and if it looks and feels good, I keep it. if it seems a little off, I either fix what I have, or start all over again. Mainly, once I get the WindowBlinds skin finished, the rest is pretty much cut and paste, unless a particular element needs to be remade to fit the app.

Tek: It sounds like you're very comfortable and professional with the process. What tools do you use to create your skins?

Crazygirl: Plain old Paint Shop Pro 6 and Notepad in most cases. Of course, there's BuilderBlinds, Colorpad, and Coordpad too. once in a while, I'll use Bitstrip. I'm on a pretty tight budget. So anything I use has to be either cheap, or downright free.

I've tried using GIMP, but haven't had much luck. I think it's more that I'm not use to the type of interface.

Tek: The interface does take some getting used to if you're not familiar with it. Fear of Fours' GIMP tutorial here in Teknidermy has been a very popular destination for visitors.

Do you have a favorite program you like to skin?

Crazygirl: I'll have to take a closer look at that tutorial. I only skimmed over it the last time I was there.

I definitely have a favorite app to skin. WindowBlinds. I love how flexible it is. You can be so much more original with it than you can be with most other apps. If you skin it just right, you can feel like your in another world almost.

Tek: True, the variety of skins done for WindowBlinds is really staggering. You mentioned that a well done WindowBlinds skin can be like a trip to another world.. what sort of world do like to take users to?

Crazygirl: The skins I release publicly are, pretty "normal" and somewhat conservative. A couple, like Decay and Chained were a little out there. Decay is a world of loss and frustration. Whereas Chained was very cold, distant.

The ones I make for myself are usually either very peaceful and tranquil, or absolutely wild. I'm a big fan of the show "Sliders", so I've used elements from some of the different worlds in the series.

Tek: Fascinating. Would it be possible for you to share some of your more wild ones with our readers?

Crazygirl: I'll have to think about it. I'll look through my hard drive and see which would be best for it and tweak it a little to make it more functional for other users.

Tek: That would be fantastic.. kind of like looking in your medicine cabinet when you're visiting :)

It's interesting that you mention Sliders. In another interview I've just completed with Alexandrie, she mentioned Sliders as well.

Crazygirl: Hehe..That's an interesting analogy. She did eh? Must be in the water.

Tek: It must be :) I've begun to notice a connecting interest and influence from the world of science fiction in the skin designers I've talked with. I suppose a connection like that is only natural for the field.

This issue is focused on women in skin design. Do you feel there is a connection there as well? Is there a common thread in women's designs?

Crazygirl: In most, yes. I've noticed that a lot of women who try to skin seem not to be able to break away from the "ultra-feminine" type of designs. That's why I respect people like Lorenela, Alexandrie, and Kyte. All three have been able to break away from that, and still keep their own "feminine identity."

Tek: They do all have both a recognizable style, and a non-pidgeonholing style as well. How would you say their femininity shows through in their work?

Crazygirl: Kyte, for one uses a lot of smooth textures, but blends them well with the harder, more industrial edge type of graphics. (Ischaemic and Acalthu)

Lorenela has a way of blending hard lines together that I have NEVER seen. Usually, a skin with a lot of hard lines is difficult to use, but Michka is wonderfully put together.

It's not only in their work, but in their own personal style, and the way they present themselves as well.

Tek: You have a very smooth, integrating style as well. I think if I had to choose one, my favorite of your skins would be bloo for WindowBlinds. It's so unique, in that it defies the usual borders between the functional areas of the window.

Crazygirl: You would be surprised at how that one started then. I have a friend who absolutely loves Tracy Lawrence (country music singer). She asked me to make a skin with the images from his most recent album. I liked the way most of the skin ended up looking, so I just cut him off of the top frame. I am actually surprised that one has done as well with downloads as it has.

Tek: It's a fresh, unique look :)

Speaking of downloads, your ICQ skin, Robotic Red, has over 6000 downloads. Do you feel it's your best work?

Crazygirl: At the time that I made it, yes, I did. However, after I reformatted my computer, I realized, without a doubt, it sucks! I tried to use it one day and I could hardly see anything! I'm thinking of reworking it, adding a little more contrast to it and updating it for ICQ 2000.

Tek: Well, you've got a great start. I'll be interested to see the final results :)

To finish up for the evening, I thought I'd go back to your educational plans for computer science and graphic design. Do you plan on using it for interface design?

Crazygirl: As far as a career choice, I would more than likely have better luck in product design. From what I have seen there are more jobs available in that field, and it's a little more stable for the time being. When you have children stability is a big issue..........

Whether I do interface design professionally or not, I will certainly use what I learn to further myself in the on-line graphics/skinning community. Skinning is a passion, and form of self expression that, I guess you could say, is ingrained in my soul...*s*

Tek: I'd like to wish you the best of luck in your education and in your career goals as well. It sounds like the skinning community will be benefiting from your education for some time.

Thanks again for meeting with me tonight.. it's been great talking with you :)

Crazygirl: And thank you . You made me take the time to think about where I have been in the community, and to realize just how far I have come in less than a year.

Tek: It's been great talking to you too.