# Custom K2i skin (Yes yes it's Star Trek...)



## Snorkledorf (Oct 18, 2009)

I just got my custom skin delivered from DecalGirl last night and I'm happy to say it looks great!

It's (obviously to some, perhaps not to all...) based on a "PADD" from the later TV incarnations of Star Trek. It's a little data input thing the actors crew walk around with, and was the first thing I thought of when I saw the K2. Now my geeky dreams are complete and I no longer have to worry about those pesky women trying to pick me up all the time just because they saw me with a Kindle! My geek-appeal and sex-appeal are now inversely proportional... 

I took hints from another equally-geeky person's website and designed my skin in Photoshop based on all the Star Trek reference images that through an amazing coincidence happened to be on my computer.

DecalGirl's support staff (Hi Keith!) was very helpful in keeping things moving along, and also followed up nicely when I had a question about their international shipping prices. It arrived here in Japan about six days after I ordered it, via US Priority Mail, which is about how long these things usually take.

I've never applied a skin before, but it went on smoothly. I'm very satisfied.

[Edit: figured out how to display the image inline, instead of as a link]


----------



## 911jason (Aug 17, 2009)

I think it's really cool!!! I would not have known it was from Star Trek, but I really like it! Now it makes me want to find someone who wants something similar so I can play with photoshop and do one too! Good job! =)


----------



## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

Very clean, nice look.  
Welcome to KindleBoards.
deb


----------



## dablab (Feb 10, 2009)

My husband would love that skin.  He is a huge trekkie!!  I often thought about doing a custom cover but just haven't yet.  Maybe someday I will look for some star trek designs and make him a skin for his K1.  

Dot


----------



## 911jason (Aug 17, 2009)

dablab said:


> My husband would love that skin. He is a huge trekkie!! I often thought about doing a custom cover but just haven't yet. Maybe someday I will look for some star trek designs and make him a skin for his K1.
> 
> Dot


More than likely it would have to be a "Star Trek-inspired" skin since none of the skin makers will let you use copyrighted artwork for a custom skin. It'd have to be something like this one that is based on something from the show but doesn't use any of the actual imagery.


----------



## MarthaT (Mar 3, 2009)

Very cool


----------



## krista8794 (Nov 10, 2009)

very cool!!


----------



## CaptainPyke (Nov 20, 2009)

Your PADD looks fantastic. Thanks for posting a link to my site! Also, could you let me know what color of gray you used? Mine turned out a little dark when printed. Thanks!

P.S. Don't forget to add the custom LCARS screesavers - http://subspacecomms.com/content/2009/10/10/2368-called-it-wants-its-padd-back-padding-your-kindle


----------



## Angela (Nov 2, 2008)

Very cool... we love all things Trek around our house!


----------



## Snorkledorf (Oct 18, 2009)

Thanks for the compliments, everyone!

Captain, I read what you mentioned on your site about it coming out a little dark, so I deliberately lightened mine up a bit. Thanks for the tip! I also added a subtle gradient from the upper-right to lower-left of each face, just to add an additional "something" to it.

Here's what my template looks like:









The overall tone on the sticker came out a little bit more blue-green than either the template or the photo above show. Looks good, actually, so I'm not complaining!
You can also see I totally ripped off the way you made the faux-metal stripe on your skin design. 
The upper line on the back is positioned to overlap the seam between the Kindle's plastic and metal back plates, so it masks the light impression the seam leaves in the skin.

And here's some detail.
I used the outer-emboss layer effect in Photoshop to give the stripes some depth. With the final printing to compare to, I'd make them twice as dark if I were printing another one. The drop-shadow on the "314" sticker was about right though.
I found a reference image that showed some brushed-metal Starfleet stickers that looked cool, so I used that for some extra visual detail.
And there's a subtle grain to the background, which is almost completely below the printing resolution of the final sticker. I'd either increase the scale, or strip it out entirely since the bumpiness of the Kindle's plastic is already giving a texture to the skin.









And finally, the reference images I used, including the most Kindley PADD of them all...


----------



## Susan in VA (Apr 3, 2009)

Oh man, if DD's dad ever sees this thread he's going to want a Kindle just so he can have this skin for it...


----------



## CaptainPyke (Nov 20, 2009)

Very cool, thanks for going into a little more detail about your design.  It's funny, I used some of the same images for my inspiration and I included a gradient for each face as well (forgot to mention that in the article).  Great minds....  I think it's super cool that I could help you in even the smallest way to maker your own custom decal.  Enjoy your PADD, I know I love mine!


----------



## 911jason (Aug 17, 2009)

The screensavers CaptainPyke added to match the skin are awesome... I'm not a Trekkie (althought I loved the recent JJ Abrams film) but think these look so cool! The image you included of the actual PADD's really does look similar to a Kindle and I can see why you went to all the trouble.


----------



## HomerinNC (Sep 14, 2011)

I'm currently working on one for the K3...
anyone got a template for the cutlines for the K3?


----------



## PG4003 (Patricia) (Jan 30, 2010)

HomerinNC said:


> I'm currently working on one for the K3...
> anyone got a template for the cutlines for the K3?


I have the template with approximate cutlines for the K3. I'll PM you.


----------



## HomerinNC (Sep 14, 2011)

okay, i got the skin made, got 2 questions:
1. how do i send it to decalgirl

2. how do i upload it here?


----------



## Lursa (aka 9MMare) (Jun 23, 2011)

Wow, what a great idea! I love it!

Something to keep in mind for the next device......................


----------



## HomerinNC (Sep 14, 2011)

here it is....borrowed some other peoples ideas to make mine...modified it for a K3


----------

