This is a quick instructable about how to make your OWN custom background in vista (im not sure about other systems, but i did it in vista.

it involves using an awesome screen saver (called mystify), adobe photoshop and a little bit of luck.

with my name it's relatively easy do this, because it's small and the letters are basic - so you should always use 'short' names.

Samuel becomes Sam in my case.

Johnathon becomes John.

and so on...

Step 1: What You Need:

Adobe Photoshop or another program that allows you to work in layers.

Vista or a screen saver like Mystify in another operating system

luck, timing and the ability to concentrate over a potentially long period of time.

Step 2: Setting Up...

it's very easy...

follow the text.

1 right click, personalise

2 Screen saver

3 scroll down to mystify, then press aply, cause it's the best screen saver.

Step 3: Setting Up... Continued

With mystify on, and the program open now open up Adobe photoshop.

make sure you have the layers option up (window, layers) and the tools, which should be a default.

now put on some good music.

Step 4: Getting Some Graphics

now we're gonna get some input

press preview on the mystify 'program'

DO NOT MOVE YOUR MOUSE OR PRESS ANYTHING.

The only thing that you can press is Print Screen. Ha ha! this is how we get the graphics.

Wait and wait until you see a shape that could make up a letter in your name, then press Print Screen.

flip to photoshop and copy what you just image dumped.

if you like what you see and it makes up part of your letter... save it.

It is always better to have a full letter in one print screen than half a letter. Why? cause the ones in the same screen will always look smoother.

got all your letters?

these are the first to 'thingimajiggies' i found:

Step 5: Processing

aha! this is where the 'magic' happens.

Say i want to make the first image mix with the second. if i copy it on to the other image, it covers it up completely??? what to do:

3 in photoshop, have one pasted ontop of another, and click on the magic wand (just below the arrow) in tools.

4 and 5 select a tolerance (this selects different colours that are next to eachother, and alike) and click on the black stuff.

6 if you selected tolerance 1, 2 or 3, good on you. Now with it still selected click on Select, then similar (at the top). Now delete everything.

7 Viola! move the image without black stuff over where you want it to go, using the arrow.

Repeat until you have your final design.

Step 6: Once Your Done...

if you didn't know this already this is how to set it as your background.

(oh and by the way, you can add other 'thingimajiggies' to your image as well.

1 right click, personalise

desktop background, browse for your images (which you saved as a 'Save for web' image in photoshop)

click on it, select the lefternmost tick box at the bottom, then click ok.

looks snazzy doesn't it...