How to Skin an Win32 Application

Question

Win32 look nasty, how to make it look better by custom skins?

I mean something like Adobe products, iTunes, Autodesk 3dsmax and Softimage XSI, Windows media player, Blender, Comodo firewall, Winamp, Babylon client, and few download managers etc.;

there are many similar applications out there but I can't find any proper tutorial or guideline, it looks like secret recipe!

only -two- tutorials available online:

old and useless: http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/20497/Draw-Skin-Window-Using-Pure-Win32-API

only cover opaque background (and this is what I avoid, I need more about GUI components): http://www.flipcode.com/archives/Win32_Window_Skinning.shtml

Is there any book or proper guideline to learn how to build skins for Win32api?

Edit: I accept David Rodríguez comment, down there ↓↓

Answer 1

I have done this before using C++ Builder. The approach I took was to create a form, set it to be borderless and color the entire form the same color. Then I set the form transparency to this color. I then add images to the form which create the desired skin.

I'm sure this can all be done through standard win APIs, but I can't describe (or advise) doing it solely through API calls.