Note: Almost all content here will eventually be revised and merged into the live-manual. Please do not add new content to the wiki, but contribute to the manual directly.

Customize the boot loader splash screen

Customize the syslinux splash screen

Create your image with gimp, 640x400. Convert the image to 14 indexed colors (Image > Mode > Indexed). Save as ppm.

For LH_BOOTLOADER="syslinux" 

$ ppmtolss16 '#d0d0d0=7' < splash.ppm > splash.rle
$ cp splash.rle config/binary_syslinux/splash.rle

Also set LH_SYSLINUX_SPLASH="config/binary_syslinux/splash.rle"

The syslinux package provides 'ppmtolss16'.

Customize the grub splash screen

For LH_BOOTLOADER="grub" 

$ ppmtoxpm < splash.ppm > splash.xpm && gzip splash.xpm
$ cp splash.xpm.gz config/binary_grub/splash.xpm.gz

Also set LH_GRUB_SPLASH="config/binary_grub/splash.xpm.gz" in config/binary.

The netpbm package provides 'ppmtoxpm'.

Customize the startup splash screen

Custom startup splash screen using usplash

Study usplash-theme-webconverger from http://webconverger.com/debian/stable/ which is based on Otavio's http://ossystems.com.br/ work.

Usplash is a pain. Use the latest one, even on etch.

Use Inkscape to edit the master SVG.

Custom startup splash screen using splashy

Your config/binary should look begin like: 

LH_BOOTAPPEND_LIVE="quiet splash vga=792"

You probably need to backport splashy from the latest git. Splashy uses directfb which is a better approach than usplash. Still it has some rough edges...

You do not need to backport splashy-themes for your own splash artwork. When backporting splashy just copy in your own graphic to themes/default/background.png and build.

Customize the login manager artwork

Custom gdm theme

Custom kdm theme

In order to have a custom KDM theme, perform a chroot after having 'kdm' package installed, copy your theme directory to '/usr/share/apps/kdm/themes/', then edit the following file: /etc/kde3/kdm/kdmrc In section [X-*-Greeter], you should have two entries: 

Theme=/usr/share/apps/kdm/themes/Your_Theme
UseTheme=True

Customize the desktop artwork

Customize the CD/DVD and case artwork

Other resources