title: Stunning GUI: How is it technically done
body: <p>This question is somewhat related to another one already posted about graphical user design.
  (<a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/1713302/learning-to-create-beautiful-next-generation-gui">Learning to create beautiful /next-generation GUI</a>)</p>
  
  <p>I've read a lot about UI design by now. While still being far away from being experienced, I now know about some caveats to look at. But my concern isn't the design guidelines.</p>
  
  <p>It's rather that I'd like to know how this is done technically. Like ShaChris23 in the SO question, I'm tired of writing "plain old looking" GTK/Windows GUI.</p>
  
  <p>Let's take some concrete examples:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li><a href="http://dribbble.com/shots/1130346-iPhone-Mobile-Design-Concept" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://dribbble.com/shots/1130346-iPhone-Mobile-Design-Concept</a>
  Do you see that component in the 3/4 of the page which is looking like a time line? Is there a component doing this? Do you lay out the individual buttons by hand? No way.</li>
  <li><a href="http://getspringseed.com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer" title="Springseed">Springseed</a> as well is a good example. In my opinion, it has a stunning yet simple UI. It looks nice, clean and simple.</li>
  <li>Last example: <a href="http://dribbble.com/shots/1145034-Outdoors-ui-free-PSD" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://dribbble.com/shots/1145034-Outdoors-ui-free-PSD</a> - I know this is a PSD which may or may not have been realized in software.</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>My question is not about these very concrete examples. But let's say you have designed your GUI in Photoshop. And now? How are you going to realize it technically from this point on? Do you write custom components for the toolkit you're using? Do you reinvent the wheel then for different platforms where you have no common toolkit? (Apple iOS vs Android).</p>
  
  <p>Not talking about web technologies, but real apps.</p>
  
  <p>By the way: I heard about WPF and stuff. I'm developing for Java, C++ and some C# if required. But I'm looking for a cross-platform way.</p>
  
  <p>Any tip is appreciated</p>