title: Create a Visual Studio 2010-like splash screen
body: <p>I was intending to create a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Splash_screen" rel="nofollow noreferrer">splash screen</a> like the one sported by Visual Studio 2010 for my desktop application (feel free to use any version of C#/VB.NET/CLR).</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.stack.imgur.com/ldBGM.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.stack.imgur.com/ldBGM.png" alt="Visual Studio 2010 splash screen"></a><br>
  <sub>(source: <a href="http://blogs.msdn.com/blogfiles/visualstudio/WindowsLiveWriter/BehindtheScenesSplashScreen_CC39/image_4.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer">msdn.com</a>)</sub>  </p>
  
  <p>As per the Visual Studio blogs, the splash screen was not developed using <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Presentation_Foundation" rel="nofollow noreferrer">WPF</a> since it would involve the CLR and WPF libraries to load causing a substantial delay in application loading. Hence, they reverted to C++ and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_API" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Win32</a> stack to do that same for performance reasons.</p>
  
  <p>Is there a feasible option available for Windows Forms or WPF developer to leverage the same branding? The idea is to have similar rich branding in a splash screen without loosing performance and start-up time.</p>
  
  <p>Using PNGs and transparency effects does not help on Windows Forms (a known issue, and I have read related questions on this site for that). Just to emphasise: it's a splash screen, so start-up time can't be compromised.</p>