Idea for a Theme engine

["Larry Charlton" <lcharlto mail coin missouri edu>]

I was wondering if anyone was working on a model based theme set/engine. My
idea is basically to use models to create png/whatever transparent files on
demand. The engine could be simple (i.e. a shading engine) to complex a
raycaster/raytracer.  The engine could/should generate animation sequences
where appropriate (Mail notification, icon fly over/pressing).  The
advantage would be fully scaleable icons / components.  A single model set
could handle both a WindowMaker style interface with large icons and an Ice
or Enlightenment look with smaller icons.  Both would would/could be
rendered at any resolution.  Further, color schemes could be picked by the
user instead of the theme designer without loosing quality of presentation.
(I.e. option buttons use a blue light instead of a orange light, etc)
Possible delayed updating/interlaced or multi-engine rendering could create
a fast theme that looks good.  (Intially render with a fast engine, read
shader, ray caster, with detail filled in from a ray tracer)  Images would
only need to be rendered on request (I.e. Create/Resize the window).  Might
be ideal for creating single themes that work anywhere from black & white
monitors all the way to true color monitors.

Any thoughts on this?  I would be interested in working on a project like
this or starting one.