Tattoo's

I'v created a couple of tattoo's, how do I just wear the tattoo, without the rest of the clothing item?

I'm not sure exactly what you're asking. Generally, a tattoo is a clothing item. You make the tattoo as a transparency, use a template for placement and then create the clothing item and use the transparency as the texture. I generally make three of each of mine for the upper body for example, an undershirt, shirt and jacket. That way you can wear them with other clothing if you choose.

If you aren't using a transparency, you will get whatever the background color is instead of your skin.

Well I'v got the tattoo and positioned it with the upper body skin template but I can't seem to wear the tattoo only, it appears on a T shirt whatever I do

Is the tattoo a transparency? What program are you using to make it? I'm more familiar with Gimp than with Photoshop. Gimp has a problem sometimes with converting from GIF formats and PNG formats. If you start with one of those and make the transparency, then save it as a TGA file, it doesn't save it as a transparency always. I've actually had to take a GIF, open it in Paint (yes, MS Paint) save it as a jpg, then open in it Gimp, save it as a tga, then make my transparency, edit, etc. It can be a pita. Just make sure it's still a transparency before you upload.

If you are sure you have a transparency (the space around the image will be a grey checkerboard pattern, not white), then upload it to SL and strip down. Make sure you aren't wearing an undershirt, shirt or jacket. Edit appearance, creat new undershirt, and click on texture. Use the one you uploaded. That should work. Create 3 of them, a shirt, undershirt and jacket, so you can use it with different outfits.

Check in the texturing forum here for more help. The people there really know their stuff and are very helpful.

i don't think u'r making the alpha correctly, it has to be 32 bit TGA format with an alpha channel. you have a lot of tutorials around, search the foruns or even google.

power to those who search.

Yup thats definitely a 99.99% indication that you haven't set the alpha channel up correctly

Have a look at this hair texture tutorial on Youtube:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=SDKhfFXSpuo

(the soundtrack is messed up somehow, no idea how she managed that)