Skin Please!

I know that it is a closely guarded secret but I thought to ask anyway (it can't hurt) does anyone know where I can get basic layers (not maps, I have plenty of those) in psd files or where I can find tutorials on the steps to create the layers base, tones, shadows etc...that comprise a decent looking skin, I am not looking to go into business I am looking to create and have direct influence over my skin (like others I am OCD regarding individuality regarding my av, I dont want a skin that has circulated the grid) If you can point me in the right direction I would be forever grateful, please feel free to IM me directly if need be, thank you in advance for your consideration

Regards,
Kepster Cure
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Take a look at the .tga files in the "character" file of your Second Life installation. These are the files that make the default skin.

There are two basic things you have to come to grips with for creating SL skins. The first is learning to use the templates, their idiosyncracies, and how they work with the avatar. There's information aplenty on that, and any experimentation with avatar textures that you do will take you down the road to understanding it. The second is how to paint good human skin. Techniques for doing that aren't specific to SL and there are tons of tutorials online for creating skin textures.

I dont think skin creation is really a closely guarded secret. People share all sorts of techniques on this forum and are very generous in helping people out. The thing with skin creation is, there is really no way to teach someone how to make a good skin. There is no one, surefire way to make shadows and highlights.. you just have to draw them. And how you decide to draw them depends on your familiarity with photoshop, but the techniques and tools you use are the same ones you would use for clothing creating. And there are plenty of threads on that.

As for psd files available, i dont know of any. The TGA files found in the second life folder are surprisingly helpful. I used them as reference when i was creating my first skin. Take a loot at them and pair one with one of Chips templates and draw off of it. It works pretty well, i think.

Well i see that Chip is a modest man I just can recommend his templates because they rock the rock the rocks the rock of all rocks

Chip, I didn`t had a chance to say enormously BIG THANK YOU for that templates of yours.
Thread is sticky and you can download it from there...

Man...When i completed my first template i just couldn`t speek for a whyle... they are so precise...

Tnx, again Chip !!!!

Thanks Mikelle

I'm wearin'em as we speak Thank you for all the advice guys!!!