How to: Retexture actor skin

[Headerman]

Hi guys,

 

I want to have a play around with retexturing the skin on the PC.

 

i have made a backup of all the contents of Skyrim\Data\meshes\actors\character\character assets so i can work on the live files.

 

I have installed Photoshop and looked at some tutorials but i am a little confused as to when PS comes into it?

 

Basically i want to retexture this: http://static-1.nexusmods.com/15/mods/110/images/43-1-1321069870.jpgfor the PC.

 

i am a complete modding noob

 

Looking at that mod, the files i need are DDS files? However when i try to search for them, there are none.

 

Edit: Actually there is Skyrim\Data\textures\actors\character\female\Femalebody_1.dds do i use that one?

 

Edit 2: Actually that seems to be my first issue, i was looking in the meshes folder and not the textures folder

 

OK my working director is now: Skyrim\Data\textures\actors\character\female

 

trying to open a dds file with PS results in an error. Fixed by:

https://developer.nvidia.com/sites/default/files/akamai/tools/files/Photoshop_Plugins_x64_8.55.0109.1800.exe(x64)

or

https://developer.nvidia.com/sites/default/files/akamai/tools/files/Photoshop_Plugins_8.55.0109.1800.exe(x86) (I have an ATI card fyi and it works fine)

[Vioxsis]

x86 is for 32bit CPU, OS and photoshop

 

x64 is for 64bit CPU, OS and photoshop (with x64 in its name)

 

You need to pick the one that matches your setup.

If the photoshop has 64 in its name use x64 if not use x86.

 

And yes Femalebody_1.dds is the diffuse texture (the colour map) that you should edit.