Caustic

[Guide] Comprehensive Skin/Accent Walk-through

Intro | Terms/Definitions | Opening your files | Set-up | Content | Finish | Selling

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Intro

Hello! This will be as much of a comprehensive post about skin-making as I can possibly manage! I use CSP, but I will try to reference other terms and options other programs may have so you can follow along. If you have any questions or suggestions please feel free to message me.

This guide does not include mobile instructions.

I will not be subbed to this thread (but will check it periodically,) so please ping me or PM me your question.

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Terms/Definitions

Zip
File
Layer
Clipping Layer

Programs Available to use:
Paid: Photoshop, Paint Tool SAI, Clip Studio Paint
Free: Gimp, Firealpaca
Browser: Photopea

Disclaimer: I have not used all of these programs myself, so I may not know some things.

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Step one: Templates and Files


Flight Rising provides dragon templates for you to draw your skin on. You will need to download one of these files here. Simply go to the dragon breed and sex you want and download the files.

Once you've done this, you'll notice you have a file that ends in .zip. This is called a compressed folder. Most windows systems can open these files. In your file browser, you should see the text "extract" and/or "Compressed folder tools." Click "Extract all" then click "extract" in the pop-up.



If you cannot extract folders this way, then you will need to download something like winrar to extract the files

Now that the folder is opened, you'll see two new files have appeared. One of those is a .psd labeled skin_breed_s_dragon.psd and the other is an 'elements friendly' version. In most cases, you'll be using the first file. Do not use the 'elements friendly' version unless you have a reason to and know how to use it. I may make a separate guide for that at some point. The rest of this guide will not work for the 'elements friendly' file.

The next step will take you into the art program.

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Step Two: set-up

For this step, we are going to get you set up to start making your art. Open your art program of choice now.