Another Tip would be to download a template from Simmerspaintshop,
Heres a link to my P47 template that i made this year,
http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/forums/ ... plate-179/
In Photoshop press F7 to display the layers menu. Here you will see a list of all the layers on the template with the option to turn them on or off. There is also an option for groups, These have kind of a shaded grey box next to them. If you turn a Group off then all the layers in that group will also be turned off.
To add a new Layer you first need the skin in RGB. go to the top of Photoshop and look for Image, then select mode, and finaly press RGB. Now you can add layers.
Press Ctrl+Shift+N for a new layer, you will then have a box pop up and ask you for a name.So if you were going to paint it green call it green or what ever you want.
If you copy and paste something onto a skin you may need to Rotate or resize it, press Ctrl+T to do this.
if you click on a tool and hold your mouse over it you will see a list of other tools. The "Gradient" option also has the "Fill" tool. This can also be done by pressing G.
Lighting is also very important to a skin. I usualy use a base colour Of R 128 G128 B128. RGB is Red,Green and blue. You will notice next to your colour swatched the options of R,G,B.
After you have done the grey base you use Black and white to create the shape, Heres an example of something im working on
Using black and white creates the effect of light, which every 3D object needs. After applying the black and white you lower the opacity (This option is on the layers box) until you get the effect you want.
If you make a skin from the void you will need Mac's Remove white. This removes all the white from the void so you are left with Panel lines rivets and internals etc.......You must make this your top layer and paint on layers below.
There are many more complicated things but as your just starting i think that will do for now.
Oh, Final thing! Saving your Skin (lol)
Go to the top of photoshop slect Image, Mode, THIS TIME SELECT "Indexed Colour" You must do this for your skin to work. Then go FIle, Save as, YOU mUST SAVE YOUR SKINS AS bmp's
Hope that Helps
~S~ Hawk