So I was browsing the help section, and I saw that there were a LOT of people not knowing how to make a skin for a vehicle. Feel free to use this as a guide and feel free to refer to this topic to show people how to make one. 

 

What you need:

- GIMP (Free to use image edit software. Basically paint for adults :-P)

- OpenIV to mod GTA V vehicles

- A valid copy of GTA V. I will not help you if you have illegally obtained the game. (Dang I sound like your avarage plugin creator)

- A little knowledge on how to add cars via OpenIV

- An idea

- A template of a car. Without it I wish you the best of luck.

 

Step 1 - Obtaining your template

Most car mods include the template of that very car. Open it with Gimp. Now the next optional step depends on your own needs/preference. Note that every car is different, so if you want to make (just an example) a template for Pete's CVPI, chances are that that skin won't work on Henry's CVPI. 
 

Step 2 - Resolution. This isn't Minecraft, so ditch the low res (optional)

You can choose to make a 4K model. If you want to do that, just stretch the image in Gimp, giving it a 4096x4096 resolution. 2K is also possible, just give it the 2048x2048 resolution. The reason to choose for this is that it just appears more detailed. The higher the resolution, the more detailed (important for small details like decals or logo's) skin. The downside to this is that (I speak from experience) your saved Gimp file (not the exported image file but the saved templates) can go over 1GB per skin.

 

So personally I'd go with the 2K or just the regular resolution the template comes in, to practice/start with. 

 

Step 3 - Layers? Layers.
Once you've opened your template and (optionally) changed the resolution, you're able to start the texture! Please note that this step is VERY important if you want to be able to edit mistakes. In my personal experience, this is the most made mistake in the skin making business. 
So you've got your texture file in Gimp, but there is this one step you need to take before you can start. You'll notice that (if you didn't close it :-P) there is a 'Layers' window. (If you've accidentally closed it, no worries, click Windows->Dockable Dialogs->Layers, or simply press ctrl+L). Here you'll see your template image. 

Create a new Layer by right clicking in the layers window and clicking 'New Layer'. This has to be the same resolution as your template image. In the 'Layer Fill Type', select White. 

 

Now the reason that you just created a new Layer, is that you want to make a new skin, and not edit the template. If you edit the template, every stripe and color in the template will appear on the vehicle in game. You don't want that. You want the stripes/colors/logos/whatever the heck you want on your vehicle. That's why we just created a blank overlapping layer, on which we'll edit the skin.

 

Step 4 - Making the layer editable

No worries now, I know that your whole Gimp screen is white. That's because the opacity of the layer is 100. We'll change that to around 30%. You can also make this 10%, 0% or whatever you find easy to use. The important part is that you can see what you are editing. 

Okay, let's imagine a scenario here. You want to make a difference and think that a pink police car is awesome. No offense, if it gets you happy I'll download it and use it for a day, but that aside, you want a pink car, period. 
That's alright, but you have just made a white layer. 
Step 4.1 - Creating the template color

Really, we can give this job to the kids in kindergarten, this is the easiest step of the whole guide. In the toolbox - the other window that is open - you'll choose the little bucket. (You closed that too? Silly. Go to Windows->Dockable Dialogs again and select the 'Toolbox'). Next, click on the two colors just a little below that bucket, and select the color you want. Pink in our situation. (Don't complain, you wanted a pink car.) Make sure that your newly created layer is selected (Which is again VERY important, you don't want to temper with the template file, as it won't be visible in our car), and just bucket fill the whole thing in your preferred color. 
Step 4.2 - A little insider's tip

What I always do, is create a new layer for every single part I edit. I.e. a layer for the right side of the car, a layer for the top, a special unit number layer. This comes in useful when you want to change a little thing. Also, it makes it easier to find things that you're looking for. Editing is all about structure and logic.

 

Step 5 - It's time...

Oh yes. Here we go. We're making our skin. Choose a point that you want to start with, let's say the right side of the car. If you've got a very creative mind and a good idea, you can, of course, do it from your head, but most of the people that make a skin use a picture of a real police car to base their skin on. So let's look at our picture or look deep into our minds on what it is that we actually want. Good luck making the skin!

Step 5.1 - Folders to organize all of our work

Let's suppose that you want to make a vehicle that has a number written on it. Of course, you can create text with Gimp, just click the little 'A' in the toolbox. But another small tip that I've got for you is naming it. Just edit the name of the layer in your layers window. Also, you can create folders in your Layers window. This is especially nice to put all the text in. Right click in the layers window, and click 'New Layer Group'. Here you can put all your text in, which if you're making a detailed skin, floods your Layers window. 

 

Step 6 - You done yet?

This is taking forever man, speed it up a little. I'm joking, of course. A nice skin often takes hours sometimes days to make. But for a start (or if you are a talent) 30 minutes will do. If you actually are done, let's finish this thing!

Step 6.1 - Let's save things

Saving is important, let's be completely honest here. How many times you had a project that you worked all night on and it was gone because your laptop ran out of power? Or your PC decided to stall on you? No? Never? Me neither, I guess I watch too many series.
But; back to work. We're saving, mate. I think you might be familiar, but if you're not, press ctrl+s to save. (I know, revolutionary, right?)

Saving the Gimp file in its own extension will make sure that you can edit everything that has to do with layers. If you just export the file to an image file, the layers are gone. So I'd say, save it as a Gimp file AND export it when you're done.

Step 6.2 - Preparing the export

First of all, you are going to want to make sure that your template is not visible. You can either do this by clicking the template layer and setting the opacity to 0% or making sure it's under all the other layers. If you did this, make sure all the layers that you want to be visible on the car, are at 100% opacity. You did this? Awesome! Let's export this thing!
Step 6.3 - Ready for testing!

Exporting. You've GOT TO export the file to make sure it's usable on a car in the game. Click 'File->Export As' and make sure you save it as a PNG FILE. Jpeg's won't work. save it somewhere that you can find it back, not in the deepest roots of your documents. 

 

Step 7 - Installing the skin on your car

Open your RPF file that your car is installed on. If you don't know what I mean by RPF, or don't know how to use OpenIV, look up a tutorial on google on how to install car mods in GTA V. Go to the car ytd file. We're taking the Police slot as an example. So we're going to the police.ytd file. Open it, and find the image named {this varies)_sign_{sometimes a number}. Click 'replace' in the top of the window, and choose your skin. Click save, and press Ctrl+Shift+R (Or find the defragment option somewhere in OpenIV). Defragment it, and launch GTA V

 

Step 8 - Lemme see it!

Alright. We're in GTA V now, welcome. Spawn the car that you installed your skin on. (So we're spawning the Police car), and enjoy your livery! If you see another skin on the car or no skin at all, go to your trainer and find the Car Livery Menu. You can cycle between different skins there. 

 

Now, if you have any questions regarding this tutorial, feel free to send me a message or post a comment below. If you have any tips for me or a tip regarding this tutorial, let me know too!

 

I hope I helped you guys out a bit,

 

Enjoy 2017

 

Daniel

Edited January 1, 20179 yr by BlackNoise

On 25/03/2017 at 9:05 AM, BossCourtney said:

there  allrady is a mami dade police pack i know   as its on the mami server on five reborn  only thing its missing is the fire department  stuff and i stoped develping it 

 

I was wondering how to make a car have multiple colours and shape that layer to fit a certain part of the template. So if there is a way to customize which parts of the car has which colours and in a way cut the colour layers to suite the vehicle indents and designs.

Hey, I downloaded a unmarked Dodge charger and was wondering how I could put the skin I made for it on the model. I created a simple skin that has DEA on it. Also it wont let me upload the pic of the template that I made cuz it 11MB.

 

Edited August 11, 20187 yr by EnderViking10

On 8/11/2018 at 7:57 AM, EnderViking10 said:

Hey, I downloaded a unmarked Dodge charger and was wondering how I could put the skin I made for it on the model. I created a simple skin that has DEA on it. Also it wont let me upload the pic of the template that I made cuz it 11MB.

 

Not every car is 'editable'. Unmarked cars, for example, often don't offer custom skins, as they are, well, unmarked. 
A vehicle with a customizable skin has a 'template' file in the downloads. 

I don't really get what you mean by that it doesn't let you upload the pic, could you explain that?

What if the template isnt the correct size for the canvas, for instance, if i want to make a 4k skin, but the template is 2k

 

5 hours ago, WillRevere said:

What if the template isnt the correct size for the canvas, for instance, if i want to make a 4k skin, but the template is 2k

 

Just enlarge the template. The quality is usually good enough to work with as a template. 

hey tried following this but when i replace the template the cars glass turns sloid grey where have i went wrong