Paint Guides & Help for PAINT SHOP PRO 7 only, I don't have 8 or 9 and don't have the trouble they do.  
Ok, after many people askin for it, here it is. A page to help anyone with how I paint skins. Hope it'll help you out in some way, shape, or form.

There will be a few files you can Download to help and a few links for help.
 
   
 
 

 
 
  Paint Shop Pro 7, (not 8 or 9)  
I use Paint Shop Pro 7, below is a list of how and order I do some of it.

 1) 1st, I have a folder in "My Document" and it's named "DTR2 Templates".  Rather than come to my site everytime I do a skin, I just open the folder, RIGHT CLICK the template I need, then PASTE it on my DESKTOP.

 2) Once it's on my desktop, I  Rename the Folder, then I open it. Inside you'll find a file marked Skin STR., open it with Notepad, where it says template, that's actually the spot for your Driver Name, rename it as you want it to be displayed in the game. Then close it and save changes.

 3) Once that is done, I RIGHT CLICK it, then hit Cut. I then open my Skins Folder, RIGHT CLICK and Paste it there. Now you can do whatever want to skin, and still be able to see what you've come up with in game. (IMPORTANT) The reason I put it in my skins folder to work on it, is because if do it anywhere else, such as deasktop, or in my documents. PSP7 likes to hang on to it, you WON'T be able to cut and paste it to skins folder right away after workin on it. Also sometimes if done anywhere else then get to cut & paste, the colors go completely opposite.

 4) Go to Skins Folder, find the new one you just put in there, open it. Then open TGA Folder, then RIGHT CLICK the TGA and hit OPEN WITH , then choose PSP7 or whatever program you are using. I also have a Folder named DECALS, I then open it and open a decal. 

 5) Now I have a TGA and a Decal Sheet open in PSP7, after I do whatever I want to TGA, in it's own lil window, I hit close and save changes to tga. I then MINIMIZE PSP & Decals windows, and fire up my game to see what new skin looks like so far.

 6) After I turn off game,  there should be a Minimized TGA, hit it, then open TGA with PSP, to make any other changes wanted, or to finish skin. 

 7) Here is a Tutorial File for you to Download, then open. It give some great PSP7 info and how too's. When they 1st open, they are kinda slow and jittery, because they are big files.

NOTE: The 1st part shows how to extract GAME CARS, SKIP that part because you already have Templates to work with.

 Painting car templates with PSP7.exe

Download EXE. open it, hit Extract. It will put a File on Desktop, open file REMEMBER it opens slow and jittery. But I'll bet it helps ya in certain areas.
 
   
 
 

 
 
  Decals  
You can download decals or create your own. It's easier than you may think to create a decal, just RIGHT CLICK a pic and save as (I prefer Bitmap) in MY PICTURES.

Then go to My Pictures, find the pic, RIGHT CLICK it and open with PSP7.  Once open, in upper left hand side hit FILE, scroll down and hit NEW. It will ask what size, I've got mine set at 520 x 520. Then either freehand around part wanted or use square to take much bigger section. Hit CUT or COPY, then hit New File you created, then Hit Paste. Then you can begin to crop out what don't want and cut away. Once you've got it trimmed out, you can hit close and save changes, and give the file a name. Also that's when and where I direct it to my Decals Folder.

Below is a great tutorial on how to Create Decals with PSP7 , like othe file above, it's slow to open at first and kinda jittery for a few seconds when opens.

 Making Decals in psp7.exe

Once I get a few more donations, I'll make my site bigger and post some of my decals I created as well as got from others.
 
   
 
 

 
 
  Decals  
Here are some decals I've created, collected, & been given. A big Thank You to General_Lee for his add-ons he's given and created. I use these to create more real-like lookin cars.

Note: Any & all decals I post, are sized to fit most of my templates & in PSP format.
 
 
 
