HELP--new modder, can't find texture files

[demifish]

So, I am basically a brand-new modder, trying to create a mod to create new eye-colors in Skyrim (specifically heterochromia, since I can't find any mods that aren't (1) for Khajiit only and (2) in the colors I want.) However, I am having a hell of a time trying to locate the game's texture files.

 

My modding experience is rudimentary, but I do understand how to create/alter new textures--I have used them to create new eyes and skin-tones in Sims 2 (waaaaay back when.) I have the Creation Kit installed, and there are lovely Wikis and tutorials--I know how to create new files and select new textures--but I cannot, for the life of me, find any damn textures to alter. The only help from Google I've got is very confusing at best.

 

I'm an artist, not a programmer, so any explanation needs to be fairly simple and idiot-proof, or else my brother thinks I might break the game. If someone could please give me a walkthrough for this, I would be eternally grateful.

 

This is a request for help from one modder to others, NOT a request for a mod itself. I want to make this mod myself, and hopefully others like it. I have lots of ideas, and no idea what to do.

[LargeStyle]

Navigate to Skyrims "Data" folder (typically: C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim\Data) and there will be a Textures.bsa file. If you have the official HiRes Texture Pack installed then there'll also be 2 more textures .bsa files present (don't know their exact names as don't have it installed at the moment).

 

If unaware, a .bsa file is a Bethesda specific archive file and you'll need to extract the textures from this archive. There are a few programs that can do this for you, personally I use Fallout Mod Manager. Just install FMM and it'll associate itself with .bsa files, then simply double-click whichever .bsa in Skyrim and you can extract away.

 

Also if unaware, when it comes to placing modded textures back into Skyrim, you can rebuilt the archive again but this is a bit excessive as you can simply place the modded texture file into the directory where it would normally go had the Textures.bsa file been converted to a textures folder within the data folder. When "loose files" are placed in this way then they'll load in replacement of the .bsa orientated file.

[Jason2112]

Keep in mind texture files are in the master file. If Skyrim can read them from the folders it will. If not it will load the default textures. Sometimes all you need to know is the path and file name. The default files are in a kind of pack format and are read as if they are in a folder structure. And yes it is that hard to mod anything, unless you know how.