I'm listing all the programs that are helpful in the making of skins...

ICQ Plus (latest version) - This is the plug-in for ICQ that ables you to put skins on your icq, and edit them!

Macromedia Fireworks 4.0 - is the one I use to make the design of my skins, very good. Go to the macromedia's site and get the trial, it has all the effects that I'll use in this tutorial.

Adobe PhotoShop - everybody says that PS is the best one to make skins, but I don't know! Because of its price, I never tried it out... :-(

MS Paint - the best BMP editor, use it to edit the already done gfx and then add it to the skin.

WW GifAnimator - I love this program! It helps a lot! And the best part, is freeware! (later I'll put it for download)

Eye Candy 4000 - with this program you add lots of cool FX like fire, smoke, bevel, texture, etc...

But the MOST important is:

UR IMAGINATION - this is not really a program! To be a skin maker the most important thing you must have is your imagination... you imagine everything before using any fancy program, so take good care of yourself and any Ideas you have, make something like a drawing.

That's it! Now lets go to the next...