1. GRAPHICS SOFTWARE - You will need a graphics program that allows you to work in layers. (see pic below if you're unclear on the layers) Popular software programs for this are:
Photoshop professional grade software with a wide array of options
Gimp free software that is a great basic program
Paint.net web based design tool
Paint.net web based design tool
PaintShop
Corel Draw
There are many others that can be used any program that will allow you to work in layers will work fine.
2. KNOW YOUR SOFTWARE - Before you begin designing take the tutorials in your software often found in the help section. If you don't know how to use your software you are in for a very rough start to designing clothing.
Photoshop Basic Layers Tutorial
Gimp Tutorial 1
Using Layers in GIMP
Paint.net Basic Tutorial
There are thousands of tutorials for all of these programs and many online help forums I suggest starting there. Once you've seen a few tutorials play with the tools, learn how they feel and how they work. You wont be sorry you took the time to do this. The program you begin with may end up not being the program for you, change programs if you need to.
3. GET THE MESHES - Meshes
4. TUTORIALS - There are a ton of wonderful tutorials posted in here. Read the ones dealing with your graphics program and then move on to the others
Search the net for others and YouTube
5. TEXTURES AND BUSHES
You can create your own textures, find great texture websites or design or upload countless brushes. Some people love to paint their own textures onto meshes some make textures separate and layer them on. Either way is perfectly fine. Brushes are a great way to save a texture or pattern you've already created and use it over and over again.
Free textures
Cgtextures
Texture king
Textures z 7 server
Image after
Texture lovers
Design reviver
Absolute cross
Amazing textures
Smashing magaz
Free stock textures
high resolution textures
Easy elements
Obsidiandawn
And last but certainly not least:
(these are NOT texture sites, they are instructional/tutorial sites that are fairly easy and teach you the tools and techniques to develop your own textures).
