Back up your Data folder first, some like "Copy of Data folder" is good.
After you convert the (t_name of skin_(alignment/civilization)_d.)DDS into a... jpg with a DDS converter
http://eliteforce2.filefront.com/file/DDS_Converter;29412 they you can use ANY graphic edit program to edit the skin.
I use Micrografix Draw and Picture Publisher 6.0 and occasionaly MS paint(for miner changes).
Then I convert the jpg back to a DDS using the DDS converter. (on the skins of the creatures I lose the ablity to have 'noral' irises/puples - I therefore but drop an irius/pupal texture onto the actual eyeball)
OR you can get a program that has a DDS plugin tool that will allow you to directly edit the DDS.
Examples of these are Adobe Photoshop DDS plugin
http://farcry.filefront.com/file/Adobe_Photoshop_DDS_Plugin;37136
and gimp DDS plugin
http://registry.gimp.org/plugin?id=3475
You can check ou my gallery http://bwfiles.com/gallery2/index.php?cat=10802
Fire Lions are lions with a random or fire theme
Bloody Things are Lions and other things with a blood theme
Skinmaps are the "jpg" maps for my skins that you can download and convert to "DDS"