Create Your Own ETS2 Truck Skins – Complete Tutorial for Beginners

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🎨 How to Create a Custom Skin Mod for Euro Truck Simulator 2 with Photoshop

Euro Truck Simulator 2 (ETS2) is one of the most popular simulation games, loved for its realistic trucking and massive map. One of the most fun ways to personalize ETS2 is with skin mods—custom truck and trailer paint jobs.


With Adobe Photoshop and a few additional tools, you can design your own ETS2 skin from scratch. This guide walks you through every step, including DDS plugin setup, template extraction, designing, and testing your skin in-game.

🛠 Step 1: Gather the Required Tools

To make a skin mod in Photoshop, you’ll need:

  • Adobe Photoshop (CC or later)
  • NVIDIA Texture Tools Plugin (DDS Plugin) – allows Photoshop to open and save .dds files
  • SCS Extractor – to extract base game files and truck templates
  • ETS2 Studio – to package your texture into a working mod (.scs)
  • Optional: 7-Zip or WinRAR for exploring existing mods

Step 2: Install the DDS Plugin for Photoshop

ETS2 textures are stored in .dds format, which Photoshop cannot read or write by default. Installing the NVIDIA DDS plugin enables this functionality.

How to install the plugin:


  1. Download the plugin: NVIDIA Texture Tools Exporter
  2. Extract the plugin, which contains .8bi Photoshop plugin files.
  3. Copy the .8bi files into Photoshop’s Plug-ins folder for file formats.
  4. Restart Photoshop — it will now support opening and saving DDS files.
  5. Verify installation by opening a DDS file in Photoshop.

💡 Tip: Use DXT5 format when saving DDS textures; it supports transparency and works well for ETS2 skins.

📂 Step 3: Extract ETS2 Templates

To design your skin, you need the truck’s texture templates:

  1. Go to your ETS2 installation folder.
  2. Locate base.scs and extract it using SCS Extractor.
  3. Open the vehicle folder to find .dds template files for trucks and trailers.

These templates act as flat maps of your truck, showing where each section—doors, cabin, trailer—is placed on the 3D model.

🎨 Step 4: Design Your Skin in Photoshop

  1. Open the .dds template in Photoshop.
  2. Create new layers for your artwork:

  • Base color
  • Logos
  • Text
  • Additional graphics

  1. Avoid placing text on mirrored areas; these will flip in-game.
  2. Hide the template layer if you want to see only your design.
  3. Save frequently to avoid losing progress.

⚠️ Warning: Some truck parts mirror textures, like doors. Always test your skin in-game to avoid reversed text or logos.

💡 Pro Tip: Use guides, grids, and rulers in Photoshop to align elements perfectly. Keep layers organized to make editing easier.

💾 Step 5: Save as DDS



  1. Save your file as a DDS.
  2. Choose DXT5 compression.
  3. Generate Mipmaps.
  4. Include an alpha channel only if needed for transparency, like lights or decals.

Your .dds file is now ready to become a mod.

📦 Step 6: Package the Mod with ETS2 Studio

  1. Open ETS2 Studio and select New Mod → Skin Mod.
  2. Choose the truck model you designed for.
  3. Load your .dds file.
  4. Fill in mod details like name, author, and description.
  5. Click Export — ETS2 Studio will generate a .scs file.

This .scs file is the actual mod you can use in ETS2.

🚚 Step 7: Install and Test In-Game

  1. Copy the .scs file to your ETS2 mods folder.
  2. Launch ETS2 and open Mod Manager to enable your skin.
  3. Buy or customize the truck and select your skin in the paint job menu.
  4. Drive and enjoy your creation!

💡 Tips for Better Skins


  • Start with simple designs (colors, stripes, or basic logos) before attempting detailed graphics
  • Use layers in Photoshop for flexibility and easy editing
  • Test often—small adjustments can dramatically improve alignment
  • Study existing mods to understand texture mapping and design layout
  • Expand your creativity: design matching trailers or AI truck skins for a complete fleet

✅ Conclusion

Creating a custom ETS2 skin mod using Photoshop is both fun and rewarding. The process combines technical steps (DDS plugin setup, template extraction, DDS export) with creative design (logos, colors, and artwork).

Once you’ve made one skin, creating others becomes easier. You can build fleets, create themed trucks, or even share your designs with the ETS2 community.

By following these steps, you can take a blank template and turn it into a fully playable custom skin that looks professional in-game. Fire up Photoshop, load a template, and start designing—the roads of Europe are waiting for your custom trucks!



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