Skinning is a trial and error process
If anyone here (even Willz
) claims that they got everything right first time then they're lying.
It takes numerous mistakes, mess-ups, even breaking entire windows before you get the desired effect.
Read through the skinning documentation and maybe download a skin made by someone else that changes the contact list background (such as my SexySkin) and see how we changed the contact list background
If you understand the basics of XML and can read through code properly then it's a very straightforward thing to do.
It's the trial and error that makes it all worthwhile when you get it working. Sure you could just get someone else to do it.....but where's the satisfaction in that?