Ok, well, I've taken the panel's advice and used WinZip to "unzip" the portrait zip files, created a portraits folder in the BG directory, and renamed the bitmap folders "XXXXXXXL.BMP" and "XXXXXXXS.BMP"--but when I click on "Custom" on the character customization screen, all I find are the listing of bitmap folders which produce question marks on the character images when clicked. Am I missing something? I am assuming many of you have downloaded these images from the Iron Works--what I am doing wrong? (Sorry, once again, if this is a dumb question).

Well, Gotaxewilltravel. When you say folders you mean subdirectories ? Maybe I haven´t understood, but if you mean subdirectories you are doing it wrong. You have to put the bmp files directly in the portraits directory, and thoy will appear correctly in the game.

LUCK !

Ok, I unzipped the bitmap files and placed them (the individual bitmap files--one for the larger picture, one for the smaller picture) into the Portraits folder. I didn't alter them in any way except for the name (per the custom portrait instructions). Still, when I click "custom" during the portraits prompt, I see a listing of these bitmap files, but when I click on them, a question mark appears where the portrait should be. I'm assuming that something must be altered first before the image can appear (perhaps the size), or maybe I'm missing something entirely. I hope I've explained myself better, and thanks for your interest in helping, Adhrael.

When you're changing your portrait or starting a new character, do you see a list of files on the rhs and a gap on the lhs where the portrait should go? On the same screen there should be a smaller square below that for the smaller portrait. If the .bmp files are in the portraits folder they should come up in the file list. If not then try smaller names, even "elfL.bmp" will do, but make sure they're .bmp files. You might have to convert them from .jpg or something - the game only reads .bmp's.

Well, Gotaxe...
I´ve downloaded a portrait from Ironwroks, and it worked. This is exactly how I did it:
1.- Created the X:\...\Baldur´s Gate\Portraits\
2.- Unzipped the file into that directory.
3.- You don´t have to change the name, cause it is TGExxxxL.bmp and TGExxxxS.bmp, eight characters and bmp extension, completely correct.
4.- I started a game, single player. Gender: female. The default portraits appeared, I clicked custom. I selected the TGExxxxL file on the top, and the TGExxxxS file on the bottom.

That should work !!

OK, I figured it out--the method you all have been suggesting WORKS--but only with single player games. I've been playing a multiplayer game via serial port on one computer (single player really, but I created six characters). Obviously, this has something to do with it, though I don't know how, nor do I know how to fix it. Well, thanks anyway. . .you've been of ENORMOUS help. Happy hunting!

Well, Gotaxe, I think it should be some kind of bug in your machine, cause I´ve started a MP game and, once you select Create Character in one of the six rows, the screen that appears is exactly the same as in SP. So in this screen the only thing you have to do is the same as in SP: select gender, click custom...

Greetins

OK . . . today, it works. I have what appears to be a copy of BG with attitude (it didn't feel like accessing these portraits yesterday, but today, OK). Oh well, thanks for your help!

One last notion on this:
A) the names of the portraits mustn't be longer than 8 (eight) letters, and B) no name should start with a number. If you have a mind (and a piccies collection), you can place IMOENS.bmp, IMOENL.bmp, JAHEIRAS.bmp, etc in the PORTRAITS directory and enjoy the looks (Imoen, by the way, looks better blonde, I think)