Does anyone know where to get custom character portraits for Arcanum, good ones? I did a google search but only found a couple of aging websites, most of which had broken links. Besides, I think it would be good knowledge to have up in this forum for any else who is interested!
So, does anyone know a good place with a wide selection of portraits?

Terra Arcanum site has a few custom portrait d/loads. I have Clint Eastwood as Josey Wales for my Arcanum character..

Here is a link to the zip file for the portraits located on Galleria Arcanum. The Galleria Arcanum website link no longer works.
Zip file also contains the userport.mes file for the images so copying the portrait directory to C:\Program Files\gog.com\Arcanum\Data should do the trick.
Edit: Confirmed, extract the portrait directory the the location above. Start the game, New Character, click past the first few of a given race and the new portraits will show up. It always shows the default for a race before showing the new ones.
I would select the race you want for the sake of having it listed in the game and than find the portrait you want to use for the character.
Edit: The attached images should make it easier to id the one you want if you decide to use them. The images look better in the game than on these images . . .=)

After I extracted the portrait directory and started the game . . . they didn't show up for me either. I closed the game, rechecked, found everything to be as it should, started the game a second time and . . . the portraits were there . . . right after the first few default images for each race. Try starting the game a second time and look again . . .=) Also, they only displayed for me by clicking the button on the right side of the character image, left button only cycled the default images.
Edit : DO NOT put the portraits in the Data Folder . . . extract the Portrait folder in the zip file to the data folder. You can create a folder named portrait and extract the images and the userport.mes to that folder but extracting the whole portrait folder to the data folder is easier . . .=)
See the attached image . . .
Edit : Also noticed image ANY44_b.bmp needs to be renamed. It has an extra dot in the file name so . . . don't know if Arcanum will recognize it.

Hmm...I've done everything properly, but it still isn't working. I noticed the only folders in my data directory by default are 'players' and 'sound', I'm assuming that 'proto' and 'art' are parts of mods?
edit: Scratch that! I just started working like it did for you, haha. I guess it's just finicky like that eh?
Thanks for your help!

That is correct, I installed all four from phanboy4's post in the order he suggested
I think it needs to add the portrait folder contents - then it will show them on the next startup . . . just a guess.
I wanted to add one or two of my own just for the fun of it. I will attach a couple of images for reference in case you are someone else wants to add their own. Only problem is . . . I can find no way to change the image in an existing game. I am only a couple of hours in and want to do some things differently so I will start a new game . . .=)
I make no guarantees that this will work for you . . . it did work for me . . .=)

You'll need to edit the userport.mes file to add any additional portraits. Rename userport.mes to extension to userport.txt so you can edit the file. Once opened notice the way the files are numbered and it should be pretty easy to figure out how to add yours. Don't forget to rename the file back to userport.mes after you've saved.

Also, there is a wonderful little image program that will change bmp's and jpg's into 256 color bmp's so they can be used in Arcanum. Not sure if this site wants me to list it here, so for now I won't. It does cost 20 bucks, though you get a 30 free evaluation.

The links on that site no longer work. I tried to email the own via the address but that failed. Does anyone else have these custome avatars?

To add there is no userport.mes. I dont know what go's into it and how it looks.

Also I have tried many things I can think of and I can not get any custom avatars to work.

Sorry but I don't have the portrait file now as this was five years ago that I was playing. I could not locate an alternate download as well but maybe you could consider adding just the one portrait you wish to use.

You can look at the images attached to this other post I made to see how the custom portraits are made and added. You will need two different sizes as they are used on two different dialogs of different sizes and they must be added to the portrait folder and the proper text added to the userport.mes file which was located in the Portrait directory IIRC.

With this info you should be able to add a custom portrait of your choosing. If you don't have the means to create the proper sizes post your desired image here and I will resize and post them back for you to install.

As I said, it has been five years since I played Arcanum and IIRC once you added the new portraits you had to restart the game a couple of times to have them displayed. Also, trying to remember, they were located at the very end of the existing portraits so you had to scroll to the end of the existing to select the added image.

Hope this helps =)

The other portrait thread. What software are you using?

Portrait FAQ.

Hey, as this post is from five years ago and I was also keen on downloading some extra portraits for Arcanum, I thought it would save others some time to mention that the zip file download you linked is also down.

I wonder if anyone knows an alternate download location or could upload one somewhere?

Thanks!