To install images for your Sims to paint a custom painting (which they can frame once completed and placed on a wall) put the images into your *Paintings* folder…
The usual/default path is… My Documents/EA Games/The Sims 2/Paintings
For me personally I detest trying to maneuver the screen to get an in-game shot for them to paint… or to get them doing portraits of other Sims.. so what I do it get a nice screenshot of the Sim in question and then cut it down to a a nice portrait size shape and resize it down to 300 pixels wide (I try to make mine 300 Wide x 450 High)… then name it something, which then can be added to the other custom painting images. Then your Sims can paint those portraits as normal whenever they want.
If you don’t want the default images that are already in that *Paintings* folder, you can safely delete them and just add the ones YOU want your Sims to paint once their creativity level is high enough to allow them to paint a custom painting.
I’ve got my Sims painting them and selling them in their home based art gallery…. They look great, especially when framed. Don’t forget you can use them as their personal wall paintings too… as single pictures/paintings, or get them to do a few that match up as a set to place on a wide spare wall… And they can be given as a gift if they are placed in your Sims inventory.
Anyway, there are 785 various images (Set 1) to choose from in the 34mb zip file which you can Download Here!
Enjoy! 🙂
PS… I may do more image sets at some stage when I get enough time.
Update: Here is the list of new ones added…
Pictures for Custom Paintings – Set 02 (Mixed Set)
Pictures for Custom Paintings – Set 03 (Mixed Set)
Pictures for Custom Paintings – Set 04 (Nature)
Pictures for Custom Paintings – Set 05 (Mixed set)
Pictures for Custom Paintings – Set 06 (The Vampire Diaries)
Pictures for Custom Paintings – Set 07 (Betty Boop)
Pictures for Custom Paintings – Set 08 (Mixed Set)
Pictures for Custom Paintings – Set 09 (Natures Creatures)
Pictures for Custom Paintings – Set 10 (Mixed Set)
Pictures for Custom Paintings – Set 11 (Mixed Set)
Pictures for Custom Paintings – Set 12 (L♥VE)
Pictures for Custom Paintings – Set 13 (Christmas Themed)