public void initGui() {
    // mc is the minecraft instance initilized within one of my gui's superclasses (GuiScreen).
    // I've replaced a few Minecraft.getMinecraft()s with it, and it seems to make no difference (correct me otherwise).
    int[] imagePixelData = new int[2048];
    GameProfile game = new GameProfile(null, mc.getSession().getUsername());
    Map profmap = mc.func_152342_ad().func_152788_a(game);
    ResourceLocation tex;
    if (profmap.containsKey(Type.SKIN)) {
        tex = mc.func_152342_ad().func_152792_a((MinecraftProfileTexture) profmap.get(Type.SKIN),Type.SKIN);
    } else {
        tex = new ResourceLocation("textures/entity/steve.png"); //this location is within my mod file, works fine
    }
    try {
        imagePixelData = TextureUtil.readImageData(mc.getResourceManager(),tex);
    } catch (IOException e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    }
    //code handling imagePixelData goes here
}