code: public BufferedImage getImageResource (String rset, String path)
          throws IOException
      {
          // grab the resource bundles in the specified resource set
          ResourceBundle[] bundles = getResourceSet(rset);
          if (bundles == null) {
              throw new FileNotFoundException(
                  "Unable to locate image resource [set=" + rset + ", path=" + path + "]");
          }
  
          String localePath = getLocalePath(path);
          // look for the resource in any of the bundles
          for (ResourceBundle bundle : bundles) {
              BufferedImage image;
              // try a localized version first
              if (localePath != null) {
                  image = bundle.getImageResource(localePath, false);
                  if (image != null) {
                      return image;
                  }
              }
              // if we didn't find that, try generic
              image = bundle.getImageResource(path, false);
              if (image != null) {
                  return image;
              }
          }
  
          throw new FileNotFoundException(
              "Unable to locate image resource [set=" + rset + ", path=" + path + "]");
      }
docs: Fetches and decodes the specified resource into a {@link BufferedImage}.
  
  @exception FileNotFoundException thrown if the resource could not be located in any of the
  bundles in the specified set, or if the specified set does not exist.
  @exception IOException thrown if a problem occurs locating or reading the resource.