The following tutorial is for beginners on adding logos or graphics to Sims 3 clothing using the TSR Workshop and Adobe Photoshop with the DDS plugin.
Adding Logos to Clothing in Sims 3– A Beginners’ Tutorial
This tutorial is a beginner’s guide to changing the logos and graphics on Sims 3 clothing using the TSR Workshop and Adobe Photoshop with the DDS plugin. I will only be explaining the steps I use to accomplish this task. I will be describing only the exact steps I use in this process, but this is a good start for the beginner to learn to create some simple custom clothing.
Begin at the beginning
Our first step is, of course, to open the TSR Workshop. You will start by clicking “Create New Project.” This will bring up a new window, we will click on “clothing” and then click “next.”
Choosing clothing item to clone.
The next window to appear will show us a tree view on the left with the different ages, sex and categories of clothing to choose from. For this tutorial, I will be using the girls tee with a rainbow graphic on it. As the stencils are already enabled on it, it is a good place for the beginner to start. So first click on child, then female and then everyday and scroll down until you find this shirt, if you wish to follow this tutorial exactly.
Your Project Details
In this step you will create your project name, the title for your item, a description and most importantly a unique identifier. You MUST change the unique identifier so the new item you create does not override the original item!! Do not use the default!! It’s a good idea to try and make the name unique as the Sims 3 launcher will not install an item if it has the same name as something already installed. I like to add my name or initials to the project name and identifier. Once you have filled in all the information, click “next” in the bottom right corner. A new window will pop up called “Finished.” Just click “OK” in the bottom right corner.
Preparing to Export
The next window to open up shows the clothing item we chose for our project and all the information pertaining to it. For this tutorial, I will not be making any changes to the shirt other than the graphic on the front and the colors of the shirt. So, first select the “Texture” tab at the top, then highlight the “Stencil A.” Highlighting this will make the small box with three dots appear to the right. Click on this box.
Exporting the Image
A new window will pop up with the original image. We are now ready to export this image and make it our own. Click on the “Export” button.
**The Import button located directly below the export button is what you will click to import your texture back into the workshop**
Saving the Image
Now save the image somewhere it is easy to find. I like to save directly to my desktop, but you can save it wherever it is easiest for you. Don’t bother changing the name, just click save. We are now ready to edit the image in Adobe Photoshop. I just leave the TSR Workshop running while I edit the image.
Preparing the Image in Adobe Photoshop
We are now ready to create a new image for our tee. Open Adobe Photoshop. Make sure that the “layers, channels, paths” window is visible. If it isn’t, click “Window” in the upper left corner and scroll down to “layer” and click. That will bring it up. Now, the first step is to prepare the image you wish to use on your shirt. Open the image you wish to use in Adobe Photoshop. Your image should be free of any background. What you want to see on the shirt is all that should be in that layer. Use the magic eraser tool to remove any unwanted background, until all that is showing is your image over a transparent background.
**Note – Try to use a high quality image as the quality does deteriorate a little once in the game.**
Editing the Image
Now you are ready to open the image we exported from the TSR Workshop. So, open that image in Adobe photoshop. Using the original image as a guide, resize your new graphic and copy and paste it as a new layer onto the original image. **hint – clicking “Ctrl-T” will allow you to easily tweak the size of your new image once it is pasted over the original. Just make sure the new image’s layer is selected in the “layers” tab. Once you are finished resizing, just click on the move tool and apply the changes.** Once you are happy with the size and location of your new graphic, under the “layers” tab of the window, select “background,” then click the little garbage can delete button.
Results
What you will be left with after deleting the background image is your new graphic or logo with a transparent background.
Making an Alpha Channel
Now we need to make an Alpha Channel for our image to show up properly on our shirt. Luckily this is quite easy! First we will duplicate our image by right clicking the header, click “duplicate.” A window will pop up, then click “OK.”
Locating Brightness/Contrast
Now click on “Image”, pause over “Adjustments”, and scroll down to “Brightness/Contrast” and click.
Brightness and Contrast
With your duplicate layer selected, slide the “Contrast” bar all the way to the left and the “Brightness” bar all the way to the right, then click “OK.” Your image should now be completely white. If it isn’t, bring the “Brightness/Contrast” window up again and repeat moving the “Brightness” bar all the way to the right. You DON’T need to repeat adjusting the contrast.
Filling in the Background
Using the paint bucket tool and black, fill in the background of the image by clicking once only. And now you have your Alpha Channel.
Copying Finished Alpha
Select the entire image and click “copy.”
Applying the Alpha Channel
With the original image selected, click on the “Channels” tab and select the alpha channel.
Pasting the Alpha Channel
Now, paste the alpha channel we created.
Flatten Image
Click on the “Layers” tab and select “background” if it isn’t already. Then click on “Layers” in the upper left corner of photoshop and scroll down to “Flatten Image” and click. Your image will now have a white background. Don’t worry if the logo was white and no longer shows up very well, it will in the game.
Saving the DDS File
We are now ready to save the image we created. Click “File” in the upper left corner of Photoshop, and then “Save.” The DDS plugin window will pop up. Make sure it is set to : DXT5 ARGB 8bpp / interpolated alpha. Now click “save,” again.
Importing Texture
Now we are ready to import our texture back into the TSR Workshop. Start by clicking the “Import” button located directly under the “Export” button. Find the image we created and click “open.” In the window you will now see your newly created image instead of the original. Click “Done.”
Editing Colors
Now you will see the shirt with your newly created logo on the front of it. If you are happy with how it looks, you can move on to editing the colors of your shirt.** If you are not happy with the results, you will need to repeat the steps starting from “Editing the Image.” You must recreate the alpha channel if you adjust your image.** To adjust the colors of your shirt, click on “color” under Pattern A. Click on the R, G, and B value and the button with the arrow down will appear to the right. Click on that button to bring up the color palette.
Choose your color and then repeat the steps for Pattern B. Pattern C in not enabled so there is no need to adjust the colors.
Editing Multiple Items
In Sims 3, you can make multiple recolors of an item of clothing in a single project. For this tutorial I am making only a single recolor, so I delete the four remaining recolors of this shirt. If you do want to create more recolors, you simply click on the next item in the drop-down list and begin the process again at “Exporting the Image.”
For the second recolor, I use Stencil B, instead of Stencil A, making sure Stencil B says “Stencil B Enabled true” and Stencils A and C-F say false. You can find Stencils A-F by scrolling down on the right side under Patterns A-C . To change this simply click on “Stencil A (or B, C, etc.) Enabled” and an arrow will pop up to the right and you can choose the option of true or false. Then for the third I use Stencil C and so on. You may also duplicate a particular recolor, if you choose to.
**I found out the hard way that it is a good idea to save your progress, especially if you choose to do multiple recolors in a single project. That way if you have problems and the workshop must close, you don’t lose the entirety of your work. To save your project, click “File” in the upper left corner of the Workshop, scroll down to save. Name your project, choose where to save your project and click “Save”. You will have the option to “Open Project” when you open the TSR Workshop.**
Exporting to a Sims3Pack
Once you have edited all the shirts you wish to and are happy with your project, it is time to export it to a Sims3Pack to install into the game. Click “File” in the upper left corner of the Workshop, pause over “Export” and click “To Sims3Pack.
Naming and Saving
Now for the last time you name your file and save it somewhere easy to find. To install it to your game, simply double click the Sims3Pack file and the Sims 3 Launcher will do the rest.
Finished at Last
Now all that’s left to do is for you and your sims to enjoy the new item of clothing you’ve created!
