Does anyone know how to add and color tattoos via gimp and/or photoshop?

[ther1pper]

I'm very sure it can be done, I just don't know how to do it. Could anyone give me detailed instructions on how to add tattoos from stuff like KJ Tattoos to a skin texture for a standalone follower?

 

edit:

 

Nevermind, I figured it out.

1. have Gimp DDS plugin
2. Open Tattoos in one file
3. Open Skin in another
4. Make sure Tattoo image is the same layer size as skin, if not change it(Image > Scale Image).
5. Copy and paste tattoo over to skin file. If they are the same layer size, it will line up perfectly.
6. Go to colors > colorize while selecting the tattoo layer, change the color, press OK.
7. Export as DDS, set compression as "BC1 / DXT1", Mipmaps as "Generate mipmaps".
8. Move new skin DDs to correct area.
9. Done.

Edited December 13, 2022 by ther1pper

[DocClox]

I use Gimp and Blender: make the design in Gimp and then project it onto a body mesh in Blender. I think photoshop has got a function that does that part for you, but I'm not the person to ask.

 

For the image, it needs to be saved as a dds file, and I always have to look up which format to use when I start a new batch of tats.

 

To get them onto the actor in-game, I use SlaveTats. There's good instructions for how to do that part on the SlaveTats download page.

[DocClox]

14 hours ago, ther1pper said:

Nevermind, I figured it out.

 

Good job.

 

It's still worth looking at Blender and SlaveTats. If you just copy designs onto a skin mesh, they're going to deform when rendered in-game. That's not a big deal for flat-ish areas like belly or upper back, but it gets a bit crazy if you want other areas. Projecting the image also means you can apply a tat over a seam, so you can have butt tats, which are a nightmare to line up otherwise. I've got a few tutorials on my blog page, here on LL. Look for "Tattoo Workshop"

 

 

 

SlaveTats is good because you're making overlays. If you replace the skin, every NPC that uses that skin texture has the same tat. With SlaveTats you can add them on a per-npc basis, remove them, add multiple tats, and even have them colorable at play-time or make them glow in the dark.
 

Edited December 14, 2022 by DocClox