Need Help: How to create custom Overlay for a character to use in Looksmenu

[ahsdg]

Hi, as title suggests, I want to make a basic tattoo for looksmenu overlays. I want it to be a simple black text without any background. I have seen many mods here that appear to add these kinds of tattoos, such as CaptiveTats. I do not have any real experience with gimp, photoshop or paint etc. I tried following some tutorials on nexus mods such as Creating Looksmenu Overlays by Krisser134, but nothing provides sufficient step by step instructions on how to create the tattoo in the software. I plan to replace a tattoo in an existing mod, to eliminate creation of json files, bgem files, and the like that the tutorial says you need on top of the tattoo texture, but anyone can provide clear step by step instructions?

 

Edited October 26, 2025 by ahsdg

[deff.]

On 10/27/2025 at 12:55 AM, ahsdg said:

Hi, as title suggests, I want to make a basic tattoo for looksmenu overlays. I want it to be a simple black text without any background. I have seen many mods here that appear to add these kinds of tattoos, such as CaptiveTats. I do not have any real experience with gimp, photoshop or paint etc. I tried following some tutorials on nexus mods such as Creating Looksmenu Overlays by Krisser134, but nothing provides sufficient step by step instructions on how to create the tattoo in the software. I plan to replace a tattoo in an existing mod, to eliminate creation of json files, bgem files, and the like that the tutorial says you need on top of the tattoo texture, but anyone can provide clear step by step instructions?

 

 

There was a tutorial in Nexus page. Can't  remember the name of it, but if you will search by keyword 'tattoo' you will definetly find it

[ahsdg]

Yeah I tried the one but it doesnt explain how to use gimp and/or paint/photoshop to make the tattoo. The author stated the guide is for those who already know how to use it. But there arent really any tutorials on how to do it.

 

[deff.]

On 10/29/2025 at 2:01 AM, ahsdg said:

Yeah I tried the one but it doesnt explain how to use gimp and/or paint/photoshop to make the tattoo. The author stated the guide is for those who already know how to use it. But there arent really any tutorials on how to do it.

 

 

It looks like kinda this - you can try to find a vector or something like that. Open it in Gimp/Photoshop and if you want, edit some details - don't know - color, size...You need to save that file as .dds. I don't know about Gimp, but for Photoshop you need to download DDS plugin, then the program will allow save texture as .dds. If the tutorial starts form this point you can do it.