These are the five outfits that I've been trying to make recolours of for at least four consecutive days now. These recolours are composites of default Maxis outfits:

1. A recolour of ambodyoverhangtshirt_red with the collar, cuffs, and hem from ambodyoverhangtshirt_mustardlogo
2. A recolour of ambodyoverhangtshirtlongshorts_red with the collar, cuffs, and hem from ambodyoverhangtshirt_mustardlogo
3. A recolour of tmbodyoverhangtshirt_red with the collar, cuffs, and hem from tmbodyoverhangtshirt_mustardlogo
4. A recolour of tmbodyoverhangtshirtlongshorts_red with the collar, cuffs, and hem from tmbodyoverhangtshirt_mustardlogo
5. A recolour of cmbodyshirtoverpants_red with the collar, cuffs, and hem from cmbodyshirtoverpants_mustardlogo

I have had zero trouble removing the red cuffs and adding yellow ones. But trying to replace the red collars and hems is a nightmare. That's not even an exaggeration. Because unlike the outlines of the cuffs which are clear as crystal, the outlines of the collars and hems are blurry, which makes it extremely difficult to verify precisely where I have to trace a perfect outline so that I know which parts of the collars and hems I have to keep and which to erase.

I have posted a sample of my recolour of bodyoverhangtshirt_red along with the default versions of the bodyoverhangtshirt_red and bodyoverhangtshirt_mustardlogo outfits. So that you can see why I'm struggling so much. I can't use the eraser to erase outlines while zoomed out. Because the eraser tool doesn't shrink in Adobe Photoshop CS6 while zoomed out. And when I zoom in, the pixels are more blurry, which makes it much harder to pin down the collar and hem outlines.

I have made several attempts at recolouring these outfits. But all of them are in vain. Because in order for these recolours to be deemed good enough to keep, their outlines have to cover the same ground as the Maxis versions. The sample that I have provided is not good enough to keep. Because a few of the pixels are red when they are supposed to be yellow. And vice versa.

These recolours are going to be worn by three Sims in my game. And in order for them to be used in their headshots, I have to get them to look just right. Not a pixel out of place. The outfits are going to look a bit sloppy, regardless. Due to the choppiness of the cuffs, collars, and hems. But as long as I can trace the outline in exactly the same place as the outlines of the collars and hems on the default Maxis ones, then that's all that matters.

They all look fine to me. Maybe the back of the neck could use a little trimming, but I honestly don't see any huge flaws.

What are you doing to recolour them? Copying the yellow over the red and erasing most of the yellow?

They may look fine. But they aren't fine. I'd need someone who can detect where the outlines of the collars and hems are to be able to successfully verify where they are. Unless I can verify where the outlines need to be traced on my own. Which is unlikely to happen anytime soon.

I add the yellow outfit as a separate layer over the red outfit. Then erase the bits that aren't needed. The problem is that I get to a point where I am unable to tell precisely what should be kept and what should be removed. So I end up having a few yellow pixels too many or a few yellow pixels too few.

I opened them up in Photoshop and thought that I could see where the outlines were. But how does that help you?

Curved necklines are frequently difficult to handle. Part of the issue might also lie in the alpha if it uses gradients of gray along the neckline. The visibility of a yellow texture with a very light gray alpha will be different than that with a red texture. One will be more noticeable than the other.

Frequently in recolors I do, around the neckline I'll use MS-Paint which allows me to zoom way in and then use its pencil tool to individually change the color of the border pixels one by one. To make it easier to see the close to black pixels (very dark red in your one case), I'll use a filler tool to change all the black to a different color (perhaps cyan in this case) so there is a better contrast to see more easily identify those pixels which are the offending ones. Then after I find and change those, I'll use the fill tool to change the color back to its original black again.

As to the hem, I don't have any helpful suggestions.

Export the UVmaps, maybe? Can be done with UVmapper or Blender. Much easier to see where the lines go.

I've found some of the EAxis clothes a real nightmare to recolor especially in the neckline. They tend to have slight UVmapping issues that only show when you want to use patterns or different colors, and you usually need to get a bit creative with it.

For meshes like this I sometimes use an extracted mesh and apply the texture in Milkshape, working side by side with the picture editing program. It's often much easier to spot the trouble areas in 3D (especially if you also have the UVmap), and in Bodyshop it can be difficult to get good viewing angles.

It helps me because I need to be able to trace the outlines before I can verify what I need to erase and whatnot.


I have tried with Microsoft Paint which is like an old friend to me. And while I do have better control over the tools, it still hasn't proven to be enough. Also I've checked the alpha and it's just black and white, making it completely useless for tracing.


When you say UVmaps, do you mean the bump maps? That's what I'm currently using for tracing. Since I feel that it will be more consistent than using the meshes for tracing. Since I presume that all the default recolours of this outfit use the same bump map. Whereas not all the outlines of each mesh are perfectly aligned.

I don't want to get creative with the outlines in any way. At least not until I can get the outlines exactly how I want first.

No, I mean UVmap - a flattened "map" over where all the polygons on the mesh are. Knowing where the mesh is on the texture helps a lot with where to put outlines. It's often not where you think, especially around the neck and such. The texture is usually bigger than what actually ends up on the mesh, so if you're just working from the texture, where you think the lines would go is often not the case.

(short video explaining what UVmapping is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmCJ9UVoPI8
and how to export the UVmap in Blender: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYpi77Ymo5Q - if you need a tutorial for a spesific Blender version, you can try searching for it)

The bump map (also called normal map) is the grey-toned texture that adds extra detail when bumpmapping is turned on.

Well, as I said, I thought that I could see the outlines.

But can you? If so, are you sure? Because if you can, then it might help me to pin down the correct position of each outline. I don't have any Blender programmes that can help me with what I'm doing. Are they free to download? I'm in the process of eliminating all the headshots that I've photoshopped by making replicas of all the content they use.

I've already replaced the following:

1. General Doctor Agent J. Triton = I've uncovered the top centre area of the alpha, completely obscuring the skin on the top centre of his forehead, eliminating the need to edit out the exposed skin on his forehead in his headshot.
2. Draco Malfoy = I've recoloured his hair, changing it from blonde to white blonde, eliminating the need to recolour his hair in his headshot.
3. (She's one of my personal characters, so her name has not been revealed) = I've recoloured her hair and eyebrows, changing them from blonde to silvery white blonde and silvery blonde respectively, eliminating the need to recolour her hair and eyebrows in her headshot.

I haven't replaced the following yet. But they are on my to do list:

1. Buck Grunt, Samuel Riley, and Benedick Monty = I will redo their headshots once I've at least gotten the yellow on their collars how I want them.
2. Camryn McGaw [Strangetown] = I will redo her headshot once I've removed the green symbol from her shirt.

I haven't decided whether or not I'll go through with these ones. These ones are being considered:

1. Lucy Burb and Brittany Parker [Pleasantview] = I am considering recolouring their hair picks to match the white bows in the hairstyle they wear as children by default.
2. Jill Smith = I am considering recolouring her shirt to match the shirt she wore as a child.

Blender 3D is free. https://www.blender.org/download/

It's not the easiest program to work with, but there are a lot of tutorials for it, epecially on Youtube. Just be aware that the 2.79+, 3.0+ and 4.0+ versions have different outlays, and the tutorials may not always show the version you've got, but you can search for the version you get. You can find the older versions under "previous versions". There are some tutorials if you want to work with body meshes and such for TS2 and then the version does matter (you'll need plugins), but if you just want to export a UVmap it doesn't matter too much which version you have (use an OBJ file, can be eported with SimPE).

UVmapper is also an option (I haven't used this one much, but I think there are some tutorials in the tutorial section).
https://www.uvmapper.com/downloads.html (I think it's the "classic" one, the "pro" is probably pay)

Extracting an UVmap doesn't require much else than clicking the correct buttons - you don't have to model anything, and usually don't have to fix anything on the UVmap (occasionally moving it, but depends on the mesh - SimPE sometimes makes it jump down, likely a bug when exporting body meshes as OBJ).

I can't help you with Blender. I couldn't figure it out and I stick with Milkshape.

But what I meant was, if I can see the outlines then what can I do to help? I was looking at the pictures you posted, so you presumably still wouldn't be able to see them?

I do see the problem now, when I see the shirts on the sims. Matching up the back and the front neckline is an enormous PITA and if it's doing something like that I usually have to poke the mesh's UV map in Milkshape and even then I usually have to settle for good enough.

You should be able to set your cursor size to match the actual size ('full size brush tip' if I remember correctly). Plus there should be a setting to change the outline of the cursor, and to keep it the same whilst erasing, or crosshairs. Look in cursor preferences.

I sometimes use the point-to-point marking tool (the "pointy lasso") to get straighter lines for selections. Zoom in so you see the whole area you want to mark, and go around with the marking tool. Make sure you don't use too much feathering (preferably none at all).

Changing the brush to one with less feathering, or removing the feathering, can also help. Feathering is nice for blending, but makes it hard to get a clean selection when you don't want to blend.

The minor feathering you get from a brush tip VS pencil/no feathering tip tend to make collars look a bit less choppy, though.

One option is to put the second texture onto the first one with a layer mask. Then you can add/subtract via the mask as much as you want. Very useful if you want to test out different selections, and you can also edit the selection of single pixels (via eraser/brush).

I don't know how to use layer masks. It would be great if someone like Lifa could show me where the outlines are. Since Lifa said that it would take them about 10-15 minutes to show me. However, they currently lack the time and interest to show me where the outlines are.

I can't settle for good enough in this situation. Because good enough just isn't good enough. Without being able to draw a perfect outline around the entire collars and hems, there's always going to be something wrong with the result.

I need to at least get the collar how I want it because the collar is what I need to finish in order for the recolour to be used in headshots. But I'll still need to finish the hem at a later date.

I don't want to use a brush. Only a block since there's always some degree of smudging whenever I use a brush or a pencil.

I meant that when you are using eraser tool, the cursor will show as being the same size as the eraser tool you have selected (so it won't look too big when you zoom out). You can have a square or a rectangle or a circle or any shape you want as the tool shape, and vary that by changing pressure, feathering etc.

I haven't been having any luck lately. And I REALLY wanted to get this done in the near future. But I haven't found anyone who can find the outlines for me who is willing to help me. I thought I had my answer when another user provided me with this. Except the outline for the collar isn't even remotely similar. So I can't use it as a guide.

I haven't been able to get Milkshape to work either. As I haven't gotten around the 'Not all parts could be found for the mesh' problem. I really am desperate to have this finished. Yet I haven't found anyone who knows where the outlines are who is willing to tell me where they are.

The only person I know of who can find where the outlines are has made it clear that they aren't going to help me find them when I'm capable of finding them myself. It's easy for them to say. I don't think they realise how much I'm struggling right now. I have made several attempts at tracing around the outline. And not one attempt is turning out how I want when I view them in-game.

I can't afford to accept a subpar attempt at a recolour since the whole point of completing the recolour is so that I can use them in headshots as well as use the recolours in-game. And I can't accept any recolours that are less than ideal. Because then I'd have to continue updating the headshots every time I revise the recolours. And I don't want that.

Base game meshes are always going to be a pita to recolour and the necklines are the worst areas on most of them. You won't get a neat result if that is what you are after, You would have better luck with a custom mesh.

I just want to be able to extract it to Milkshape to see if being able to see it in 3D will help. Because trying to trace a perfect outline around the collar and hem of it while in 2D just hasn't been working for me. If it still doesn't help after I've tried it in 3D, maybe I'll go back to trying it in 2D.

I'm not trying to get a neat result. As if that's even going to be possible with a collar and hem that's a different colour to the rest of the outfit minus the cuffs which I've already drawn around. I'm just trying to draw an outline around the collar and hem WITHOUT the outline covering anything that isn't part of the collar or hem. Yet I have to make sure that I don't miss any parts of the collar or hem when drawing around them.

By neat result I mean what you said, "trying to draw an outline around the collar and hem WITHOUT the outline covering anything that isn't part of the collar or hem." base game meshes are plagued by bad neck/collar mapping. Even if you do draw it and it looks right in your photo program it won't look right in game is what I am saying.
You could possibly fix it in Milkshape but that seems like more work than just using an existing mesh with decent mapping.

I've already decided upon this mesh. Since it's traditional that I use this mesh for the outfits of Buck Grunt, Samuel Riley, and Benedick Monty. It's a tradition dating as far back as 2015. If I didn't replicate an in-game version to eliminate the need to continuously use Photoshop, it just wouldn't be consistent.

Right now I'm more concerned about the fact that I'm unable to escape crossing the line (going past it at any point) or failing to go on it (not going up to it at any point) than I am about it looking neat.

But I just can't get it to look right in-game. Maybe one day I'll switch to a different mesh with better mapping. But I want it to be my choice. Rather than something I'm forced to do because I'm unable to get this mesh the way I want it.

Perhaps if you could take some screenshots showing step by step what you are doing it would help us to assist you. You say you are using the bump maps for 'tracing', can you show us how in your software?

How doesn't it look right ingame? If you can explain what you mean, maybe we can help?

It's possible you may need to calm down the perfectionism just a little bit, because it seems you've got somewhat unrealistic goals as to what is possible with the TS2 textures. Getting every pixel perfect when working with them is quite the challenge. Besides, some of the "blurriness" along the lines is in a way helping with creating vague shadows/highlights, which you don't get if you just trace the line with a no-feather pencil.

Milkshape (and most other 3D programs) will only help with looking at the texture from all angles.
If you're trying to make smaller or larger outlines around the neck than what already exists, and the seams aren't meeting up properly - that's what UVmaps are for, as a guide to where the polygons on the mesh meet.
Blender has texturing in the program where you can draw directly on the 3D model, but personally I've barely used it, so I don't know much about how it works (you can look up tutorials if you're interested).

I mentioned using masks for the layers - they're easy to learn how to use on a very basic level (at least in Photoshop, not sure about other programs, but most decent ones have something similar). Add a mask to the layer, white = visible, black = hidden, grey = transparent. You can use most tools that work as greytones to manipulate the mask (pencil, eraser, brush, gradient, etc.). It's very useful, because you can for instance do "bucket-fill" or use a color fill layer, cut/paste, draw, etc. in the regular layer, and then edit the layer via the mask. If you make a mistake, you can more easily edit the mask (erase or add), instead of having to redraw everything.

You're making this WAY more complicated than it needs to be. The transition looks bad because you're using the block / pixel tool instead of the brush. The "fuzzy / blurred" anti-aliasing effect of the brush tool IS what you want; it creates a more natural-looking transition between the sections, instead of having hard-edged pixels side by side. This is the Sims, not Stardew Valley.

You're 99% of the way there. Zoom in on the area you're working on, set the eraser tool to brush mode (100% hardness and a small brush size, like no more than a few pixels across), and gradually nudge away the very edges of the yellow you have there now. Just that tiny bit of anti-aliasing around the edges will help.