What kind of sorcery is this ?
Okay, people usually don’t say it that way, but while posting my pictures for the TS4 Edit Challenge, a received some messages asking me how I do that.. Every picture is different, but most of the time, the first steps are really similar. For the moment, we will focus on that !
I use Photoshop, so some of the tools I use can be specific to this software. But most of my tips can be done on other programs.I will try my best to explain everything, but if you are not familiar with a graphic editor software, this may be too complicated.
For each complex function in Photoshop, I will try to give you a link to the official help page, in case you need more informations.
But as you can imagine, before editing something, you need some screenshots from your game ! I will begin with this, but before that, I need to explain some of the technics I use, so you can understand why I take my screens in this way.
For this tutorial, I will only focus on technical stuff.
Something usefull if you want to create a illustration in portrait format. The pictures you take in game are in landscape format, and usually big enough if you keep this orientation.
It’s easier to work on a bigger base picture : when you scale it down, the imperfections will be less visible, the result will be sharper. But when you want to create a picture in portrait format, you may be limited by your computer screen height, when you take your screen in game.
Fortunately, le Photomerge tool in photoshop allow you to merge two pictures automatically. It works this way :
To access the tool, go to File > Automate > Photomerge. More informations on the Adobe official page.
As you see, to use this tool, you will need to take more screens in game.
And… it’s not the only reason why I take lots of screens when working on a picture ! The title says it all : I work with different layers in photoshop : for exemple my background and my character are not on the same layer, allowing me to edit them separately, more easely. So I need to take screens of the different elements separately in game.
Nothing more to explain, for the moment, just keep that in mind for the next step.
For this step, there is three essential mods I will use :
Pose Player, and poses I created/downloaded. Have a look at the topic for more explanation.
Teleport Any Sims, to place my sims precisely.
MasteController, with the Dresser module, to change my sims outfit while she will be posing.
For this tutorial, I will create a simple picture : a not too complex background, a single sims, wearing a dress. To explain a trick I often use, this dress will be composed of two different dresses from the game.
To begin with, I just lay the foundations of the decor, and then, I place a teleporter statue to define where my sims will be. I need define the location of my camera before finishing the setting. When you will go in buy/build mode to finish the background, the sims posing will be reseted and you will need to place another statue, so don’t forget where you placed it at the first place (you can place a small object on floor to mark the location).
Now it’s time to teleport my sims, and make her pose (I won’t detail how to use the mods here).
Press TAB to go in camera mode, and choose your view. To save your camera setting, simply press Ctrl and one number between 5 and 9 (not on the numeric keypad). Then, if you press the number you chosen (without Ctrl), the camera will return to the saved state.
As I will use the photomerging tool for this exemple, you need to save two camera states, like this :
You can already take two screenshots, to test the photomerging (you need to have enough common areas between the two screenshots for the tool to work). If it doesn’t work fine, redefine your camera states.
These screenshots will also help you determine the zones you need to fill in you background. Time to finish your setting, and don’t forget to place a teleporter statue again.
When it’s done, you can take your final screenshots. Quick note, you can move your objects in the background, if some areas still seem too empty. Your sims will be reseted again, and you will need a new statue to replace her.
The scene now takes place later in the evening, as I wanted to use candles. Don’t forget to choose the color and intensity of each of your light sources, it can help creating an atmosphere.
When all is ready, save your game, in case you need to make some changes, or take some new screenshots. The camera states are automatically saved when you quit the game.
I take two screenshots with the first dress. Then, I use the Master Controler (click on your sims, MC Command Cender > MC Dresser > Change Outfit) to change her outfit, and screen her with the second dress. When it’s done, I make my sims stop posing and go away, to take a screen of my background without the sims.
I now have 6 screenshots to work with :
At first, I use the Photomerge tool to combine my differents screens (I checked perspective, for my exemple). I now have three different pictures. I Put the in the same Photoshop file. If I try to superpose them, the landscape may not match perfectly, as Photoshop never assemble your pictures exactly the same way.
But it’s not a problem : I’m going to separate my sims from the background. I will only keep the middle part of the second dress, to mask the belt, so I put this on aside for the moment !
You can already crop your screen at this step, to keep only the zone you want. I won’t speak about composition rules this time, but they are the same as in photography.
I added a solid color below my sims layer, to see the result when I will cut her out of the background.
For this step, I use… the polygonal lasso tool (1) ! Using the pen tool would be more precise, but it can takes more time, especially if you are not familiar with this tool.
When I’m done selecting my sims with the lasso, I create a mask using the selection, by cliquing on this icon, in the layer panel (2).
If you need to edit your selection, simply click on the mask (3), and paint in black (to erase) and white (to show) to make corrections. More informations about how to use layer masks here.
After that, I did the same thing with the middle of the dress (I didn’t bother with the face and shoulders this time, as I won’t keep them on this layer). Then, I edited the mask to create a nice transition between the two dresses.
I use this trick quite often, if I need to combine to clothes or hairstyles, add a jacket on a specific top, or make the skin visible on some areas. For exemple, in my FULL BODY picture, I use this tip to make the legs and the ear visible.
When I’m satisfied with the result, I duplicate the two layers (my sims, and the bottom of the dress) and combine them. Select the two layers in the layer panel, right click on them, and use Duplicate Layers. Then, select the copies, right click on them again, and select Merge Layers. I keep the original ones just in case I need to edit my mask (you will have to do all this again), I simply hide them.
I’m now ready to work on my picture, in the best conditions. These steps are common to all my pictures, but the following ones are differents for each picture. But I still have some useful tips to share !
Most of them concern nondestructive editing : it allows you to revert or modify the effects you apply on your picture at every moment.
As I want to focus the picture on my sims (like in my LIGHT picture), I will blur the background layer a bit. If you simply apply a Gaussian Blur filter, and then continue your work, it will be impossible to revert or change the intensity later.
Except if your layer is a smart object. Select your layer, right click on it and select Convert to smart object. The original state of your layer will be saved, and you will be able to edit or delete each filter you applyied on it, at every moment, by double clicking on the filter name.
If you go in the Image > Adjustments menu, there is many way to adjust the contrast and colors of your pictures. But these modifications are destructive, as the directly change your image, and can’t be edited/deleted later.
Thats the reason why I use adjustment layer instead. In the Layer panel, click here (1) to create an adjustment layer. And place this newly created layer at the top (2), above all your layers, to make it affect the whole picture.
You can even change the blending mode of these layers (3), to obtain different effects. In a previous tips post, I already talk about the Gradient Map layer, in Soft Light mode, to add contrast and change the atmosphere of my picture. Try, experiment, there is a large variety of effects you can create that way ;)
You can edit your adjustment layer parameters in the Properties panel (4). If you can find it, in the menu, go to Window, find Properties in the list, and click.
One last thing : as you can see, adjustment layer come with a mask. It’s completely white by default (it affect the whole picture), but you can adjust where and with which intensity it is applied, by painting on the mask.
If you want to apply your layer adjustment layer only on one precise layer, instead of the whole picture, move it above this layer, right click on it, and select Create Clipping Mask.
This tips also work with a classic layer. On my pictures, I always correct or redraw some parts of my sims face, not on the original layer (as I avoid any destructive modicitaion), but on a new layer, applyed only on the base layer.
On a previous tips post, I spoke about my basic editing process, including how I manually adjust the shadows on my sims (I’m not going to rexplain the whole precess here, have a look at the post). I paint my shadows and light on a grey layer on Soft Light mode. If I don’t use the clipping mask, it will also affect the background.
Without and with clipping mask
Another use of the clipping mask, to conclude with this. Afterwards, I decided to add some transparency to the dress. I reopened my game, take two screens of my sims without clothing (and photomeged them), and added this new layer just above my Sims layer, using the clipping mask. Then, I added a mask on this layer, turned it black, and paint some areas with a white brush with low opacity to make the skin visible.
And here is the result ! Again, I won’t explain everything, as I already spoke about some of these things in this previous tutorial post. If you are curious to see my layer panel at the end, click here.
Here is the final picture.
Base Picture - Final picture in full size
Voilà ! I think it’s the first time a post this long in english. I hope everything is understandable. ;)
Don’t hesitate to tag me if you create pictures using these tips ! The same goes for my Sims Creation Tips, you can tag me too if you create sims using it.
If you are looking on more tips (not only about photoshop), don’t forget to have a look at my Tips tag. To see my other illustrations created with the sims, simply click here !
And if you like this tutorial, or my creations for the Sims, feel free to buy me a coffee (and a croissant if you want :D)
