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  • Creating clothing and tattoos


    Jeremy Linden

    Creating clothing

    Clothing in Second Life® can refer to two things:

    • Mesh clothing items - These include textures that are baked directly onto your avatar mesh in a specific location and order, as well as customizable settings like length and height. There are 9 types of mesh clothing including shirts, pants, and socks. This article covers how to create this kind of clothing.
    • Objects made of prims - These attach to specific attachment points on your avatar. Many clothing designers make prim skirts, cuffs, collars, and shoes in tandem with mesh clothing to create a richer effect. You can learn more about attachments in our articles on building and attaching items.

    If an item of mesh clothing is modifiable, you can alter it using the My Appearance editor.

    Note: If an item in My Inventory says "no modify," it can't be changed.

    You can create custom textures for clothing using an image editor like Adobe Photoshop or GIMP. There are many ways to do this; visit the Clothing Tutorials wiki page for resources such as templates and guides.

    Creating new clothing in Appearance mode

    1. If you want to use a custom clothing texture, select Build > Upload > Image (L$10) to add it to My Inventory. (It costs L$10 to upload an image.)
    2. Right-click your avatar and choose My Appearance. The APPEARANCE window opens.
    3. Click the Gear icon in the bottom left corner and select New Clothes.
    4. Select the clothing item you wish to create (for instance, New Shirt). The item automatically appears on your avatar.
    5. Adjust the sliders until the clothing is the shape you want.
    6. Click the Texture box to select a clothing texture from My Inventory, or drag the texture from My Inventory onto Texture. It is applied to your clothing item and becomes visible within moments.
    7. If desired, click Color/Tint and add an additional color to the entire article of clothing.
    8. Click Save As at the bottom left of the APPEARANCE window.
    9. Add a description in the text box, then click OK to save your work.
    10. In the Edit Outfit tab, remove any item of clothing you don't want to wear by clicking the X to its left or right-clicking the item and selecting Take Off.

    Creating new clothing outside Appearance mode

    1. Click the Inventory button on the left side of the viewer to open the INVENTORY window.
    2. Choose a folder in which to create your new clothing item, for instance, Clothing.
    3. Right-click the folder and choose New Clothes > [clothing item name].
    4. Rename the clothing item as desired.
    5. To add a texture or otherwise edit the new clothing item, double-click it to wear it, then right-click your avatar and enter the My Appearance editor.
    6. Click the Gear menu in the bottom left corner and select Edit Outfit.
    7. Click the Edit Wrench icon next to the item you wish to edit, or right-click the item and select Edit.
    8. Refer to steps 7-10 above to customize your clothing item.
    Note: All mesh clothing you make using New Clothes will show your name as the original creator. Modifying clothing made by someone else, even if you change the texture, will not make you the creator.

    Video tutorial

    This video visually guides you through the above steps.

    Creating tattoos

    You can apply images and textures of your own design to your avatar's skin. However, most avatars use the skin texture layer for wearing custom skins and use clothing layers to wear tattoos. Here we explain how to wear tattoos you have created using both the skin layer and the clothing layers.

    Tattoos, like other forms of texture transparency in Second Life, require a special part of an image known as an alpha channel. The alpha channel serves as a "hidden color" that shows where to draw the texture and where to remain transparent. One such use for alpha channels would be to "paint" a window into a wall without physically building the window. While detailed image editing and alpha channels are beyond the scope of this article, you can find Second Life's fashion templates and other useful information in the Clothing Tutorials page on the Second Life wiki.

    If you have a tattoo texture you would like to apply to your avatar, just choose one of the following two methods.

    Tip: Do not use the first method if your avatar wears a custom skin.

    To apply the tattoo directly to your skin layer:

    1. Import your texture into your Inventory by selecting Build > Upload > Image (L$10). (It costs L$10 to upload an image.)
    2. Right-click your avatar and choose My Appearance.
    3. Click the Gear menu in the bottom left corner of the APPEARANCE window and select New Body Parts > New Skin.
    4. Select the appropriate box: if the tattoo is designed for your face, double-click the Head Tattoo box. If the tattoo is designed for your chest, double-click he Upper Tattoo box. If the tattoo is designed for your legs, double-click the Lower Tattoo box.
    5. The PICK: TEXTURE window opens. Select and double-click the desired texture. It appears on the part of your avatar you indicated.
    6. Click Save.

    To apply the tattoo as a clothing layer (use this if you wear a custom skin):

      1. Import your texture into My Inventory by selecting Build > Upload > Image.
      2. Right-click your avatar and choose My Appearance.
      3. Click the Gear menu in the bottom left corner and select Edit Outfit > New Clothes > [clothing item name].
    Tip: Tattoos usually work best when created on the undershirt or underpants layer so that they appear underneath clothing layers like shirts and pants.
    1. Adjust the sliders until the clothing is the shape you like. Keep in mind that tattoos should be skintight.
    2. Click on the Texture box to select a texture from My Inventory.
    3. Click on Color/Tint and apply an additional color to the entire tattoo if desired.
    4. Click Save As at the bottom left to name and save your work.

    Edited by Jeremy Linden




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