Basic Shirt Opacity Map

To start off with we'll begin with a basic opacity map for a shirt. I'll be using this one by sis3D.

First thing you should do is to download and save the maps provided. You'll need these to build on. It is also a good idea to become familiar with what a full body map looks like and where the body parts are. A simple google search can help you find labelled maps.

Begin by clicking on 'Derive from product' at the bottom of the product page. This will open up the creator window. You'll see 4 layers to this mesh. The first layer (00) is the body layer, it lies closest to the skin. In this spot you place your minimum coverage maps, as per IMVU guidelines for a GA product. This is normally removed for AP products.

We will be leave that layer alone as the original mesher has provided a MCG (Minimum Coverage Guideline) map.

The second layer (01) is the shirt layer, here we will be placing our opacity and texture maps for the shirt. The third layer (02) for the sleeves and the fourth layer (03) we will leave alone.

We will start by opening the map named "sis3d_sporttop_HD" in your editor (for the purpose of this tutorial I will be using GIMP). Before I begin my map I set my layers up like the picture below. A black base in the bottom layer, the map in the middle with the opacity lowered and an empty layer on top.

With the opacity on the map lowered I am able to see what we'll be drawing easier.

With our layers ready I select the Paths Tool, you'll see that selected in blue in the picture below.

Using this tool, I place two dots by either side of the neck, this will show a line connecting the two dots. Placing my mouse in the middle of the line, I click and drag it down to create a semi circle. This will become our neckline. Once I've found a neckline I like I click on 'stoke path' in the tool box. This will bring up a menu. In that menu I select the line width to 2 pixels and click stroke. Afterwards, select another tool to remove the selected line.

One I have done that, its time to work on the back. If you look closely at the neck of the mesh where you placed your lines you can see where you placed the dots. The mesh is basically a grid that has been moved around. Each line on the front of the neck as a matching line on the back (which is to the sides). Once you've found where your line should go, start with one side of the neck. I've started with the left side. Repeating the same process, i create a slightly curved line on the left side of the back of the neck.

Rather than repeating the process for the other side, I go to my layers box and click on duplicate.This creates an exact copy of the layer. After this go to the menu bar, select layer>transform>flip horizontally. With the layer flipped, it should match the other perfectly. Now back to the layer toolbox, Right click the top layer and select merge down, and then once again so the three line layers are all together. From here, click on the rectangle select tool in the toolbox. On our lined layer create a rectangle the width of the map and fill it with white, this where the bottom of the shirt will finish. Next click Select>none from the menu bar. We will then fill the space between the rectangle and the lines white. You may need to use your paint brush tool to fill in any remaining black spots. Hide the map layer by clicking on the eye.

Now we're ready to export our map to use in the creator window. On the menu bar click File>Export As and save your file as jpg. I save mine as shirtOP.jpg

In the creator window, click on the layer named 01. In texture assets, click on edit on the opacity map (the right hand square). Search for your file and click apply. You should see an updated version now on your avatar. Your mapping may not be perfect this time. Mine wasn't, there was some slight excess around at the joining to the side.

Back into gimp, using the eraser tool, I removed some of the white, just a tiny amount. The exported and updated in creator. Now the excess is fixed. Make sure you save your work at this point and you've created your opacity map for the shirt and are ready to move on to the sleeves.

The opacity for the sleeves is very simple. Using the rectangle select tool, create a rectangle over both sleeves and adjust the height to however long you want the sleeves to be. Export and update the creator. Now we can move on to the texture.

The important thing to remember with opacity maps is that black turns things invisible and white makes things visible. Shades of grey create transparency. For example, if we wanted the shirt to have no sleeves we would simply place a black square in the opacity map for the sleeve layer. Transparency works when you select Blending>composite in the creator window under 'Material Parameters". Keep in mind that when this is selected on an outfit, it can cause the outfit to disappear when looking through lights, windows, water etc.

P.S. I had included pictures in good faith to help you on your creating journey. Please do not steal my textures, creating your own is much more satisfying. Stealing my texture will result in a DMCA complaint lodged against you and I would hate for it to come to that.

#imvu #tutorial #gimp #opacitymap