https://sims4studio.com/thread/4873/create-skin-detail

Introduction

This tutorial will go over the basic steps of creating a skin detail for those new to creating things for Sims 4. It will not show how to create effects in your 2D editor...all it will show is how to get your skin detail into a .package so it will show up on Sims in the game. If you are new to using a 2D editor please see one of the beginner recolor tutorials for instructions on how to get started with that.

There is an additional tutorial by Sam Gump HERE that goes over further information about skin details.

What you will need

Sims 4 Studio A 2D editor - I used Paint.NET for this tutorial but GIMP and Photoshop are also good choices. Note you do not need to use .dds for this tutorial so you will not need some special plugin.

Instructions

  1. Open Studio and select Create CAS Standalone under the CAS button.
  2. Click the CAS button.

  1. Select Skin detail from the drop down type menu.
  2. Select the skin detail you want to work with. I selected this small cheek mole detail.
  3. Click the Next button. Name and save your .package. When the model viewer page shows up export the texture as a .png.

  1. Open the image you just saved in your 2D editor. Add the appropriate image from this page to your image as a new layer underneath the skin detail. These images are Sims 4 Sim templates that show where the location of the Sim's various body and face parts are on the composite map. There is a male image, a female image, and a universal child image to choose from. Adding the template below the image will allow you to see the skin detail more clearly and position your own more correctly. As shown below the small cheek mole detail shows up positioned over the female template's cheek.

  1. Delete the original skin detail layer if you don't plan to include it in your new skin detail. Create your new skin detail as a new layer on top of the template using it to guide the placement of your new skin detail. As shown below I've created a skin detail with 3 moles. One on the cheek, one just above the lips, and one at the top of the ear.

  1. When your skin detail is finished be sure to delete the template image before saving it. Save your image as a .png (highest quality, 32 bit .png) and import it back into the .package.

  1. You will see your new skin detail replace the original on the model in the model viewer. You can change the swatch thumbnail color to match your new detail if you want. You can add swatches (new skin details or different colors of the same skin detail) if you like.
  2. When you've added all the swatches you want and the swatch thumbnails are how you want them click the Save button.