https://standardheld.tumblr.com/post/187451542902/would-you-ever-make-a-tutorialpost-some-tips-on

Hey there, Anon. I didn’t know this is a thing because for me it’s something basical I’ll do on every CAS item with buttons I recolor. I try to explain this at my best. Please, let me know if there’s still something hard to understand.

But forst of all: I use Photoshop CS2 but I’m sure this works for older and newer versions, too. And because I use a German version I don’t know all the exact names of the Photoshop tools but I used this website as reference to find the (hopefully) correct tool names: photoshopessentials.com

And now… here’s my method on preserve buttons seamlessly while recoloring:

Step 1: Open the .png/.dds file you exported with Sims4Studio in Phofoshop and duplicate the the layer twice. Name one of them “button” and the other “without button”. This will help you to recognize the different layers easily.

Step 2: Go onto the layer “button” and zoom in so you’ll see the button very near. Don’t get bothered about the pixelish look.This may even help! I recommend to zoom in to a very near level.

Step 3: Choose the Polygonal Lasso Tool and mark the button. Now the pixelated zoom is helpful because you can make your “lasso line” very precisely.

Step 4: Now inverse your selection by using the shortcut CTRL + SHIFT + I or choose “select -> inverse” from the menu. Delete the selected part now with “del” key. Now you have only the button itself left on the “button layer.

Step 5: Select the other layer which you duplicated. If you named it how I did in the tutorial, it should have the laver name “without button”.What you’ll do next is to smooth the part of the clothing where the button actually is. I also recommend to hide the “button” layer.

Step 6: Now this is a bit hard to explain. Go with your mouse cursor onto the small picture of the “button” layer. Don’t click on it! Make sure you still have the “without button” layer selected! Holf STRG and click on the small picture of “button layer” now. You should see a marked line on your texture picture which frames the button shape. But - again! - make sure you are on the “without button” layer. Phew, I hope you’ll understand what I try to say.

Step 7: Now it’s time for the smugde tool. Choose it with a smooth edge and a size you prefer. I often use the size of 9 or 13 pixels. Swish with the tool from outside your lined mark into it’s center. So you should wipe out the button on your layer “without button” anc create a … well … solid, smooth part. Don’t worry when it doesn’t look very well. You just want to get rid of overlapping button shadows from both layers!

Step 8: Now you can unhide the “button” layer again and should have a button on your texture with a seamless edge …. aaaand bonus! You can recolor the button layer regardless of the other layer.

In the end let me say: It’s a matter of practice. You’ll learn by doing and you’ll find out that it’s easier to work with this method on shapes like round buttons or even better just square shapes instead of tricky ones like zippers, for example.

I hope, the tutorial will help you and maybe other creators. :)