Rough Edges on Clothing

Hello... new to making clothes... I bought some templates to use in photoshop, I got the basics, but my edges when I upload them into SL are very rough, can anyone please gives some hints on how to smooth out the edges, what tools etc .... I have gone through all I can on this forum and on the web, I guess my photoshop skills are basic but I'm learning, I just not sure how to perfect things and what tools to use to do this.

Thanks in advance

The pen tool is what I'd recommend for getting the smoothest edges. Here's a tutorial on how to work with it.

http://www.melissaclifton.com/tutorial-pentool.html

As far as working with the templates, I really don't know. I've never used anyone's else's templates. I'm assuming you mean the files you can buy to paste into your alpha channel? I'd think it would be easier to make your own than to try to fix the ones you bought if they have rough edges.

Also, create your clothing texture designs at a larger size, like 1024 x 1024 or 2048 x 2048, and reduce them to 512 x 512 just before you import them to SL. That will do wonders for making smoother edges.

Paths are the best non-destructive way to manipulate smooth antialiased edges. Layer effects, smart filters, and smart objects also help manipulate edges in a non-destructive way. If you are confined to working only with pixel data, simple blurring and feathering can achieve similar results.

Remember, pixels get stretched on textures applied to avatars. What you see in Photoshop is not neccesarily what you see on your avatar.

Hey everyone thank you for the replies... I will have a go at all your suggestions... any more advice from others would be appreciated

Hello everyone again thanks for the tips.. I am having better luck now... except for one thing... I am putting a sash around the middle of my top but i cannot get the back and front sash to line up... I thought I could just do one right across the middle but when i uploaded to SL it was uneven.. and ideas please?

thanks again in advance

Yeah...if you just put a straight line across the template (guessing this is what you mean by one right across the middle?), it won't hit the same place on the avatar on the front and back. Draw your sash across the front, noting which spots on the grid you are intersecting at the side seams and then make sure when you draw the sash on the back that the bottom and top lines are intersecting the grid in the same places on the back. Hope that makes sense.

ETA: Just wanted to make sure... you are using the templates you bought along with Robin Wood's or Chip Midnight's templates for making clothing, right?

Yep that is what i did a straight line across... doh is me... yes I am using Robin's templates...thanks for the tip I will give it a try

Both Chip's and Robin's templates have edge matching guides. These get you close.

Then use a previewer, and notice which is higher or lower, and by roughly how many pixels. Go back to your art package and trim the offending side/add more sash.

Repeat as necessary, until it's as well matched as you can stand.

This is how I do it