Due to the fact that I can't Sim like I used to anymore, I'm closing the NRP to new additions as of March 31, 2008. You have until that date to finish any projects you may have kicking around.




COMPLETED ITEMS (scroll past this list for information about joining)

LATEST ADDITIONS TO THE PROJECT

Nothing in the past week, sorry!

COMPLETED UNISEX/BOTH SEXES HAIR SETS:

Default replacement hair and facial hair, part 1 (male and female) (by alkaloid): http://sumomo.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=263282

2 whole sets of all-ages mohawks: 22 colors, with 5 reds EACH. (male and female) (by alkaloid): http://www.insimenator.net/showthread.php?t=63897 FILES EXCLUSIVELY ON INSIMENATOR

XMsims' flora #29 (male) & #30 (female) (by alkaloid): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=204106

COMPLETED MALE HAIR FILES:

21 all-ages retextures/recolors of Louis' Sohma Shigure's (male) hair (by alkaloid) http://www.insimenator.net/showthread.php?t=61902

20 retextures/recolors of melodie9's all-ages male dreads (by alkaloid) http://www.insimenator.net/showthread.php?t=61910

Eight All Age Recolors of Peggy Sims2 Male Ponytail. (by kaneonapua) http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=249271

18 recolors/retextures (4 reds) of Plicka's long dreadlock mesh. Male YA-EM. (by alkaloid): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=231972

10 retextures/recolors (3 reds) of Arcia's male sweep hair YA - Elder (by alkaloid): http://www.modthesims2.com/member/s...ad.php?t=230901

20 retextures/recolors of melodie9's all-ages male messy short hair (by alkaloid): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=229210

Louis hair 09, Male type #2 - 8 Natural Recolors (Binned) (by Lilie): http://www.modthesims2.com/member/s...ad.php?t=215691

XM Sims Male hair24 - 10 Natural Recolors (by Lilie): http://www.modthesims2.com/member/s...ad.php?t=190710

XM Sims Male hair23 - 10 Natural Recolors (by Lilie): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=190708

All-Age Recolors of Rose Sims2 Male Short Unisex Hair (by kaneonapua): http://www.modthesims2.com/member/s...ad.php?t=214816

Male - All-age Recolors of melodie9's messy mop hair (by alkaloid): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=212049

All-age Recolors of Rose Sims2 Shoulder Length, Male Hair with Animated Flyers (by kaneonapua): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=212246

HystericalParoxysm's all-ages male "Cherub" hair (by alkaloid): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=206409

melodie9's all-ages male ponytail (by alkaloid): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=203975

COMPLETED FEMALE HAIR FILES:

7 recolors of adele's antoinette hair (by alkaloid): http://sumomo.modthesims2.com/membe...ad.php?t=263191

10 recolors of melodie9's all-ages rosette hair (by alkaloid): http://sumomo.modthesims2.com/membe...ad.php?t=263185

8 recolors of XMSims' "flora68" hair (page 88) (by alkaloid): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=260334

Children's texture of Seomi's princess hair for all ages, in 10 colors. (by alkaloid): http://www.insimenator.net/showthread.php?t=66514 FILES EXCLUSIVELY ON INSIMENATOR

10 recolors of Seomi's princess hair (by alkaloid): http://www.modthesims2.com/member/s...ad.php?t=257244

2 recolors of SAU female hair 14 (by alkaloid) http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=255427

Peggy Sims 2 elegant updo in red, brown, blonde and white (by kaneonapua) http://www.insimenator.net/showthread.php?t=63989 FILES EXCLUSIVELY ON INSIMENATOR

Peggy Sims Free Female Short Hair (Mesh 0044) Reloaded (by kaneonapua) http://www.insimenator.net/showthread.php?t=62643

12 Natural hair recolors of XM Sims female hair p 36 (by ___joanna) http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=252119

Thirteen All Age Red Recolors of Peggy Sims2 Donation Short Bob Hair Style (by kaneonapua) http://www.insimenator.net/showthread.php?t=61909 FILES EXCLUSIVELY ON INSIMENATOR

Classic Recolors of Peggy FreeHair (by Onah) http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=249747

18 recolors/retextures (4 reds) of melodie9's all-ages female dreads mesh (by alkaloid): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=236925

18 recolors/retextures (4 reds) of melodie9's all-ages short perm (UNI needed) (by alkaloid): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=231973

20 recolors/alpha edits of XM Sims' hair 37 (page 51) (by alkaloid): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=228810

11 recolors/retextures (4 reds) of XMSims' Female hair 52 (by alkaloid): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=225307

Five Red Recolors of XM Sim's 039 Female Buffant Hair for All Ages (by kaneonapua): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=222319

XM Sims2 Female hair 22 - 10 Natural Recolors (by Lilie): http://www.modthesims2.com/member/s...ad.php?t=190703

Recolors of Rose Sims2 Chignon Hair in Red, Brown and Blonde (by kaneonapua): http://www.modthesims2.com/member/s...ad.php?t=217928

Wispy Bangs Alpha Edit of Rose Sims2 Female Ponytail in All Colors (by kaneonapua): http://www.modthesims2.com/member/s...ad.php?t=221266

All-Age Recolors of Rose Sims2 Female Unisex Pixie Hair (by kaneonapua): http://www.modthesims2.com/member/s...ad.php?t=214821

"Kara" hair mesh with recolors (by HystericalParoxysm): http://www.modthesims2.com/member/s...ad.php?t=213536

All-age recolors of melodie9's cornrow topknot (by alkaloid): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=214015

Female - Multi-age Recolors of Rose Sims2 Ponytail (by kaneonapua): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?p=1517938

Female - All-age Recolors of Rose Sims2 Loose, Upswept Hair (by kaneonapua): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?p=1512767

Female - Multi-age recolors in red of Rose Sims2 Ultra Long Hair (by kaneonapua): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?p=1507566

Female - All-ages red recolors of Peggy and Sunair meshes (by Lucinda3 (CheshireCat)): http://www.insimenator.net/showthread.php?t=31259 FILES EXCLUSIVELY ON INSIMENATOR

All-Age red and blonde recolors of MyoS Female 06 Mesh (by kaneonapua): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=208086

melodie9's all-ages female short perm (by alkaloid): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=207663

SKINTONES:

4 freckled skintones - Oepu recolors (you may need Seasons or Pets for them to work). (by Goldbeere) http://modthesims2.com/member/showthread.php?t=229655

(G-rated) Skins for red-headed sims in 3 sizes (by jwilson5): http://www.insimenator.net/showthread.php?t=32584

FACIAL HAIR AND EYEBROWS:

15 subtle unisex eyebrows for all skintones, plus DEFAULTS. (by alkaloid): http://sumomo.modthesims2.com/membe...ad.php?t=259267

4 retextures/recolors (1 red) of Maxis' 'stache. (by alkaloid): http://www.insimenator.net/showthread.php?t=43491

10 retextures/recolors (2 reds) of Maxis' wispy beard (by alkaloid): http://www.insimenator.net/showthread.php?t=41303

FRECKLE MAKEUP:

Layerable nose freckles in 3 shades (by alkaloid): http://www.insimenator.net/showthread.php?t=46242 *this is only available at InSim.

Layerable full-face freckles (by alkaloid): http://www.insimenator.net/showthread.php?t=32684

GENETIC FRECKLES:

Freckles linked to 14 binned and townie/no-townie eye colors (by alkaloid): http://www.insimenator.net/showthread.php?t=31304

CLOTHING AND MISCELLANY:

Assorted sizes adult and elder satiny polos, in eight colors for "autumn"s (by szielins) http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=219005

Assorted sizes adult and elder long skirts, in eight colors for "autumn"s (by szielins): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=219007

Jeans and "Western" shirts, diverse sizes, colors for "autumn"s, continued (by szielins): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=218708

Jeans and "Western" shirts, diverse sizes, colors for "autumn"s (by szielins): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=218705

Freckling tops - "Pale" (by szielins): http://www.modthesims2.com/member/s...ad.php?t=213995

Freckling tops - "Medium" (by szielins): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=214077

Freckling tops - "Dark" (by szielins): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=214123

Halter, bikini, and greaves dress frecklers, + mini and mini combo (by szielins): http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?p=1532731

OTHER THINGS

A group project forum on insimenator.net: http://www.insimenator.net/forumdisplay.php?f=463. You can also post links to related projects in this thread: http://www.insimenator.net/showthread.php?p=465214

And here's a fun thread where you can show off your in-game born redheads: http://www.insimenator.net/showthre...3328#post493328





RECOMMENDED OTHER UPLOADS ("REALISTIC" STYLE)

Enayla's Opaline skin is a lovely shiny pale tone with pink undertones, and comes with a matching freckled face mask. The drawback to this is that face masks layer over most other makeup. http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=128180

Enayla's Fresh Summer skintone has freckles across the nose, and is ideal for not-so-pale redheads. Pale Blush is part of the same post, and is also recommended. Both skintones have very high-level highlights. http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=120016

If you can legally access the adult site, JWilson5 made a very nice set of Louis-based skins with dark auburn body hair for the normal, slim bodybuilder, bodybuilder, 34C and 34DD bodytypes.

SciBirg has made default eyebrow replacements from 3 of Helaene's eyebrow styles. The red is more wine-y than auburn, but since these eyebrows are MILES better than the Maxis defaults, and there currently isn't a default brow replacement with a true auburn tone, they are included here. http://www.modthesims2.com/showthread.php?t=164632

Durka made 4 different multi-layerable freckles, which can be worn with each other: http://www.modthesims2.com/member/s...ad.php?t=201911

The redheaded stubble at Genensims works with realistic style sims: http://www.genensims.com

Cyphie made some nice recolors of XMSim's hair #49, including some nice dark reds: http://www.modthesims2.com/member/s...ad.php?t=212356

RECOMMENDED CLOTHING (list by kaneonapua):

Rabid Angel has some really cute sweaters in the Weekend at the Lodge series for Sims Connection.

The child sweaters are free downloads. There is a pretty male teen tan sweater that is a premium download.

The teal boy's sweater with elephants is currently at Boys Weekend at the Lodge

The blue girl's sweater should work for Autumns. Right now it is at Girl's Weekend at the Lodge

There is a very detailed Earth-toned gown at PeggySims which is a free download. Currently it is here

Lady_darkshine has reproduced a Weasley sweater from The Prisoner of Azkaban at MTS2.

The Teen Guy Makeover Fest: lliella has several everyday outfits in flattering colors for autumns.

RECOMMENDED OLDER UPLOADS ("MAXIS" STYLE)

Genensims has several good varieties of more orange recolors of the Maxis textures. They've made hair, beards, stubble and eyebrows, as well as pale and freckled skintones. http://www.genensims.com

Molarchew at the Sims Exchange has made several freckled Maxis-style skintones: http://thesims2.ea.com/mysimpage/up...&asset_type=sim





ABOUT THIS PROJECT

Our goal is to create a medium to large selection of quality NATURAL redhead textures and related items for the Sims! :D

Red hair textures should be silky, and have strong orange-brown undertones: strawberry blond(e), ginger, muted orange, light auburn, dark auburn. Legacy bodyshop would be killer. If you're not sure what I mean, look at the attached pictures and compare them to the Maxis reds and some of the red recolors floating around. See how they're browner/blonder and not nearly as bright? How the highlights skew yellow and orange instead of pink or white? How the shadows are brownish, not deep red or black?

Since the idea is to make a range of natural reds, artificial reds, such as Maxis "red", fire-engine red, pink, burgundy, dye-job "extreme reds" and the like are really not the sort of thing for this project. They're already all over the place, anyway. This isn't a statement against people who like, use or make those kinds of reds - the people in this project just have a strong preference for the more natural colors. We also don't have a problem with people who prefer or make Maxis-style textures. It's just a personal preference. Besides, Genensims already made a comprehensive selection of items for Maxis-style sims, and it would be a bit silly to remake everything they've made.

We're looking for other items while we're at it: eyebrows, eyelashes, all sorts of facial hair, a nice freckled and/or hairy skintone or two, and makeup and clothes in colors that flatter redheads. (We could even do Weasley sweaters).

For most projects, you don't have to ask permission to join, just tag in with your project in this post. You ONLY need to PM alkaloid in advance if you are making a default replacement package. If you need help, check out the excellent tutorials on this site.

If you're still stuck - remember that "red" doesn't mean red! It means orangey brown or brownish orange!

If that's not the problem, feel free to leave a note. Someone will wander by eventually and take a look. Please remember that this is a casual, open-ended project with no fixed deadline, so it might take a few days for someone to spot your post. Especially now - natural reds are far easier to find than when this project started, and many of the participating creators are taking well-deserved breaks.

By the way, if you're doing anything for this project, and you don't tag in or PM me, I won't know and I won't add your post to the list. I know some of you are shy, but I don't bite. (Mostly). If you're not sure if your post qualifies, and you really hate PMing people that much, I've got a list here that explains the minimum requirements for the project. Basically, if you can manage a natural shade of red and a fairly decent texture, chances are extremely good that your post will be included. That's the thing, though. If you can't get a natural shade of red going, please don't PM me asking to make an exception. I'm not going to. I'm not sure why I get these PMs in the first place, but since I definitely do get these PMs, I'll save everyone the trouble and spell it out.

Finally, a new rule: you have to link back to either this page or the forum at InSim in order to be linked on this project. I'm not going to retroactively kick out anyone who didn't before, but it's a firm requirement for having your projects listed as of March '07.

I don't have the skills to help, but I be delighted to have nice, realistic red heads!

OK, here's my first contribution-in-progress. They need some tweaking, but they're already pretty close to the reference images.

Oh I love it... I wish I had the talent to try it... You're doing a good job..
you have made a natural strawberry blonde proud !

I have been causually attempting to get more natural red colors. This is a recolor of a MyoSaek Female Hair 06. Something seems not quite right. Any suggestions?

I grew up in an area where natural red hair was very few and far between. Some of us had a dark brown that would sun bleach red and that was called "Ehu" or "red". It is hard to appreciate the genetic red shades until you see it in the flesh. I can remember touching my Irish friend's hair in utter amazement.

It's just a touch too magenta in the shadows and midtones. If you add a sheer yellow color adjustment layer (I'm not sure which program you're using), that should take care of it.

You can check it by sampling different colors in the hair. The shadows should show as a deep orange-brown, the midtones should be a medium to light orange-brown, and the highlights should be in the yellow-orange-brown family.

That is a big help. I couldn't figure out why I was seeig "pink". I am using Photoshop elements but that was done with a nik coffee filter.

K, since I've told some people to come here and tag in with their projects, I'm just noting that I'm working on recolors of melodie9's "short perm" and hystericalparoxysm's "cherub" meshes.

This is such an excellent idea. Nothing ruins a set of recolors more than an unrealistic and completely fake looking red recolor.

Somebody named MolarChew created some decent freckled skintones on the official TS2 site. Gates McFadden and Lindsey Lohan I know; but who's the model for the strawberry-haired woman?

The gal with the wavy strawberry hair is an aspiring model named Julie Lodge whose has a profile on the India Fashion site. Odd, since she if from Newfoundland but more power to her!

Link to Julie Lodge profile

Well they're lousy with redheads. Maybe she thinks she'll stand out more in Asia.

I was wondering if these were closer to the natural red shades? The photos are a touch more saturated then they are in my game.

The first attachment is my second shot at carrot and the elder for it. I tried using a natural blend of colors but the blend didn't seem to work as well as a more limited selection of colors did. The blend just seemes messy. Perhaps the texture gets too stretched on this mesh. I noticed I had to use stronger colors than I expected.

The blondish rear shot is an attempt at strawbery blonde with a bend of colors. I just don't care for the way the lower back came out. The brown shades are blobby in the lower part of the hair. The front view looks nicer.

I do have an auburn coming. I was almost done with it when I realized I had done the "bottle" auburn that is so popular around here.

That's a nice range of redheads in your reference photos. Red hair is not unusual around here. In fact, my son-in-law is a redhead (strawberry) I'd love to help though I have two issues that may mean you don't want me to. One is that I am not very experienced with hair. The second is that I can't run Sims currently, as my computer is mad at me and just crashes when I try.



Ok, never mind. I thought since Homecrafter runs without problem, Bodyshop probably would too, but it crashes worse than the game.

That is pretty close to a natural vibrant red.

Blobbiness can be fixed with the smudge tool. If you take a 1- or 2- pixel soft brush, set to about 50%, and smudge in the direction of the hair, you should be able to feather the colors and make it appear more natural.

I really like what you're doing so far - the mesh you chose is cute! :D

I live near to the town where Emily Dickinson, the poet, lived. Amherst Collage has a lock of her hair in its archives. She sent it to a women friend (a grandchild of Noah Webster) in a letter when she was 23 and the women's great-grandson gave it back to the college almost 100 years after Emily's death. I recently saw a nice printed photo of it. It is a very auburn. I'll have to try for that shade.

Oh, that's a really pretty shade.

I looked around for elder reference pics for you, but it's a little tough since it's easiest to find pictures of entertainers, who have professional reasons to dye their hair as they get older.

I really appreciate this project! But one thing that I'd like to point out to you is the Elders' hair. My great-grandmother was a bright strawberry blonde in her younger days, and now she has snow-white hair. Often people with red hair- especially pale reds- have hair that turns true white instead of grey. Coming from an Irish family I've seen several examples of this, it's just that my great-grandmother is the only one that I know what shade of red her hair was before it went white.

Thanks for the heads up.

Basically, there are lots of ways to go grey or white, and redheads are no exception. I just had a few PMs about someone who went pinky-beige instead of grey, and I have known redheads who just turn mousy brown, and others that go to a brown-and-white mix. We also have photo references of people with red-and-white mixes and red-and-grey mixes.

If someone wants to make pure white elder hair for this project, that's fine. As long as the elder state is in the realm of believable (that is, redheads don't develop into greys with blue undertones), I figure it's all good.

So, I'll try to mix in a white color for you, but there isn't a ton of interest in this project, and I can't say if there will be more than that.

Just checking in to note that I'll be doing some freckles next.

I can relate. I am Australian, and a redhead, but lived in Taipai when I was 2 and Hong Kong when I was 3... this was back in the early 1970s. My mum tells me that she'd walk down the street with me and people used to point and laugh or touch my hair for luck all the time.

I did want to say: I love this project of course.

My naturally red hair started in the light tones and went more coppery as I got older, but is now actually going ash/mousy brown as I age. As a child, it was carrot red, as a teen it was impossible to "name" the colour. It wasn't really red, but wasn't blonde or brown either....

The greys coming through (sigh) are of a mid silver.

Well done.

I am working on some of the free Rose Sims2 meshes. I am currently working on the very long straight hair that has two layers.

w00t! :D

This is a really cool project. Maybe I can help? I'll try anyways if its ok

Sure! If you've started a project, just note it here so we don't end up with 3 different people doing the same mesh. Drop me a line when it's uploaded, and feel free to come back here for help if you get stuck.