How to make a FiveM tattoo pack
Updated 2026-07-23
Tattoos in GTA 5 are overlay decals projected onto the ped skin, driven by overlay metadata that names each tattoo and its placement zone. The hard part was always placement: a design that looks centered in an image editor lands somewhere else on the actual body. The tattoo creator previews placement on the ped exactly as the game projects it.
How GTA 5 tattoos work
- The artwork is a texture with transparency.
- Overlay metadata registers each tattoo: its name, collection, and body zone (torso, arms, legs, and so on).
- Clothing shops and character menus list whatever collections are streamed on the server.
Design and place the tattoos
- 1Open the tattoo creator and add your artwork (PNG with transparency works).
- 2Pick the body zone and position the design on the 3D ped; the preview projects it the way the game will, so what you see is the in-game placement.
- 3Add as many designs as the pack needs, organized into a collection.
- 4Export the pack when everything sits right.
Skin is not flat: a straight design curves around an arm. Judge placement only on the 3D ped, never on the flat artwork.
Install the pack
- 1Drop the exported pack on the server as a resource and ensure it.
- 2The collection appears where your framework surfaces tattoos: shops, character creation, or admin menus.
- 3Apply one in game and check it on both body types your server uses.
You can also bring existing tattoo collections into the tool to inspect or extend them, which is handy when a server inherits an old pack nobody can edit anymore.
Frequently asked questions
- Does placement in the tool really match the game?
- Yes. The preview uses the same projection the game applies to overlays, which is the point of designing on the ped instead of a flat template.
- What image format do tattoos need?
- A PNG with transparency is the practical answer; the tool converts it into the texture format the game expects.
- Can tattoos show on top of clothing?
- Tattoos are skin overlays; clothing draws over them, the same as the stock game. Designs meant for clothing belong in a clothing texture instead, made with the cloth customizer.
- Is the tattoo creator free?
- Designing and previewing are free. You sign in with Discord to use the tool, and exporting the pack uses tokens.