Nails

Nail Shape sets the silhouette of the nail, the outline visible from above. Options typically include square, rounded, oval, coffin (ballerina), stiletto (pointed), and almond, though the exact set may vary.

Each shape has its own geometry; the Nail Length and Arch sliders adjust that shape's proportions. Different shapes read differently at different lengths, so experiment to find the right combination.

Nail length controls how much the nail extends beyond the fingertip. Short lengths look natural and understated; longer lengths create dramatic statement nails. The length is relative to the finger, and extreme values may look stylized rather than realistic.

Length interacts with Arch. On stiletto and coffin shapes, longer nails often pair well with higher arch values.

Arch controls the curvature at the free edge of the nail: how much it curves or hooks at the tip. A low arch is nearly flat; a high arch creates a deep curve. The effect varies per shape: arch is most noticeable on rounded, oval, and coffin shapes.

Add Charm opens the charm library, a collection of 3D decorative objects (gems, stars, bows, etc.) that you can place on the nail surface. Selecting a charm from the library creates a charm entry in your project.

Each charm entry can have multiple placed copies on different nails, and can be recolored independently from the nail base material.

The charm card represents one type of charm in your project. From here you can:

• Place more copies of this charm on nails using the arm button.
• Swap the 3D model to a different charm shape from the library.
• Remove this charm type and all its placed copies.

A single nail can have multiple charm types on it; charms can overlap freely in the editor.

Click Place Charm to enter placement mode for this charm type. While armed, clicking any nail in the 3D preview drops a copy of the charm on that nail.

Click Place Charm again (or press Escape) to exit placement mode. Placed copies can be selected individually in the preview to adjust their position, rotation, and scale.

Charm Shape swaps this charm's 3D model without disturbing its placed instances; all copies update to the new shape. Use it to try different geometries without re-placing everything.

A placed charm is one instance of a charm type on a specific nail. Select a placed charm in the 3D preview to:

• Adjust its Move / Rotate / Scale using the gizmo.
• Change its Rig Binding (which finger bone it follows in-game).

Placed charms are per-nail, so you can place the same charm type on multiple nails, and each copy is independently positionable.

Rig binding controls which bone in the hand skeleton this charm is attached to. In-game, the charm will move and rotate with that bone as the Sim's finger animates.

• Auto: Llama Builder detects the nearest finger bone based on the charm's position on the nail. This is the recommended setting for most cases.
• Manual: choose the bone yourself. Use this if auto-binding picks the wrong one, such as on nails near a knuckle joint.

Correct rig binding prevents charms from floating away from the nail during animations.

The transform gizmo positions, orients, and sizes the selected charm. Choose a mode:

• Move: drag the axis handles to reposition the charm along X, Y, or Z.
• Rotate: drag the ring handles to spin the charm around each axis.
• Scale: drag the scale handles to resize the charm uniformly or on a single axis.

Changes are reflected live in the 3D preview. After transforming, the charm stays in that position for this specific placed copy.

Material slots are the independently colorable regions of the nail surface. The base nail geometry may have one or more slots (e.g. a main nail surface and a tip region for French manicure styles).

Each swatch sets all slots, so switching between swatches changes the entire nail color scheme. Within a swatch, you set each slot's fill type (solid, gradient, or image) and its colors independently.

Fill type controls how the material slot is colored. The three options are:

• Solid: a flat, single color. Simple and fast.
• Gradient: a smooth blend between two or more color stops. Supports multiple stops, each with its own color and position. The Gradient Angle controls the direction of the blend.
• Image: fill the slot with an uploaded image, using the standard fit controls.

Each slot in each swatch can use a different fill type, so you can mix solid nails with gradient accents in the same design.

A gradient stop is a single color point on the gradient strip. The gradient smoothly blends between stops in order. Click a stop to select it and change its color; drag it left or right along the strip to reposition it.

You need at least two stops for a gradient to render. Add more stops to create complex multi-color blends like rainbow or ombre effects.

Add Stop inserts a new color point into the gradient. The new stop is placed at the midpoint between existing stops and picks up the blended color at that position as a starting color.

More stops give you more control over where each color sits in the blend. Remove unwanted stops by selecting them and pressing Delete.

Gradient angle controls the direction the blend travels across the nail surface. 0° runs left to right; 90° runs bottom to top; 45° runs diagonally. Use angle to create effects like a vertical fade from cuticle to tip or a diagonal shimmer.

Image fill uses an uploaded PNG or JPG as the color/texture for this material slot. The standard Image Fit controls (Stretch, Cover, Contain, Custom) apply.

Image fills work well for nail-art patterns, foil textures, or decorative prints. Because each slot can have its own image, you can layer different patterns across the nail regions.

Charm color sets the material fill for the selected charm type, independent from the nail base material. You can use the same solid / gradient / image fill options as the nail slots.

Charm color is set per-swatch, so you can have the same charm appear in different colors across your swatches.

Sims come in two body frames, and the hands differ enough between them that a set can read differently on each. This toggle switches which frame's body the hand and body camera views mount, so you can check both without leaving the editor.

It is a preview aid only. The nails themselves are the same mesh on both frames, and the exported package is unchanged either way. Swatch thumbnails are unaffected too: nail tiles show the painted material on its own and never render a body at all.

The toggle is always available, even if your Restrictions currently allow only one frame in-game, so you can still check how the set reads on the other body. The hand and body views need your game files linked, so the first click asks for that if you have not linked them yet.

Restrictions control which Sims can wear your item in Create-a-Sim:

• Ages: which life stages (Teen, Adult, Elder…) the item is available to.
• Frame: the masculine and/or feminine body frame.

At least one age and one frame must stay selected. A CAS part with no valid age, or no valid frame, never appears in Create-a-Sim at all, so the editor won't let you clear the last one.