how do you do it?

[JB73]

ok...

how in the world do you figure out where 1 pard on the skin (example under the flaps) starts and stops?

do you ave some slick meathod? IIRC someone covered the whole BMP with a multi-colored checkerboard, and figured out stuff from that in tha past.


maybe my eyes are not good enough, but looking at the default and the one TK sent me, the black "background" makes it too hard for me to see where the actual parts "end"

if someone could make a blank panel line with a white background (like Kewassa did on the old 190's) in a layered image file i could try ym hand at a skin. as it stands right now, i spent a hour last night trying to make just the gear cover pink, just to see if i could do it. every time the pink was on some other part i didn't want it ; (

thanks for the help. since i am one of eht most vocal BEGGING for cool skins, i feel i should at least give it a try.

[Cobra412]

JB73 I know someone has a checkboard template out there. The particular method I use to get my panel lines dead on might not help you much.  

I use both Adobe Photoshop CS and Adobe Illustrator 8. I will scale my reference line photo onto the HTC default skin. Once it's scaled I take only the reference photos into Adobe Illustrator and do my lines. I'll import the new lines back into Photoshop and save them for testing in the game. If I need to adjust anything I adjust them in Illustrator so the lines don't get really jagged and then bring them back to Photoshop again.

Doing it this way allows me to fine tune every last line on the aircraft and keeps me from having those jagged edges if I just did them in Photoshop.

[JB73]

yeah, you pretty much lost me there LOL


i'll be really nice to you in the MA and let you vulch me a few times if you post a blank panel line template of the new dora ; )

[Cobra412]

I'm working on something now. Gimme a little time as I want to make the panel lines as perfect as possible. I'm doing a D9 template. Do you want every last piece or just the major parts like the wings and fuselage?

Edit: A trick I use is find a 4 view line drawing of the original aircraft in one of your books. Scan each individual view. I typically zoom in when I'm scanning it. Now find the areas that HTC has broken down inside the skin. Easiest parts to start with is the fuselages, wings, and elevators.

Now with one of your individual scans put it into a new layer inside Photoshop or Paint Shop Pro above the original HTC skin. On the line drawing layer lower it's opacity to about 45%. This will allow you to see the layer below. Use your scale option and drag the corners until you get atleast three lines to line up with the HTC skin. I typically line up the main line on the rudder where the surface moves. I'll then line up where the cowl flaps are. Last but not least I'll find a horizontal line or lines to match up to. On the Dora I'm lining up the two main lines above and below the exhaust stacks. Now that you have it basically lined up open up the viewer and see how close it is. Move the rudder to see if it's lines are fairly close and check to see that the exhaust stack lines and cowl flap lines look properly scaled.

Since you'll be using one program to do everything it's wise to try and get it as close as possible before you start making your lines. Now that you've got your items aligned you can start making your panel lines.

[JB73]

whatever you offer. i was hoping to do the color scheme, and the insignias and stuff, but taking credit for just that part is not right.

unfortunatly i am so porr with my paint shop skills, even the coloring will probably take a month LOL

what i was thinking though was if you remember kweassa's photoshop layered file with all the panel lines and rivets... a template like that.


actually im a bit suprised waffle hasn't put one out, he had to make it at one time ; )

cc on time, i have unlimited, and if you are making a template for future use by yourself / others, best make it as good as you can. im in no rush (seriously, even though i am beggin for skins i know what it really takes LOL )

[Cobra412]

JB73 I'll do that then. I'am making this template for not only you but for myself. I'm extremely picky when it comes to them. If one panel line is even a pixel off I will go back and adjust it until it's right. I'll only make the major items and everything else I'll leave up to you. I'm going to have to sift through to see what is what in the skin. But I'm getting the base templates aligned to the wings, fuselage, and elevators now. I have to go to work soon so I may get the basics finished by Sunday.

[Dux]

JB73, Here's the checkerboard that I use... help yourself. Save this image as an 8-bit BMP and rename it to replace whichever skin you're working on.

[JB73]

yeah, that;'s what i was thinking about LOL


i tried making my own, but couldn't figure out crap lol

ty, will give it a go

[ltlepy]

i need help im a noob i dont understand ****@!!!!