Author Topic: Showa L2D (Read 2731 times)

Kev367th · « **Reply #15 on:** April 13, 2006, 11:34:38 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Skuzzy
As far as accuracy goes, there will always be an issue with one book saying one thing and another saying something else. Sometimes, it is simply a best guess, as none of us were actually there.

Good example is the Malta 'Blue' Spits.
NO-ONE knows what color they really were, but there are some good educated guesses.
There is ONE color pic in known existance showing a crashed blue Spit but even this doesn't really help (old pic, colors bad etc).

Another one is the 'pink' IX, only seen one very old faded color picture of it, all references pointed to "RAF Camotintpink" as the color.

Bruno -
Myself and other skinners send as much info on the skin as possible, in some cases there maybe a wartime pic, other cases it's a collection of links to profiles, other times just some good educated guesswork based on other aircraft from the same squadron.

Waffle · « **Reply #16 on:** April 14, 2006, 02:49:03 AM »

Was that a red or blue stripe?.....

I'm not sure, but I'll take a red stripe!

Tough call on using wartime pics...I've got lots of books on luftwaffe colors, and it will always be the case of "eductated" guessing and "imagineering" to fit the skin. Best references are always color photos - no matter how faded, or how horrible- you should be able to pick the contrast from a known color and work from there.

Second best references would be B&W pics - as long as you have a known color or an idea where to work from

Third would be well respected and well documented artist profiles based on pics.

fourth, for me, is respected scale modeling decals.

Dont trust some pics you find on the web...always do a tad of research behind the skin.....and never ever trust other profiles / skins from other digital media.

Edit: Also when dealing with paints and color charts - try to find out the paint manufacturer, what coding they used, any details about the paint. You can usually find a match within the various colorbooks availible, as some "odd ww2 colors" have colors in current colorbooks (RAL, FS, ect...)

BTW Greebo - skin looks good!

Skuzzy · « **Reply #17 on:** April 14, 2006, 05:53:11 AM »

Quote

Originally posted by Guppy35
Is there any way we can help the cause Skuzzy?

I think you guys are already doing it. It is rare I see a skin submission which has not been posted in this forum for critique. I think that is one of the best methods for insuring accuracy.

Greebo · « **Reply #18 on:** April 14, 2006, 09:53:22 AM »

OK, redid the yellow bands (thanks Machnix) and altered the cargo bay door as its a bit different to the C-47 or the Li-2 versions.

Wmaker · « **Reply #19 on:** April 14, 2006, 01:43:00 PM »

Simply beautiful Greebo!!

I'm just wondering that the green looks awfully dark...might be your gamma setting though?

Treize69 · « **Reply #20 on:** April 15, 2006, 02:36:40 AM »

I think IJA Dark Green was pretty dark shade, I know it always comes out really dark looking on any models I have painted with it.

Greebo · « **Reply #21 on:** April 15, 2006, 05:55:56 PM »

I must admit, I just took the colours for the Showa straight from Skinner's Paintshop. Since Wmaker mentioned it though, I thought I'd better do some research on IJNAF colours.

I found this excellent site on Japanese aircraft:
j-aircraft.com

In 1942 the IJN decided to go with a dark green and light grey scheme for their combat aircraft. However each of the aircraft manufacturers produced their own shades of green and grey paint. The Mitsubishi shades were completely different to the Nakajima ones, and so on. Not only that, but the shades varied throughout the war, Mitsubishi's 1944 green was not the same as its 1942 one. I guess you could say that IJNAF paint colours are a bit of a grey area......

Now no one mentions what shades Showa used, so whatever shade I use could be right. OTOH Nakajima produced about a sixth of the L2Ds and their colours are listed. The Nakajima colours are a lot lighter and the green is also much bluer.

The upper colour swatches and screenshots below are the original Skinner's Paintshop colours, specifically IJNAF colours N3 and N8. The lower examples are the Nakajima colours from j-aircraft.

Any input is welcome.

Kev367th · « **Reply #22 on:** April 15, 2006, 06:08:26 PM »

Try this Greebo -

Problem seems to be skins are rendered dark ingame.
So I add a lighten layer set to about 30, seems to be just enough to bring them back up again.

Greebo · « **Reply #23 on:** April 16, 2006, 06:04:38 PM »

I can't see any way of creating a lightening layer in PSP. Although I guess I could just lighten the paint layers or even the final bmp.

I'm in two minds as to whether it needs to be lighter anyway. I may just put this one away and come back to it with fresh eyes in a week or two. It'll be a while before the next batch of skins gets done, so there's no hurry to submit it. Thanks for the suggestion though.

Kev367th · « **Reply #24 on:** April 16, 2006, 11:27:00 PM »

From top menu -

Layers, New Adjustment Later, Brightness Contrast.

Greebo · « **Reply #25 on:** April 17, 2006, 06:31:39 AM »

Thanks Kev, dumb of me not to have worked that out. I've added a lightening layer and another layer with the centre of each panel faded a bit.

Citabria · « **Reply #26 on:** April 17, 2006, 03:43:08 PM »

me like!

MachNix · « **Reply #27 on:** April 18, 2006, 04:53:00 PM »

Yes, much better having the skin "lighter" – can see the details. Not an expert on Japanese colors but the bluer skin you're using looks more authentic.

Want some nit-picks?

1. On the yellow leading edge at the wing root, truncate the yellow at the wing root fillet so the yellow does not reach the fuselage.

2. If you modified the "dudes," darken them up. The model does not caste a shadow so the pilots are treated as if they are sitting in direct "sun."

3. Add some detail to the prop hubs if the skin lets you.

Even if you don't do the nit-picks, it's still a good-looking skin – better then I thought possible with the original 3D model design.

Greebo · « **Reply #28 on:** April 18, 2006, 05:51:28 PM »

Good suggestions Machnix. I've altered the yellow bands and added a darkened version of Kwaessa's excellent Japanese dude. The prop hubs are not skinnable unfortunately.