1st Submission possible skin WIP

[Sol75]

Well, Started my 1st skin for submission, it is "Arkansas Traveler" flown by Owen Fincher of the 492nd FS/367th FG...

Here is the progress so far

[Motherland]

Some suggestions for the panel lines & rivets

First off I like to do rivets in white. Seems like a personal thing among skinners, majority are black but many use white as well. Just something to consider.
For both the panel lines and rivets (while the rivets are still black-- I do them in black and then invert), duplicate the layer and use a gaussian blur. I set that layer to around 20-25 depending. This gives a look of dirt buildup around the panel lines, the panel rounding into the panel line, gives a bit of an uneven 'this is sheet metal' look where the rivets are, and most importantly cuts a bit of the edge off of the panel lines, which IMO (at least on my skins) look very pronounced and almost out of place without this.

Another thing I like to do with panel lines is use several (3-5 usually I think) panel layers with different opacities. These are doors, access hatches, control surface joints, plain old 'new panel starts here' etc... gets rid of the monotony a bit.

Also the paint wear is a bit heavy.


Don't get me wrong... it looks fantastic. As it is now are definitely worse skins in the game.

[Sol75]

Yea I was wondering how to "dirty up" the panel lines.. ill give that a shot.

When you say too heavy on the paint wear, you mean too many marks, or too bright... Can adjsut either or both.  I agree something is off on the paint wear but I cant put my finger on it.

[Motherland]

Too 'deep' I guess would be the best way to put it. Generally the only place you should have the paint wearing to the bare metal underneath (or even close to it) is one a walkway. I haven't seen many photos of aircraft with paint that worn in any other place. The way I do it is with a layer for extremely light scratches (1 pixel brush very low opacity), more general 'abrasion' I guess you would say (various brushes, slightly higher opacity) and then darker scratches (usually 1 pixel brush higher opacity). Generally these won't break 15% opacity. Then I have a layer for walkway wear where it's worn almost to the metal, but you don't have a painted walkway.

[Sol75]

Thanks, I'll give that a go and see how ti turns out

All advice is welcome and well recieved... complete noob to skinning.  this 1st time ive tried to skin in any game hehe

Sol

[oboe]

Hey Sol your topside wing star and bar insignia is on the wrong wing.

Also that green antiglare is too forest-greenish.  Should be flat olive drab, or perhaps flat black.   Here is a great site to check out for color swatches:

http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/

Also, go find the font "AmarilloUSAF" for your aircraft ID letters - it looks like you've used maybe bold Arial or something similar.  Doesn't look correct to me.

Nice job on the nose art - very clear and colorful.   You'll have to post a reference pic or profile for us though

Keep at it!

[Guppy35]

I've got a color shot of it somewhere here in all the 38 stuff but I can't find it!

A well known 367th FG bird.  I think she ended up with the 370th when the 367th went to Jugs too.

[Sol75]

Thanks Dan, that helps to refine the nose a bit! appreciated!
I am seeing a few photos of this bird with invasion stripes, and some without..not sure which way to go on it.  Is this basically my personal preference since both exist?

Sol

[Knite]

Heya Sol! She looks good but a bit... ummm.. Clean. Dirty her up some, if ya know what I mean ;-)
Some common spots I usually make sure to mess up are by the cockpit on the interior wings where crew members may have walked around and the pilot walked up to mount the aircraft. Another place I often dirty up a little bit is right behind the engine exhaust to make it look like it got some "soot" on it.

I'll often check other skins in game to come up with ideas.
Otherwise Glad to see ya stickin with it! You'd learnin quick and doin great!

[Sol75]

Here is the latest iteration.  Added some "dirt" to it, added gaussian blur to panel lines, added exhaust, fixed insignia location, changed anti-glare color

[5PointOh]

Sol,

Personally if it were me, I'd lighten the blueing of the metal just a bit.  Otherwise, looking good sir.

[TwinBoom]

missing colors around gun barrels on the nose

[Sol75]

missing colors around gun barrels on the nose

hehe yea, im trying to find a way to figure out where on the skin itself those go.. without playing click load click load etc etc (trial and error method)

Sol

[Sol75]

Having issues on the gun ovals.  When I put the oval int he correct position for the upper machine gun port, it seems to strech over the top of the nose as well.. can't seem to get it to not do this. When I move/distort it to where it does not do this, it no longer lies over where the port should be.  Any help?

[Knite]

Having issues on the gun ovals.  When I put the oval int he correct position for the upper machine gun port, it seems to strech over the top of the nose as well.. can't seem to get it to not do this. When I move/distort it to where it does not do this, it no longer lies over where the port should be.  Any help?

Unfortuantely, there's certain areas of ANY skin where "that's just the way it is".