Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Custom Skins => Topic started by: MotleyCH on May 10, 2007, 12:15:21 PM

Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: MotleyCH on May 10, 2007, 12:15:21 PM
Using Festers Template...I hope it's still okay.

I still have oil stains, weathering, noseart and a bunch more to do..but here's what I have so far.

(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/grimsfx/ahss1099.jpg)

(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/grimsfx/ahss1299.jpg)

(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/grimsfx/ahss1399.jpg)

(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/grimsfx/43-37733_Ace_of_Hearts.jpg)

(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/grimsfx/43-37733_Ace_of_Hearts2.jpg)

(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/grimsfx/43-37733_J_1ST_FEB_45.jpg)

(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/grimsfx/41_cu.jpg)

(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/grimsfx/Image12.jpg)
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: Dux on May 10, 2007, 12:42:50 PM
Wow, the material settings look perfect. :aok
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: Kermit de frog on May 10, 2007, 12:53:47 PM
Now that is a metallic looking skin!!!!


:aok :aok

Care to share on your talent?  I'd like to know how you acheived that metallic look.  It's fantastic.  Keep up the good work.
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: MotleyCH on May 10, 2007, 01:14:19 PM
Thanks :)

Well, I'm using gradients.

 The colors and reflections picked from pictures of "Sentimental Journey" in flight on a overcast day, kind of like the sky is in the MA.

But you have to make different gradients for different parts of the plane.

(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/grimsfx/gradient.jpg)
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: MotleyCH on May 10, 2007, 01:17:26 PM
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/grimsfx/sentimentaljourney.jpg)
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: MotleyCH on May 10, 2007, 01:19:11 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Dux
Wow, the material settings look perfect. :aok


I haven't touched the material file yet..I'm trying to use the default so far.
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: Guppy35 on May 10, 2007, 02:00:56 PM
Might suggest darkening the anti-glare panal on the nose as well as not forgetting them on the insides of the engine cowlings.

The bird Fester did had a really faded and weathered anti-glare panal, but that wasn't the norm.

Looks good though :)
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: macleod01 on May 10, 2007, 04:26:21 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Kermit de frog
Now that is a metallic looking skin!!!!


:aok :aok

Care to share on your talent?  I'd like to know how you acheived that metallic look.  It's fantastic.  Keep up the good work.


Maybe I havent been looking hard enough, but I dont think Ive seen your name beside any skins in game, or infact, seen you post in the skinning forum before! Maybe Im wrong, but if your a relativly new skinner, I bow at your feet. Im very impressed! Sir for an excellent job on a fine skin!
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: MotleyCH on May 10, 2007, 05:26:53 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Guppy35
Might suggest darkening the anti-glare panal on the nose as well as not forgetting them on the insides of the engine cowlings.

The bird Fester did had a really faded and weathered anti-glare panal, but that wasn't the norm.

Looks good though :)


Thanks Dan,..Ya..thats the default color. Still looking for a color pic or profiles of that squad showing the color of the anti-glare. (Green or tan/brown).

And Macleod thanks..I'm pretty new at this. I did do 2 BF-110G2's about a year ago. The wait time to see the skins put into game was really a turnoff, so I put skinning on hold for a while.
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: macleod01 on May 10, 2007, 05:30:19 PM
Quote
Originally posted by MotleyCH

And Macleod thanks..I'm pretty new at this. I did do 2 BF-110G2's about a year ago. The wait time to see the skins put into game was really a turnoff, so I put skinning on hold for a while.


Well many salutes to you for an awsome job. Im wanting to see that skin in game! You hear! So step to it! lol
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: Krusty on May 10, 2007, 05:31:12 PM
He made my favorite 110G skin, Mac!

I say go with a dark olive-tan type shade, rather than an OD/green shade. Most later B17s all had the same anti-glare color, I'm assuming (it wasn't a squadron marking, it served a function. (I don't see how it would change from unit to unit).
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: MotleyCH on May 10, 2007, 05:37:14 PM
OK.. Thanks Krusty!
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: Serenity on May 10, 2007, 08:22:18 PM
You've forgotten the 'U' on the tail.
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: Guppy35 on May 10, 2007, 09:37:54 PM
Quote
Originally posted by MotleyCH
Thanks Dan,..Ya..thats the default color. Still looking for a color pic or profiles of that squad showing the color of the anti-glare. (Green or tan/brown).

And Macleod thanks..I'm pretty new at this. I did do 2 BF-110G2's about a year ago. The wait time to see the skins put into game was really a turnoff, so I put skinning on hold for a while.


Anti-glare on the 17s would have been Olive Drab Green.  That's what faded over time.  It was the same regardless of the group as it was applied at the factory.

It faded over time obviously due to the weather in England.
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: toadkill on May 10, 2007, 11:39:35 PM
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Excuse me i have to go change pants now...... :D


:aok :aok :aok

Edit: think i could get the rgb values of some of those metal shades? :p  (J/k)
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: Furball on May 11, 2007, 01:59:08 AM
That is awesome.  Well done Motley.
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: Lord ReDhAwK on May 11, 2007, 11:29:49 AM
Great to see ya back in the skinning Mot.  Very pretty sir.

ReDhAwK
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: rogerdee on May 11, 2007, 02:52:16 PM
what version of psp are u using?
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: Krusty on May 11, 2007, 02:55:23 PM
I would suggest cleaning up the seams on the engine nacelles. They are split top/bottom and you can clearly see where the bitmap splits. I like the work you've done with the gradient tool (I'm not familiar with doing that kind of stuff!) but I think the engine seam breaks the illusion.
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: Fencer51 on May 11, 2007, 04:25:54 PM
First of all, let me say the skin looks nice.

But could you explain what you are trying to accomplish with the gradiant tool and how you are going about it.

Is it to achieve how light in the real world makes aluminum look?  Or is it to just simulate aluminum itself.

Sorry, but I am not understanding this. :confused:
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: MotleyCH on May 11, 2007, 06:47:24 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Fencer51
...could you explain what you are trying to accomplish with the gradiant tool and how you are going about it.

Is it to achieve how light in the real world makes aluminum look?  Or is it to just simulate aluminum itself.

Sorry, but I am not understanding this. :confused:


Well I'm trying to recreate the reflective colors that a shiny B-17 reflects, mostly the sky and the ground.

Blueish/Grey and Greenish/Grey

I'm trying not to make it look too blue...but it's a real reflective color seen in real life.

If you look at the gradient tool, the small square pic shows the color I'm painting on the sides of the B17s fuselage on a layer. Of course you would have to use the selection tool so your just painting the fuselage part with that gradient. Other wise the gradient will only paint part of the colors used in the gradient. Then I adjust the layers opacity to get the right look.
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: MotleyCH on May 11, 2007, 06:53:35 PM
Quote
Originally posted by rogerdee
what version of psp are u using?



PSP7
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: Fencer51 on May 11, 2007, 07:51:32 PM
Quote
Originally posted by MotleyCH
Well I'm trying to recreate the reflective colors that a shiny B-17 reflects, mostly the sky and the ground.

Blueish/Grey and Greenish/Grey

I'm trying not to make it look too blue...but it's a real reflective color seen in real life.

If you look at the gradient tool, the small square pic shows the color I'm painting on the sides of the B17s fuselage on a layer. Of course you would have to use the selection tool so your just painting the fuselage part with that gradient. Other wise the gradient will only paint part of the colors used in the gradient. Then I adjust the layers opacity to get the right look.


So your recreating the reflection of the terrain and sky on the plane.

Ok thanks!
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: Serenity on May 11, 2007, 08:19:11 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Serenity
You've forgotten the 'U' on the tail.


Dont know if you noticed.
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: MotleyCH on May 11, 2007, 09:00:21 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Serenity
Dont know if you noticed.


Thanks..but I'm not done yet. I haven't had a chance to work on it much since my first post.
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: Guppy35 on May 12, 2007, 12:46:21 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Serenity
You've forgotten the 'U' on the tail.


It's a Pathfinder B17 without the letter in the triangle :)

Note the caption.  It was practice to leave the group letter off the pathfinders.  Not that it's what Motley is really doing but I couldn't help but go with it :)

(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s199/guppy35/17s.jpg)
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: Serenity on May 12, 2007, 01:03:00 AM
lol. Again, I learn something from every one of your posts!
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: firbal on May 12, 2007, 11:07:03 AM
Very nice. Looking forward to useing this skin being that I was a member of the 457th in WB and AH.
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: Nutzoid on May 14, 2007, 05:59:25 PM
Wow!!!!   :O
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: MotleyCH on May 16, 2007, 12:55:35 PM
I haven't had much time to work on this since my first post. But I did some antiglare panels, the noseart, and redone a layer of rivets.

I'm trying to dig up colors for the rudder and tail turret and still need to blend the engines and panels lines on the nose. among other things.

(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/grimsfx/ahss14.jpg)

(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/grimsfx/ahss16.jpg)

(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/grimsfx/ahss17.jpg)
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: Guppy35 on May 16, 2007, 01:06:43 PM
Be sure and check photos of real NMF 17s.  Anti-glare goes infront of the astrodome on the nose.  You can see it on the 17s I posted above.

Looking good though.
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: MotleyCH on May 16, 2007, 01:19:59 PM
wow...i messed that up (scratches head)

Oh i thought I reversed it at first..I'll check into thanks
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: Krusty on May 16, 2007, 02:01:26 PM
You've got the anti-glare on the engines taking up 1/4 of the engine, but I think it should be 1/3, with the lower edge extending further down the side of the engine.

Think of a peace symbol when looking at the engine from the front. Take the lines and mentally cut the engine into thirds.
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: MotleyCH on May 16, 2007, 02:15:03 PM
thanks Krusty
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: TwinBoom on May 17, 2007, 03:27:36 PM
Quote
Originally posted by firbal
Very nice. Looking forward to useing this skin being that I was a member of the 457th in WB and AH.


:huh WHO DAT?
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: Citabria on May 17, 2007, 03:30:39 PM
no problem using the template because all I released was a black and white bitmap. your doing all the work its just a guide.

make panels and rivets very faint especially rivets.

skin is a buff and its lower resolution than fighters simply cuz the buff is bigger and texturemap remains 1024x1024

also dont leave the texture seams mismatched if your gonna make a quality skin you cant have all these converging textures not blending together at the seams. they are a pain to match up but they look bad if you dont.
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: Treize69 on May 17, 2007, 04:42:09 PM
Quote
Originally posted by TwinBoom
:huh WHO DAT?


Thats 457th, not 475th you dyslexic beewd. :p
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: Stoney74 on May 17, 2007, 09:45:22 PM
Quote
Originally posted by Citabria
also dont leave the texture seams mismatched if your gonna make a quality skin you cant have all these converging textures not blending together at the seams. they are a pain to match up but they look bad if you dont.


Can you describe some techniques for doing that seam blending?  Its one of my major hang-ups on my P-47 at the transitions around the cowl.  I keep getting some "streaks" from my weathering where it gets stretched by the model...
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: MotleyCH on May 18, 2007, 02:19:07 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Citabria
no problem using the template because all I released was a black and white bitmap. your doing all the work its just a guide.

make panels and rivets very faint especially rivets.

skin is a buff and its lower resolution than fighters simply cuz the buff is bigger and texturemap remains 1024x1024

also dont leave the texture seams mismatched if your gonna make a quality skin you cant have all these converging textures not blending together at the seams. they are a pain to match up but they look bad if you dont.



Thanks man.
Title: Ace of Hearts: B-17G 43-37733, 749th BS/457th BG
Post by: MotleyCH on May 18, 2007, 02:49:08 AM
I made some progress today..still need to do oil/smoke stains, blend the engines again, fade the rivets a little bit and fix the nose. My next post with pics will be final hopefully Sunday.

I'm pretty happy with this one so far with the different lighting conditions.

Anyone know if I should put the triangle with the "U" on the bottom of the wing?

Do the markings look correct size and placement?


(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/grimsfx/ahss24.jpg)

(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/grimsfx/ahss25.jpg)

(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e28/grimsfx/ahss28.jpg)