Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Custom Skins => Topic started by: Sol75 on December 18, 2009, 06:13:05 PM

Title: Base P-38L Bare Metal Skin
Post by: Sol75 on December 18, 2009, 06:13:05 PM
Well, got started on this skinning thing, this is what I have so far.  Basically a base to start working from.  Got the panel lines, and the bare metal effects.  I think it turned out pretty well for a 1st try! Anyone has any advice/critique, PLEASE tell me, so's I can learn!

(http://photos.bravenet.com/389/645/485/F603650BF3.jpg)


Sol
Title: Re: Base P-38L Bare Metal Skin
Post by: oboe on December 18, 2009, 06:37:01 PM
Very nice.  Coupla tips - the access panel doors near the rear on the booms exist only on the left side of the booms (that's on the outside of the left boom and the inside of the right boom).

Also, go into the game, get in the skin, sit on the runway and go to external view.   Now make sure all the control surface panel lines correspond to the actual control surface when its moved - I think I recall many panel line errors there.   Be sure to do top and bottom of all control surfaces.

Good start, and welcome to skinning!
Title: Re: Base P-38L Bare Metal Skin
Post by: 5PointOh on December 18, 2009, 07:03:50 PM
Which editing program are you using Sol??
Title: Re: Base P-38L Bare Metal Skin
Post by: Sol75 on December 18, 2009, 07:10:50 PM
Photoshop CS3
Title: Re: Base P-38L Bare Metal Skin
Post by: Sol75 on December 18, 2009, 07:22:04 PM
Okay I have concluded doing the rivets is tedious as heck.. lol... click.. click..dot..dot..click..dot.. cutnpaste..click..dot...click ...dot.... :furious
Title: Re: Base P-38L Bare Metal Skin
Post by: cactuskooler on December 18, 2009, 07:28:42 PM
Okay I have concluded doing the rivets is tedious as heck.. lol... click.. click..dot..dot..click..dot.. cutnpaste..click..dot...click ...dot.... :furious

Try this.

http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/forums/f37-photoshop-tutorials/making-quick-rivets-smooth-curving-panel-rivet-lines-466/ (http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/forums/f37-photoshop-tutorials/making-quick-rivets-smooth-curving-panel-rivet-lines-466/)

 :D
Title: Re: Base P-38L Bare Metal Skin
Post by: Knite on December 18, 2009, 07:32:11 PM
Glad to see you didn't give up Sol! Looking good so far!  :aok

One piece of advice I have real quick is that if you look at the "nostrils" of the engine booms (i.e. to the sides of the prop on the fuselage), you'll see the 3d model sticks out THROUGH the stock panel lines. So, if you're using the stock panel lines as a template, you may want to pay attention to that little detail. I think I got it wrong on my first 2 skins. lol

 :salute
Title: Re: Base P-38L Bare Metal Skin
Post by: jocko- on December 18, 2009, 10:11:24 PM
Yeah, rivet layers are the worst, panel lines are a close second. But they are the foundation that you use to create your weathering :). Building good bones makes creating the flesh more enjoyable. Wow, I'm really craving Christmas turkey...  :)
Title: Re: Base P-38L Bare Metal Skin
Post by: Sol75 on December 19, 2009, 12:03:37 AM
Got some more work done, figured I would show it a bit lol

Have the bare metal, panel lines, rivets, base paint, insignia, and fuel doors on her now... 
Am presently adding tone variations to the various panels themselves to emulate different runs of aluminum.

(http://photos.bravenet.com/389/645/485/5A82CC8A58.jpg)

(http://photos.bravenet.com/389/645/485/DB2FC769D9.jpg)

Again, any input is appreciated
Title: Re: Base P-38L Bare Metal Skin
Post by: 5PointOh on December 19, 2009, 12:30:12 AM
Whats the opacity on your rivets and panel lines?  I typically set mine between 5-15% (depending on what looks the best).
Title: Re: Base P-38L Bare Metal Skin
Post by: Sol75 on December 19, 2009, 12:31:52 AM
22% right now, I was looking at it, and am going to back that off to more like 15 I think

Sol
Title: Re: Base P-38L Bare Metal Skin
Post by: oboe on December 19, 2009, 04:57:20 PM
Sol, do you have two sets of panel lines, one light and one dark, offset by 1 pixel to give a 3D/glare/shadow effect on the panel section edges?
Title: Re: Base P-38L Bare Metal Skin
Post by: Sol75 on December 19, 2009, 05:15:33 PM
I used a drop shadow effect on the panel line layer for that... offset 1px, 1px wide.

Sol
Title: Re: Base P-38L Bare Metal Skin
Post by: Greebo on December 20, 2009, 08:28:05 AM
Looking good sol75.  :aok

I prefer using a seperate layer for the panel line highlights for a couple of reasons. First it lets me alter the strength of the highlight independently from the panel line strength. Also I offset the lines in different areas of the skin in different directions to make the light direction consistent on the skin. I wrote some stuff about this here: panel line tutorial (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,233951.0.html)