Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => Custom Skins => Topic started by: FTJR on August 31, 2011, 11:10:11 AM

Title: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: FTJR on August 31, 2011, 11:10:11 AM
I mentioned to someone that I'd redo my 75 Sqd P40, here is a small Screen Shot, of work in progress, though i hope nearing the end.
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd121/jackfrost_011/ahss3-3.jpg)
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: Krusty on August 31, 2011, 12:29:06 PM
Ahhh, good ol'e "Cleaopatra"

I was expecting to see this one sooner or later!

 :aok
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: ink on August 31, 2011, 01:27:17 PM
nice :aok
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: lyric1 on August 31, 2011, 03:17:19 PM
 :aok
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: Devil 505 on August 31, 2011, 03:51:46 PM
Cool!  :aok
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: SmokinLoon on August 31, 2011, 04:11:10 PM
*leg humps FTJR*

I'ts great to see "Cleo" back again!!!    :)

I  :salute you , Sir!!!      :cheers:

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!!      :aok


 :banana:


 :D      


Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: FTJR on August 31, 2011, 07:17:34 PM
Tks Guys
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: SmokinLoon on August 31, 2011, 11:30:43 PM
FTJR, would you be willing to post more photos of that P40E RAAF No. 75 Squadron?  Also, what else is left to finish? 
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: FTJR on August 31, 2011, 11:48:41 PM
Smokin' I dont mind to post more, I am just working on the underside, but dont expect something like Inks detail, i dont have the skill for that yet.
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: ink on September 01, 2011, 06:51:32 AM
Smokin' I dont mind to post more, I am just working on the underside, but dont expect something like Inks detail, i dont have the skill for that yet.

thanx  :o


you'll get it, I have faith   :salute


this is looking very good so far...just too pretty.... :D

kidding..... it looks very good :salute


Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: SmokinLoon on September 01, 2011, 01:39:04 PM
Smokin' I dont mind to post more, I am just working on the underside, but dont expect something like Inks detail, i dont have the skill for that yet.

I dont really compare skinners against each other, there isnt anyone of you talented fellows that doesnt have something to learn from each other.  Besides, who am I to judge???  I can barely edit a sound file let alone try and skin, I about fainted trying to get the first M3 figured out.
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: Liberator on September 01, 2011, 03:57:56 PM
Beautiful! :aok
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: FTJR on September 06, 2011, 09:55:08 PM
Here's a view of the underside, im going to sit on this for a week or so before deciding on further modifications

(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd121/jackfrost_011/Clipboard03.jpg)
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: SmokinLoon on September 06, 2011, 10:30:07 PM
Send it as is.  You could sit and dwell on it for weeks and you could always find more stuff to add/subtract/edit. 

I think she looks good to go.   :aok 

and thanks again!   :salute
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: ink on September 06, 2011, 10:56:25 PM
no bulges on the ammo ejector plate? (or whatever its called)

personally I think you can do more...stain on belly is to even and smooth at least break that up
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: FTJR on September 07, 2011, 12:17:14 AM
Tks Loon.

Ink, I dont know if it bulges that much, but I agree with you on the staining.

Cheers

Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: ink on September 07, 2011, 01:01:23 AM
definitely do enough to show it :salute

(http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w246/fieldsofink/p40ephoto7.jpg)
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: FTJR on September 07, 2011, 02:44:26 AM
Thanks for the picture
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: oboe on September 07, 2011, 09:25:03 AM
Weathering, dirt grime and scratches really make the skin, I think.   I've tried making a 'newer' plane look and it just doesn't look as realistic IMO.  If you're stuck, I'd suggest two things.  First, study the undersides of Greebo's skins- especially his P-47s.   Look at what he does around gear doors and access panels and gun ejector chutes.   Then, make backup of your skin, and try all the things you see - don't hold back - overdo it on purpose - you can scale back later.   If you're tentative about applying grease and oil stains - just break the dam open and try lots of it on the skin.   

Not sure what the defautl P-40 has for weathering on underside but if Cactus did it that's probably a great example too.
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: FTJR on September 11, 2011, 12:29:41 AM
Sorry i've been away with work, updated underside.
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd121/jackfrost_011/Clipboard01-5.jpg)
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: ink on September 11, 2011, 01:48:51 AM
nice :aok
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: Greebo on September 11, 2011, 03:17:31 AM
It is looking promising FTJR. Here's a few suggestions I have you might want to consider:

The panel lines all look very uniform in opacity. Lines on things like the edges of the control surfaces, undercarriage, gun and engine access panels etc should be heavier than the other lines as they represent breaks in the skin rather than overlapped panels. Easiest way to do this is to create copies of your panel line layers, change the lines' colour temporarily and then erase the lines you don't want to be heavy. Ypu can then vary the opacity of your new layers to get them looking right.

The front of the elevators and ailerons could do with a thin shadow on their leading edges. Easiest way is to draw a one pixel wide vertical line, gaussian blur it, and then remove one half of it so you get a sharp dark line on one side that tapers away to nothing on for a few pixels on the other side. Now copy and paste copies of this line onto your control surface hinge lines, rotating them as necessary. The sharp part of the line is on the hinge line with the tapering part fading back onto the control surface itself.

WRT weathering I've found a couple of threads where I've discussed it before here (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,131372) and here (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,150780).

I'd say don't be afraid to add more layers, my skins often have 20-30 layers of weathering effects. If you chuck everything on one or two layers you can't vary one effect against another later on.

Maybe add a second layer of oil streaks below the fuselage, but lots of thinner (one or to pixels wide) and slightly wavy ones, partly erased as they thin out towards the rear. Combined with the more general oil staining you've already done, these would look more realistic IMO.

On most planes the cartridge ejection holes usually have staining behind them as well as the gun barrels themselves, although I haven't looked at WW2 P-40 photos to check this.

Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: FTJR on September 11, 2011, 10:08:33 AM
Hi Greebo, thanks for the input, I'll try and do more with the weathering and panel lines as you suggest. Cheers.
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: SmokinLoon on September 18, 2011, 08:22:58 PM
Just curious regarding this highly valued P40E skin... anything updated to look at?   :D 

has it been submitted???  :pray  It'd be nice to have ASAP.   :aok
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: FTJR on September 18, 2011, 10:44:47 PM
Hi ' Loon, I've been away with work and RL events the last week, and haven't had time to put into it. The time I have had I've been trying to follow Greebo's suggestions. Hopefully later this week I'll update it.
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: SmokinLoon on September 19, 2011, 05:30:22 PM
Hi ' Loon, I've been away with work and RL events the last week, and haven't had time to put into it. The time I have had I've been trying to follow Greebo's suggestions. Hopefully later this week I'll update it.

Good to know.  Obviously, RL always comes first (Beer, Church, Family, Job, School, etc).  I just hope you are able to get the skin adjusted as you see fit and submitted for approval well enough in advance for HTC to get it into the next update.   :pray  Again, a big thanks for working on this skin.   :salute   :aok
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: FTJR on September 20, 2011, 04:45:49 AM
Ok, in an effort to display a little more clearly I've moved on to my 450 Squadron P40, the weathering and staining is additional, as is the heavier engine lines as suggested by Greebo.
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd121/jackfrost_011/Clipboard05.jpg)
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd121/jackfrost_011/Clipboard04-1.jpg)
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd121/jackfrost_011/Clipboard06.jpg)
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: ink on September 20, 2011, 11:27:52 AM
belly is purple...otherwise looks good :salute

although i don't like the gear door paint the way it just stops....shouldn't it be at the edge of wing?
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: SmokinLoon on September 20, 2011, 12:13:49 PM
Nice!  Good to see an RAF skin in there as well!!!     :aok

So does that mean 75 Sqd RAAF is finished???   
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: lyric1 on September 20, 2011, 03:14:09 PM
Nice!  Good to see an RAF skin in there as well!!!     :aok


RAF :huh bite your tongue.

Had a lot of trouble finding that naked lady.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._450_Squadron_RAAF
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: lyric1 on September 20, 2011, 03:17:16 PM
Ok, in an effort to display a little more clearly I've moved on to my 450 Squadron P40, the weathering and staining is additional, as is the heavier engine lines as suggested by Greebo.
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd121/jackfrost_011/Clipboard05.jpg)
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd121/jackfrost_011/Clipboard04-1.jpg)
(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd121/jackfrost_011/Clipboard06.jpg)
  Strong start out the gate.  :aok
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: SmokinLoon on September 20, 2011, 04:35:06 PM
RAF :huh bite your tongue.

Had a lot of trouble finding that naked lady.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No._450_Squadron_RAAF

My bad!  Sorry!  :(
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: FTJR on September 20, 2011, 06:40:35 PM
belly is purple...otherwise looks good :salute

although i don't like the gear door paint the way it just stops....shouldn't it be at the edge of wing?

Yeah the gear door was something I missed, thats corrected now.  Purple? It is Azure blue or am I misunderstanding what you mean. Tks Ink
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: FTJR on September 20, 2011, 06:43:16 PM

So does that mean 75 Sqd RAAF is finished???   

As good as, Im just trying to follow the suggestions by Greebo, I've just used the desert Skin to display it better.

Thanks Lyric.
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: ink on September 20, 2011, 07:16:08 PM
Yeah the gear door was something I missed, thats corrected now.  Purple? It is Azure blue or am I misunderstanding what you mean. Tks Ink

has a purple hue on my monitor...could be simple as that :salute
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: Devil 505 on September 20, 2011, 07:34:37 PM
There is defanately too much purple in there.
Here is a model Spit V Trop I'm building. I believe this is a better representation of Azure Blue as it really was.
(http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/ff252/DropkickYankees/Spitfiremodel006.jpg)
Looks very nice otherwise. :aok

Also, why the differant color on the cowl flaps? I also noticed it on the RAAF bird you're doing.
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: lyric1 on September 20, 2011, 08:18:55 PM
has a purple hue on my monitor...could be simple as that :salute
The underside looks to have a few different shades to it on my end & they look blue. The roundel on the other hand has a very purple look to it now that I look closer.
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: FTJR on September 20, 2011, 09:44:33 PM
No, you're all correct, my swatch for Azure blue was off (somehow?) Anyway good catch thanks.
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: FTJR on September 20, 2011, 10:31:01 PM
Change log: Updated the Blue, using the swatch from SImmers Paint shop (different still to Devils) The patchiness of the blue is due to the dirt, and staining. Painted the engine cowls, reduced the purple ish of the Roundels. Thanks for the input guys.

(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd121/jackfrost_011/Clipboard07.jpg)
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: ink on September 20, 2011, 11:47:46 PM
 :aok
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: Devil 505 on September 20, 2011, 11:48:10 PM
Looks great now.  :aok
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: lyric1 on September 21, 2011, 03:10:31 PM
Nice step forward.  :aok
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: FTJR on September 22, 2011, 09:21:59 PM
Final post, 3 Squadron P40, unique in its Sand cammo.

(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd121/jackfrost_011/Clipboard10.jpg)
Title: Re: 75 Sqdn P40e
Post by: lyric1 on September 22, 2011, 10:44:52 PM
Final post, 3 Squadron P40, unique in its Sand cammo.

(http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd121/jackfrost_011/Clipboard10.jpg)
That is a nice shot. :aok