Bf 109G-2 Gunther Rall 8./Jg52

[ink]

Thanks INK, I'l be sure to give that a try. I've been thinking about ways to add some depth and variation to the paint.

that will definitely do that for ya

and no problem at all.

when you are doing your rivets let me know I know a way to rivet the whole plane in about 1 second

(ok not quite a second because the set up takes a bit of time....but once you click OK...literally ALL the rivets will be done in 1 second )

[Charge]

The panel lines stand out a bit too much on light blue underside. IRL there are only a few panel lines that can be seen from a distance so in general you might like to make those a bit less visible where as engine cowlings, slats and ailerons and elevators stand out more so you could use at least three line thicknesses. Particularly in the wings you should make the top plating limits almost invisible where as on lower side the wing there were a few larger panes which were visible since they were removable.

Also when you are weathering you can add detail more on lower side since there the weathering of panel lines show more as all the accumulated dirt tends to leak from removable panels, not through wing plating seams.

Might sound a bit complicated and for 109 it is, making a 190 is a bit easier since the paneling and different hatches are easier to make out in that one.

Also make the saw tooth pattern sharp on wing top camo, not rounded.

The colours look good.

 

-C+

[Devil 505]

updated the cammo. First are the wings. I used a sharp pointed sawtooth pattern.

I don't really think the sharp points fit this scheme, so I'll probably round them off a bit.

Next is the tail. I removed the green, leaving it only on the leading edge. Then I added mottles in both green and gray.



For the full effect.

[EskimoJoe]

Wings look too sharp to me. Remember, they were painted on by ground crew with (assumingly) paint brushes! 

[Devil 505]

Wings look too sharp to me. Remember, they were painted on by ground crew with (assumingly) paint brushes! 

you might want to read the last page again.

[Krusty]

I think that a number of those art profiles are suspect. When you don't have exact resources of the plane in question, you have to look to similar planes from the same time and the same place to see what conventions they have.

Looking at a similarly painted plane from the same factory you can see they adhered to the upper surface camo patterns:



This isn't the same plane but it's from the Erla lines and carries the sawtooth patterns.

You will pretty much never find a single solid grey color on the nose all the way from behind the cockpit to the spinner.

The only profile that seems to moderately match the photos of similar craft is:



However please note the coloring on this isn't the best. You will need to use what the standard colors were (RLM colors).

I think your over-spray is too low on the sides. Take a look here:



You can see that it's showing the lichtblau sides and that the overspray reaches down through most of (but not all) of the cross. Maybe raise the lower "line" of the overspray to match?


I also still think that the overspray should go up the spine above the standard splinter camo line but not cover it all. It's just hard to find a photo of this craft.


EDIT: Fixed last image

[Devil 505]

I think that a number of those art profiles are suspect. When you don't have exact resources of the plane in question, you have to look to similar planes from the same time and the same place to see what conventions they have.

I agree for the most part, but to play devils advocate, most show the rear fuselage and tail as I originaly did it. There has to be some legimiate reason that so many differant artists depict this aircraft this way. 4 out of 5 dentists agree and such, right? 

You will pretty much never find a single solid grey color on the nose all the way from behind the cockpit to the spinner.

If you look at this picture, the cammo looks like RLM 75 all the way to the canopy.

This picture shows the canopy frames also in RLM 75

So as far as we can tell the entire forward fuselage is RLM 75 on the upper surfaces.

I totally agree on the lower demarkation of the dark fuselage cammo. Although I wont be correcting it until I place the crosses.

Thanks again Krusty.

[Devil 505]

Ink, I'd like you tip for easy rivits please.

[EskimoJoe]

you might want to read the last page again.

What I'm saying is the edges look too sharp, like modern digital camo with perfect angles and whathaveyou.

They don't look like they were painted on ush so much as lasered on.

I'm no expert but this is what I see.

[Devil 505]

What I'm saying is the edges look too sharp, like modern digital camo with perfect angles and whathaveyou.

They don't look like they were painted on ush so much as lasered on.

I'm no expert but this is what I see.

Ah, gotcha. 
I added a blur filter to that layer and it helped a bunch.
 

[ink]

you have a tool called the "Paths tool" 

that will be how you lay out the rivets

take the default skin and make it a layer... add a new transparent layer above that.....take your paths tool and left click at the start of a row of rivets
(remember make sure your new layer is selected in the layer stack)

a small hollow circle will appear.....now left click at the other end of the same row of rivets a line will appear connecting the two circles....

TIP-   when you left click if you hold it down and drag two small squares called control points...will appear next to the circle you can grab a square and move the line with it...this is good for riveting around curves (also make sure your color is Black in the tool box)

lay out all the small rivet lines first  (its good just to practice on a new image just to get it down)

once you are satisfied with the lines (you can grab any of the circles and move them once they have been placed.)

right click go to "edit" down on the list will be "stroke path"  a window opens.....at the top make sure line width is 1 px

uncheck "antialiasing"

click the "+" at "line style"  at "dash preset" choose "normal dots" then click "stroke"

bang rivets 

now say you are doing the wing instead of redoing it again you can go to the layer stack at the top there are "layer dialog" "channel dialog" and "Path dialog" if they are not there go to windows up top of your edit window go to "dockable dialogs" and select the paths....

now that path dialog is chosen click the little eye so it can be seen...choose the "move tool" in the tool box under "move" you can select
"layer" "selection" or "path" choose "path"

now you can move the path to wherever you want.....if needed you can choose the "flip tool" and reverse the direction ether vertically or horizontally 

again each tool you must select the "paths" in the "move" section of the tool box.

remember to reselect the "layer" in the toolbox...for the tools you use...

(for larger rivets make the line width 2)

I have a layer for the different size rivets...

well that should do it hopefully its understandable and I didn't forget anything

[Devil 505]

Cool, thanks.

another question, is there a way to have a filter overlay all layers? Or do I have to flatten the image first?

[ink]

Cool, thanks.

another question, is there a way to have a filter overlay all layers? Or do I have to flatten the image first?

hmmmm....if you apply a filter to a layer it will effect everything below it in the layer stack....although I am not 100%.... I don't use filters for skinning.

what are you trying to do?

[Devil 505]

trying to use a noise layer to add some texture to the paint. It seems to only apply to the selected layer.

[ink]

the plasma clouds will have a better effect then noise....you could do both also and see what you get....

experimenting with it you can find all kinds of cool effects