QUERY: Drawing Panel Lines. How?

[OleBoy]

I tried a search before asking, but I can't find anything relevant to what I'm trying to do. And I've never attempted to make panel lines prior to now.

Can anyone tell me how to draw panel lines by means of the line tool in Adobe Photoshop CS3? Or whatever the best method is?

[Tako_Kichi]

The line tool is only good if your lines are running absolutely vertical or horizontal. Anything on an angle will result in a series of steps or zig-zags. To use it select the tool and click once at the start of the line and then hold down the 'Shift' key and click a second time where you want the line to end.

I prefer to use the pencil tool for panel lines with a brush width of 1 or 2 pixels (depending on the size of the texture sheet).

My favourite tool is the pen tool but that is better for larger areas and intricate shapes.

I don't know if you've seen it before but this site has some great tutorials on making panel and rivet lines........

http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/forums/forum37-photoshop/

[OleBoy]

Thanks Larry. Yeah, I'm working on 1024 templates. Not the greatest for applying any details too.
...I'll have a look at the link. I don't know if I'll get this done the way it looks right now..lol.

[Trans_23]

I use Paint Shop Pro for painting. You can draw lines at an angle as long as you anti-alias it. There is a box to check for that in PSP. If you zoom in as tight you can still see steps in the line but from the distance anyone is going to look at it in the sim, you will never see it. In PSP you can change the pen tool to draw dotted lines (rivets). I would assume PS has that too.

[gaucho_59]

I tried a search before asking, but I can't find anything relevant to what I'm trying to do. And I've never attempted to make panel lines prior to now.

Can anyone tell me how to draw panel lines by means of the line tool in Adobe Photoshop CS3? Or whatever the best method is?
I do not use Photoshop... but if you are interested (and of course the results illustrated in this jpg are akin to what you are looking for) this is an example of what I can do with PSP... i.e: a clean up redo of an existing Aermacchi ....
The process requires a little explaining which would be too long for this forum... so contact me by email and I will be happy to show you a few tricks...

[OleBoy]

I've come to the conclusion that panel lines just can't be made that fine on a 1024 texture. The only way I see it being done is in the modeling program and exported via the templates.

Your response is appreciated :)

[Tako_Kichi]

I've come to the conclusion that panel lines just can't be made that fine on a 1024 texture. The only way I see it being done is in the modeling program and exported via the templates.

Your response is appreciated :)
The minimum size for any panel line is 1 pixel which should be fine enough even on a 1024 texture. FS9 has used that format for years and the panel lines do not look too bad.

One way of making the panel lines blend in better is to reduce the opacity so that the underlying paint shows through. This can give the illusion that the panel line is thinner than it really is.

Trying to make panel lines in the model would be a major chore and increase the poly/vertex count significantly when it's better done on the texture sheets or in the case of FSX on the bump map (if one is available).

[OleBoy]

LOL...then my only answer I got is I'm just too damn picky!!

[Stratobat]

Hey OleBoy,

Work your way through the tutorials in the link Tako Kicki posted above.

In particular, have a look at these ones:

- http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/forums/f37-photoshop-tutorials/panel-line-rivet-shading-461/

- http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/forums/f37-photoshop-tutorials/step-step-weathering-478/

- http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/forums/f37-photoshop-tutorials/making-surface-texture-effects-463/

Regards,
Stratobat

[OleBoy]

I'll save these and add them as tutorials in photoshop in hopes I can bring them up without going out of the software

[Tako_Kichi]

I'll save these and add them as tutorials in photoshop in hopes I can bring them up without going out of the software
That's where I find a second monitor a godsend. Open PS in the main monitor and the tutorial in the second one.

I don't use the second monitor much but it has proved invaluable at times.

[OleBoy]

a 2nd monitor would be great, if i had one. I know stuff like this can be saved file specific and opened through the "help" feature within the software. I'm not finding anything related on a search but, I'm almost positive it can be done. I may have to open PS to investigate further.

How-To information can be added by means of .html. It appears that's the only way the help file mentions. It's been years and years since I dealt with it. I doubt I'll go there. Would be nice if there was an applet that made them from the content for you. Guess I'm out of luck. I know, I'm not very enthusiastic. I've been losing my drive more and more the past few months.

[PomBee]

I never thought of changing the opacity of the lines to make them blend in. Excellent tip.

Thanks, Tako_Kichi.

Cheers,

PomBee.:salute::salute::salute:

[Seagull V]

When I first started on my repaints I was doing them to 512 or 1024 texture, now when I set up my template I make the texture size 2048 minimum, allows you to do a lot more fine work. On insignia/squadron markings/badges etc I also expand the size to whatever it makes it easy to work on, then I copy and paste into a "decals" layer in the main paint job as well as adjusting the size back down to what is required. Works well on lines, try increasing the size to 4096, just keep the linework on a seperate layer so you can adjust them to suit the final textures. Also keep a notepad (paper or desktop) and jot down a few notes on what you have done as you go along with the different layers. Obtaining a paint kit for a favourite aircraft from a guru is also highly recommeded for helping the learning curve !!!!!!!

[gaucho_59]

29338
I tried a search before asking, but I can't find anything relevant to what I'm trying to do. And I've never attempted to make panel lines prior to now.

Can anyone tell me how to draw panel lines by means of the line tool in Adobe Photoshop CS3? Or whatever the best method is?
As I stated before, I work with PSP12 now... (have been doing so since early PSP 2, which was less friendly of course)... so here is a trick that works very well for me... obviously, panel lines in real life are very faint when you look from a distance.. even up close... some folks put panel lines that in actual life would be like 2 feet wide! (I guess it might be a throwback to the old days of plastic modelling... in which... panel lines by scale are grossly exagerated...) with that said... here is my trick... 1) use anti-aliasing and feather and smoothen at +1... with the pen line drawing tool... 2) use a new layer for the panel lines ... then, with diagonally drawn and curved lines especially... after you draw them... work with the PROPERTIES of the layer and the OPACITY button... and make the lines fainter and fainter... THIS MAKES THE JAGGED LINES BECOME SMOOTH... when the lines are really faint... you can move them a bit.. and this creates a new layer [PROMOTED LAYER] at this time, you can eliminate the vector layer (pen tool) and you can copy and paste the lines in the PROMOTED layer, one over the other... which will darken them without the jagged appearance... until you obtain the desired effect...
another trick for diagonal lines... is to create a new layer... and using the FREE HAND OR SHAPE selection tool... (with =+1 feather) air spray softly a shade slightly lighter than the backgraund.. then copy this area, paste it and mirror and flip it... (which gives an image you can paste so very close to the original) and voila' you have a very faint line...which, against the darker background... shows as a dark line with both edges above and below the line...look like the weathe29337ring (faded paint) ... I am enclosing a couple of jpg illustrating the final effect... and will be glad to entertain any support questions... anytime... (My mistake... see the image above all this for the final effect, the one below the one with the faint panel lines - I forgot to change the opacity... and the contrast is bad... sorry....)