Question on paint kit for Mjahns C-47#2

[roger-wilco-66]

Hi,

I'm trying to make a PTO skin for MJahns C-47#2 and downloaded the paint kit.
So I'm familiar with photoshop, layers, and all that stuff, but somehow it escapes me how to properly start on it. Do you copy a layer group, like the basic one, and just paint it over? Then activate the other ones and balance them with the layer transparency?
The rest is clear, like saving / splitting the texture map and so on.

Probably a dumb question, but it's my first serious try on skinning an aircraft.


Cheers,
Mark

[Butcherbird17]

I don't know how the really talented painters do there paints, but I just create a new layer over top of the original paint
and go from there. Hope that helps. Looking forward to what you come up with as no one (that I know of) has done a
PTO paint for the C47.

Joe

[Steven190]

Do you have the paint kit?
I use Photoshop

I start a new project and name it what you are doing. Then if you have the paint kit I copy the original layers that I need. Like rivets, panel lines, hatches, and weathering. If there is a skin you like, as a complete layer, I copy this as a reference and add your layers on top of that.

You can get the reference layer as a complete skin using Martins DXT program, then copy it into your project.

[jankees]

Here's a pic of my photoshop with the C-47 paintkit:


At the bottom I have a group with all the basic/background stuff (aluminium etc), then I have a group with my paint in it (here called 88 TCS), and on top I have several groups with the rivets, panellines, wear, detail, etc.
All the non visible layers are some templates (camo, roundels, anti glare, so I don't have to draw them anew each time) below the paint layer, one group containing all the paints I have finished, and on top all the groups I need for the alpha and spec files.
I hope this helps?

[roger-wilco-66]

Wow, thanks everybody, that will get me going. I my initial approach was much too complicated, I think.

Thanks for the screenshot, Jan Kees. That looks like paint kit within a paint kit :-)

Cheers,
Mark

[roger-wilco-66]

The C-47 (R4D, rather) repaint is almost done, but I can't find a couple of maps on the texture.
The rim of the astrodome and three scoops on the right side are a bit elusive.
I also can't identify them by activating the mesh layer.
Anyone knows where to find them?
See pictures below.

Ah and by the way, this is addictive work :-)

Thanks,
Mark

[stovall]

Looks like we have another fantastic artist coming on the scene. No doubt the guys who have put out all the great paint schemes of the C-47 will answer your question here. Can't wait to see your renditions of the other PTO aircraft.

[mjahn]

Lookin' good!

Check sheet no 2, left margin, where it may or may not say "outlets" as in here:




Oh and the astrodome rim is more or less where you expect it slightly above the left front fuselage half. Let me know if you need a more explicit pointer or a "mesh" layer.

[roger-wilco-66]

Oh my, it's even labeled.
Thanks, Manfred, I'll check it!

Best,
Mark

[roger-wilco-66]

Thanks for all the help (and the praise, Tom :-) ), it's coming along nicely now. The repaint shall depict a typical transport with all the wear and dirt that is visible on historical Solomon photos, but without overdoing it.
I also gave the pilots a non civilian look.
Tonight I'll test it in the sim, it is more or less ready now.

Cheers,
Mark

[jankees]

looks real good, but why the black antiglare panel on a camouflaged aircraft?

[stovall]

looks real good, but why the black antiglare panel on a camouflaged aircraft?

Good point Jan, this is the kind of stuff that makes our community what it is. Contributions like this only make things better for all of us. Thanks for the input.

[roger-wilco-66]

Thank's for pointing that out, it wasn't visible on the original capture. I'll remove it.

Cheers,
Mark

[Ian Warren]

I stuck my head in the astrodrome last week in the RNZAF's Wigram Museum, I should have got some photo's, there is Very very little room ... may need some extra photo's so I'll add that to the list