Repainting Question

[PilatusTurbo]

I want to take another stab at repainting, as I love my Cessna 337, but maybe some new paint won't hurt.

I didn't want to ask someone to paint somethin' for me, so I figured I'd ask. How do you repainter peoples get smooth curves in a complex paint job? Do you just zoom waay in and do it pixel by pixel, and then fill in the solid color you wanted behind it?

Hope that makes some level of sense.

[huub vink]

Hi PT,

Depending on which program you are using you can use different techniques. I use PSP and use the point-to-point option in the line properties. When you enlarge the size of the texture and "blur" a bit, the a curve often looks more sharpe when you reduce the size of the texture afterwards.

Cheers,
Huub

[Tako_Kichi]

In Photoshop you need to use the 'pen' tool to create a 'path' that uses 'bezier curves' and pull the 'handles' to get the curve to the shape you want. Then you right-click on the created path with the path tool and select fill path and choose the required colour (foreground or background). This will produce crisp curves that do not look jagged in game. If you are unsure try searching the help file for the words in quotes above.

If you are using PS and are not familiar with the tool I strongly suggest you hunt out some tutorials on using it as it is very powerful and once you have it's use down you will use it everywhere you get a chance!

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Not too long ago, I learned to use vectors to get very smooth curves.
I use to create a vector layer and put an ellipse (massive or outlined) of the desired colour into.
Now I can fiddle with the shape of the ellipse until it fits.
Duplicate this layer to get a backup, make this layer invisible.
The first vector layer now is converted to a pixel layer, allowing to erase the parts of the curve not needed. You're done!

Sorry for this hasty and un-illustrated instruction, but I have to go back to the kitchen to get wifey (best wife of all wives!) some meal on the plate...

Cheers,
Markus.

[Sunny9850]

Not too long ago, I learned to use vectors to get very smooth curves.
I use to create a vector layer and put an ellipse (massive or outlined) of the desired colour into.
Now I can fiddle with the shape of the ellipse until it fits.
Duplicate this layer to get a backup, make this layer invisible.
The first vector layer now is converted to a pixel layer, allowing to erase the parts of the curve not needed. You're done!

Sorry for this hasty and un-illustrated instruction, but I have to go back to the kitchen to get wifey (best wife of all wives!) some meal on the plate...

Cheers,
Markus.

Ah besides a gifted painter he's a chef as well.....

As for the curved lines if I want really crisp lines I start by doubling the texture file size during the paint process....so if it is a 1024x1024 texture I double that to 2048x2048. Then proceed with either of the choices mentioned above and then just before
compiling the final texture I shrink it all back to 1024x 1024.

The file size during the paint process becomes quite large that way of course.

Stefan

[PilatusTurbo]

Thank you all! Great replies. However, I'm a bit bummed as the kit I want to paint is .psd, and I so totally don't have paintshopro, and so totally can't afford it.

Either way, it's the default Cessna 337D Skymaster from FSD, and it ain't too bad lookin'. :d

Thanks folks! :ernae:

[Tako_Kichi]

'The Gimp' is a freeware painting app that can do the same as the expensive apps but can be a bit 'quirky' in it's operation.

Have a poke around on Ebay as you can often find older versions of the payware software at very reasonable prices. Photoshop 7 is several versions below the cutting edge now but it will do everything you would ever need as a repainter and then some!

[tgibson]

Hi,

The freeware paint program Gimp can open .PSD files - at least the ones not saved in version 7 format or later - Adobe hasn't released details of that format...

Paint Shop Pro 7.0 also opens older .PSD files.

Hope this helps,

[CG_1976]

I've been using/practing with paint.net and gimp. Got a CAF KC-767 Banana in da bay.