Hi AllI have just started my first repaint. As you well know I ran right into the "why can't I see this bitmap" question all rookies seem to run into. :-) I grabbed a copy of DXTbmp which solved that.Questions. I have settled on Image Forge as my paint program but I find it's "colour pallet" a bit weak. It's very easy to use and works with Layers. I tried GIMP for Windows but get some errors every so often so I nuked Gimp. Yes, I'm getting to the question. :-) What is the most popular paint app? Paintshop Pro?Why are there 2 bmp's for each aircraft part? cowl_l and cowl_t?Is there an easier way to "see" what your paint job will look like without installing it and viewing it in FS?Is there a set pattern on things like fuslg_t with the "top right-hand" portion of the fuselage will always be the top part of the bmp image?As you can tell from these questions when I say, "I am just starting" I mean like yesterday! :-)Thanks for any help you can give me.FaxCap

Hi FaxcapI am no expert at aircraft painting, but will try and answer your questions.1. The most popular repainting programs appear to be Paintshop Pro5, 7, or 8. and Adobe Photoshop. I personally use Paintshop Pro5.2. cowl_l is the night lighting bmp, while cowl_t is the daytime bmp and is the one that you repaint, leave cowl_l alone. The _l stands for night lighting. sometimes however you will get bmp_l & bmp_r which can mean the left & right bmp! However you can check it out easily just by opening up the bmp_l and looking at it. 3. The only way that I know of for viewing the aircraft as painting progresses is by starting up FS to see your work in progress.4. I'm no authority on this, but I don't think that that the top fusilage IS necessarily the right hand fusilage of the aircraft, I think you will have to test that out on each model...CheersClive

PSP (Paint shop Pro) and PSD (PhotoShop) are the most popular tools.---------------------------------------------------------------------Ok you get different types of textures which do different jobs..let me try to explain!_L textures eg FUSE_L: These are night textures that include window lighting, light splashes and all the night lighting textures..they always have the prefix _L after the texture._T textures eg FUSEL_T: These are the day textures or the actual paint of the aircraft (it is also used on a night in conjunction with the _L texture._C textures eg TEXTURE8_C:These are the textures that have lighting effects (not night textures) attatched to them so basically _T without the need of a _L.---------------------------------------------------------------------This is usually done by just running FS and taking a look at the new textures, this can be a pain if you are trying to align something-it can take ages!. These is a payware product by Abacas i think where you can look at the paint without opening FS.---------------------------------------------------------------------This varies from aircraft modeller to other modellers. Usually it is easy to see what it the top side or left or right, normally a left hand side texture will be called FUSEL_T (basically Fuselage left) or FUSER_T (Fuselage right). Sometimes you see textures named FUSES_T or FUSESTAR_T (still meaning right or Starboard side) or FUSEP_T ot FUSEPORT_T (Left or Port side)Usually you can point out on the texture where the top is just by looking at the paint, this is usually at the top but on some models it can be anywhere depending on how drunk the modeller was when he mapped the textures on the model! :-lol---------------------------------------------------------------------Just a hint on painting, it's easier than it looks when you know the shortcuts. Textures are usually split into 2 or 3 sections for the main FUSE to make it a lot easier to paint you bring these seperate parts into one big section like assembling a jigsaw and then paint and then split them up and put them in their original locations adjusting the transparency on the layers to match up where they should go!I hope all this makes sense :D, good luck!

Wow! Thanks guys!Yes, you have answered everything I asked! Although you have me thinking about a few things. :) When you say you "bring the sections together to one big image" how do you do that? Transparency.....I haven't even looked at that yet.One of the problems I have run into with Image Forge is a weak pallet.I was trying to get a blue/grey colour (note spelling I'm in Canada hahaha) and I could never seem to get it. I take it Paint Shop Pro has a strong pallet with completely editable colours?How do (or what do) the aircraft designers use to "flatten" the aircraft skins into these flat bitmaps? I just found out not 30 mins ago I was doing something wrong in DXTbmp. Now that I have cleared that up things are looking a little brighter. :)I have a feeling this new forum may become the hottest Repaint forum of all the FS sites. :)Thanks again.FaxCap

I agree with Ben on the Program Paint Shop Pro ( Any Version) and Photoshop ( any version). PSP ... my favs are Ver 7 and 8. Someone gane me an old copy of Photoshop and it is Very Very good ( Pricy if you buy it). First convert the file to 24 bit ( 16 million colors) Then you will have all the selections in the pallett. Should be under alter or modify, then colors. Then increase colors.Dont add anything with putting it on a layer by itself. I sometimes have 30 to 40 layers... Always save to PSP or PSD format. That saves all the layers.Microsoft has provided us with a really great tool for the graphics. "ImageTool", some has even uploaded it here at Avsim. You can convert the PSP or PSD images directlty to a bmp. Photoshop is really very easy to add a Alpha channel to you bmps... The new ImageTool for FS9 is even better.. It allows you to add an alpha channel to you art. It will read and convert DXT1's and DXT3's and a new format DXT5.http://www.microsoft.com/games/flightsimul...wnloads_sdk.aspIt's in the gmax Gamepack i think.It's a good idea to check that site every once in a while to see whats new. Bookmark it.Joe W.

CORELDRAW-photopaint 10? Is it as good as the mentioned programs? I do have an older v of PhotoPaint?? I have CORELDRAW-PHOTOPAINT 10What do you think? I would like to give it a shot!!MB

Excuse me, I mean older ver PaintShop Pro!ThanksMb

Abacus has a little program named FSRepaint to do minor repaints. This is also very good to check your repaints with. It's faster than loading FS9 and it also checks the skin entry in the aircraft.cfg.Joe W.

Never used Corel Draw, but if it supports layers, it should be ok for repaints. I use PSP 7 and DXTBmp mostly. Used an older version of photoshop, but liked PSP better, have PSP 8, but the format if really different, so until I get it down, I'll stick with ver 7. I used to use the FS2002 version of imagetool, but found the image became to corrupted when saving in DXT format with it over DXTBmp.I like to save in 32 bit for the best image quality until I get to a finished product, that way you still have a quality texture if you have to reopen it and save several times.Regards, MichaelKDFWhttp://www.calvirair.com/mcpics/PBTMCa.jpgCalVirAir International VACougar Mountain Helicopters & Aviation[link:www.cgrmtnhelos.com]Cougar Mountain Helicopters

I use PSP 7 and DXTbmp. I like PSP because of its ability to work with vector and raster graphics in the same file (and the price is reasonable too). I do most of my paints with vector graphics but sometimes you just have to have a bitmap layer to splash some oil and dirt around. ;-)PSP is also good with fonts. You can deconstruct vector text into curves and tweak each letter individually. Great for nudging a standard font into the shape of a proprietary logo font.Peter http://bfu.avsim.net/sigpics/PeterR.gifBFU Forums ModeratorRenegade/Seawolf Design Group (RSDG)[table border=2" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="1][tr][td][table border=0" cellpadding="8" cellspacing="0][tr][td bgcolor=#6f0000]http://bfu.avsim.net/sigpics/logo75t.gif[/td][td align=center" bgcolor="#FFFFF6]Bush Flying Unlimited"At home in the wild"Looking for adventure? Come join us! * [link:bfu.avsim.net|Web Site] * [link:www.cafepress.com/bfu,bfu2,bfu3,bfu4|BFU Store] * [link:bfu.avsim.net/index_NewRecruits.html]Join!][/td][/tr][/table][/td][/tr][/table

Hi Ben,I am very new to the art of repainting and am currently on a big learning curve. I am using Paint Shop Pro 8.Can you please provide me with some further advice on how you merge texture sections. I would like to repaint an aircraft that has the fuselage in 3 seperate bmp files.Any help would be very much appreciated.Thank you in anticipation.Kindest regardsAlan