Hey guys, this is my first post here. I've been into 3D for a couple of years now but I've never been able to get my textures to look good st all. I can put rivets and panels on it, but they look flat and almost plastic-like. I need to get some variation in the surface so it looks more natural. For example, this shot of McPhat Studios' Fokker 50 looks absolutely outstanding...but I can't figure out how they can brush in all of that detail (they hand-paint everything.) There is a bump map in there as well which gives the surface some dimension, but a lot of the weathering and paint chips are in the diffuse.

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HiJbeu28ejM/UZJXlV_HG2I/AAAAAAAAYeU/2_XBb34mdms/s1600/VLM1.jpg

 

Anyone have advice for achieving this? Obviously my textures won't look like that on my first try but I want to at least get the concepts down and improve from there.

I have done only a little painting in FS9 and FSX, but once upon a time I was a bit of an artist with the F4U Corsair in the IL 2:Sturmovik combat sim series.  This is one of my repaints.

 

 

 

 

I found that painting directly onto the skin was a disaster.  It either did not look right or a tiny mistake would result in having to toss the entire skin.  I worked entirely with layers.  I even worked out layers that added additional weathering so I could quickly make skins to represent anything from a factory fresh Corsair to one that had been in combat for a long time and was at the end of its service life.

 

The same technique applies to FS9 and FSX.  Add shadows, details and weathering in layers.  Layers allow for making changes to your work easy.  Always save your "master" copy as a file that supports multiple layers, I usually use GIMP for my work as it is freeware, GIMP allows files with multiple layers to be saved as PSD files.  Always keep a master file and make back ups of the master file, just in case something goes really bad and I speak from painful experiences with corrupted files.

 

 GIMP allows files with multiple layers to be saved as PSD files.  Always keep a master file and make back ups of the master file, just in case something goes really bad and I speak from painful experiences with corrupted files.

 

Don't do this!! Save as .XCF files for GIMP. I've lost more repaints due to corrupted files by continuing to save as .PSD 

 

Case in point

http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?DLID=&Name=%22Bold+Look%22+Bombardier+Global+Express&FileName=&Author=&CatID=root

Thanks for the replies...I am familiar with how layers work (I use photoshop CC by the way) but the real problem I'm having is actually painting the wear and tear, and having it look realistic. A lot of people I hear are painting brown/gray spots and using the smudge tool to make it streak across the surface. However when I do that, the smudge tool makes some strange pink, green and purple stretching artifacts on the image. It's hard to explain, but unsatisfactory nonetheless.

 

I don't know...maybe I do need to just keep piling on the layers and something good will come of it.

Smoke effects

http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/forums/forum34-general/

 

Weathering

http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/forums/forum36-paintshop-pro/

 

Anyway you get the idea. The site is loaded with ideas.

I'll go through some of those tutorials when I get home. I didn't know there were so many tutorials on that site...

Don't do this!! Save as .XCF files for GIMP. I've lost more repaints due to corrupted files by continuing to save as .PSD 

 

Case in point

http://library.avsim.net/esearch.php?DLID=&Name=%22Bold+Look%22+Bombardier+Global+Express&FileName=&Author=&CatID=root

 

I've never tried saving as XCF files, but I guess it's not too late for me to give them a try.  Thanks for the tip. :smile: