Newbie paint questions

[vgbaron 3,728]

I have no experience with graphics or repainting of any kind. I do know my way around the computer however.

Just purchased the Milviz 310Redux but my favoprite model was an all black version that is not available in this release so I've decided to take a shot at repainting it myself. What I want to wind up with is a model with a lustrous, almost pearlized black finish with gold trim.I've put together the following:

Milviz 310 Redux Paint Kit

DXTBMP

GIMP2.8

I've been reading the various tutorials and FAQ's here and elsewhere but a few things haven't cleared up. All questions relate to using the paint kit

 

1) is there a way to colorize (black) the entire paint sheet without manually selecting each item and doing it individually. Meaning, is there a way to color them all at once? Then go to next sheet, etc?

2) How to tell if there are layers in the sheet and/or how to tell if there is an alpha layer

3) if there is no alpha layer, how to create one that masks only the aircraft body painted black - looking for that luminescent satin sheen finish.

 

Thanx,

Vic

[Leen3131cs 107]

First start with familiarising yourself with the paintingprograms you are using.

When you know how your paintingprogram works you can see the layers in a glimpse.

You can see the alpha in many paintingprograms and always in DXTBmp

You can export an alpha with DXTBmp into your paintingprogram and after editing re-load the alpha channel in the texture.

Whenever a file has no alpha , you can add this alpha with DXTBmp.

All parts of a texture must be selected individually and then they can be edited.


My first paint took me a year, I had to discover everything first.

[vgbaron 3,728]

28 minutes ago, Leen3131cs said:

My first paint took me a year, I had to discover everything first.

I fear that is where I'm heading. However it is interesting and a challenge especially with the 310.

I have dxtbmp but not using it. I load the psd file into gimp and save it as a dds directly. If I load the psd indxtbmp and send to editor I see 1 layer (norm.bmp). Load directly in gimp from psd shows 23 layers.

I see that by changing the background color, it will affect the color of all the parts on the sheet so that's good. 

 My problem now is isolating the layer that contains the part(s) that I might want to paint a logo or line on. I ASSUME, once I determine that i can either a) paint directly on that layer or b) create a new layer right below it and paint on that.

Another question if I may - since I load the psd file directly into gimp, is it necessary to flip the image or is that just for convenience in working?

Currently I'm identifying the parts by changing the background color on the sheet and noting what changes on the model in p3d.

Now to get back to identifying the layer I want to work with. Tried to upload one of the psd files for you to check out but not accepted file type.

Thanx,

Vic

[Leen3131cs 107]

Do not laod PSD in DXTBmp it does not work
When you edited the PSD file and saved it to dds you can load the dds to DXTBmp and add an alpha in a simple way.

You also can add an alpha layer to a PNG in GIMP.  Edit PSD > save to PNG > add Alpha
A PNG with alpha can be converted to DDS in DXTBmp
Most easy workflow is adding the alpha with DXTBmp.

When you want to make twin-colored normalfiles in a fast way Paint Shop Pro is excellent. ( only needed in simulators with real-metalness-reflection, based on normal ,like X-Plane) 

Simply switching on and off layers tells you what layer contains wich textures.

Its  best flipping DDS file while working on the textures.
Make sure the DDS files are upside-down when they go in the simulator. ( except in X-Plane, there they stay in their most logic position) 
Personally , these days I only work in the X-Plane environment ( painters can be more happy with their efforts there ,in my PRIVATE opinion) 

If you want me to have a look at your files , upload them as a zipped file to Dropbox or something alike and give me the downloadlink.

Cheers

 

Leen

[vgbaron 3,728]

Leen - 

Thanx for the offer. Link is to two of the files - if I can figure out one I can get the rest.

Several confusing things resulting from what I've tried -  load psd into gimp with 23 layers - save as dds. Load dds back into gimp/or dxtbmp for further editing - no layers - just one. I'm thinking I need to save the original edited file in gimp so I can reload THAT with layers rather than working on the saved dds.

Another - if I color the background layer which then applies it to all parts - problem is when saved as DDS and reloaded  -all I get is a big square of color with none of the parts displaying - leading me to what I think about using the "source" file.

you'll see some of the individual parts in the files - how can I select an individual part to work on. Tried the magic tool but it seems to freehand the selection so I'm painting outside the lines.

I appreciate your help --

Vic

 

 

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5y7cpnru8ng8j4l/texture.zip?dl=0

[Leen3131cs 107]

I`ll try to have a look tomorrow.

Leen

[Leen3131cs 107]

Just a  note.

When a psd ( or psp) is opened and edited in GIMP it cannot be saved as a psd (psp) .
You can save it as a GIMP format ( XCF) and then export is as a DDS.

You`ll have to go back to the gimp file (XCF)  to continue editing

A DDS never has  layers. 

 

Life will be much easier for you when you get an old copy of  Paint Shop Pro 7  , till these days I work with it , is superb and you might get it for a dollar.

[vgbaron 3,728]

Thanx - I'll look for psp7 - 

So then I am correct - I need to keep a "source" file for re editing as I go and export it as DDS when I use it in the sim.

Vic

[Leen3131cs 107]

Yes  always keep the layerfile at hand to continue or redo editing..

I`ll have a look on your files later today

Cheers

 

Leen

[Leen3131cs 107]

I had a look at the files

They look a bit weird to me.

Can you send me the layerfiles as the were BEFORE you started working on them and tell me what you want.
Do you want to make a black plane?



Cheers

Leen
 

[Leen3131cs 107]

I am downloading the paintkit myself now.

[Leen3131cs 107]

PaintShopPro 7 cannot open all the layers of this file.

I`ll have a look at it in GIMP

[Leen3131cs 107]

I opened and saved the file in Paint.Net now I kan open it in PaintshopPr07

I also opened it in Photoshop.

Its a very complect and user-unfriendly layerfile , but its a layerfile. Nothing special with that.

The problem with making a black livery is the fact all details like platelines and rivets are always in greyscaled textures.
Adding a black layer under these details the black will swallow all detail.

When you want a black plane with rivets and platelines  , layers with lines and rivets should be set negative.
Then you have a black plane with white rivets, turning down the opacity of a rivet-layer in white very low , there will be almost black rivets on a black plane.
 

Bump and specular files can enhance the vissibility of black rivets on a black plane, thats for specialists.

[jdwgraf 52]

Just to add , like Leen I still use PSP7 as well as it is what I am most comfortable with , have PSP Photo X2 as well , just never got round to reading the novel that came with it !

One major drawback with PSP7 however is that any paint kits with more than 100 layers will not load correctly . Discovered this with RealAir's Spitfire ( some sections had more than 300 layers ) . Layers that have an extra function added to them don't open at all .

I imagine that Leen will have mentioned this in the FAQ's but one thing to remember is to use " Save as ... " when working on the psd files, lost quite a lot of my work in the begining by forgeting to do that . Saving as a psp file also means that you have a miniature of the texture when opening the paintkit ( after setting this in the preferences section of PSP7 ) .

PhotoShop ( Adobe ) doesn't have this limitation but I am not a fan of the way the software is packaged these days - having to pay a subscription fee , prefer to buy my software with the right to support .

 

John

 

[vgbaron 3,728]

I have PSP7 now and gimp.

Doing nothing else but load and convert the files to dds file and loading them in P3D the default color is perfect, except for left wing and elevator which are gunmetal grey. I'm thinking if I can correct those two, all I need worry about is the gold striping and registration number.

I'm looking at it now much as when I was programming in C## and assembler. Maintain the source file and compile top produce the executable. Somehow I got it into my head that once the dds file was created, further work was on that file. I know better now.

I am stumped so far as to how I can create a stripe along the fuselage. I ASSUME that I have to select each part on a sheet and paint the lines on the part. I know how to paint the line but I can't seem to select an individual part to work on and therefore cannot see what I am doing as I work.

Once I figure out how to access part, I can do trial and error to see how things look. I realize that they have broken the aircraft into a lot of pieces that I will have to make line up.

Thanx again,

Vic