Reversing image - is it necessary?

[vgbaron 3,618]

Using Photoshop PSD files - load and work in PS - save as DDS files.

Is there any need, other than possible convenience to reverse image and reverse again prior to saving?

 

Thanx,

Vic

[Leen3131cs 107]

Reverse?  You mean turn upside down and vice versa?

If you have no problem with painting upside down there is no need to to flip the image.

Just make sure the image is upside-down in the end (DDS) 

If you are painting DDS files for X-Plane. Textures must NOT be flipped upside-down.

[vgbaron 3,618]

Yes, I meant flip vertically. Only trying P3D so far.

For text, I can see the difficulty in not flipping but drawing a line is drawing a line. Seems to me this could be repetitive work, probably best to pick one method and stick with it. Eliminates errors down the road.

Thanx!

[Leen3131cs 107]

I am afraid its a bit more complicated than you think.

Drawing a line upside down or not thats not the point, its easy to do.
BUT when we want to make a livery really dipicting a real life plane we have to look at and compare with pictures/photos and get a good idea of the situation.
Then we have to paint , and see what we paint in a natural position.
As most (all) paints have been made initially in PS ( or in a 3D program)  in the normal upside-up position and converted to the upside-down DDS files its best painting in the normal position.

Let me give you a parabel.
Painting a portrait is difficult , now take a look at the girl whoìs posing and make the portrait upside down, even Da Vincy or Rembrand could not perform that whithout extra effort.

[Ron Attwood 3,465]

1 hour ago, vgbaron said:

but drawing a line is drawing a line

Not when it comes to painting aeroplanes it's not. I've just spent hours getting a straight line to look like a straight line! Welcome to the world of painting.

EDIT: Very well put Leen

[Leen3131cs 107]

Getting a line straight line can be very hard sometimes , as Ron said.
Many times a straight line on the texture gives a straight line on the model. Thats an ideal situation.

BUT
Sometimes we have 3D models with a very strange mapping and these models are initially painted in a 3D-program.
Making straight lines on such models can be terryfying. Textures are wrapped around the model like a stretchy sweater.
Most airliners do not suffer this phenomena, we can paint the sigars quiet easily.( talking about lines only ) 
When we are talking about GA its a different story.
In general painting GA is far more complicated, than painting the airliners.
As Ron is a specialist in GA, he knows (like I do) painting Alabeo models is one of  the most complicated catagories.
The models are fantastic the texturemapping and distortion is horrible.
Most Alabeo models are not for beginners and to complicated for many painters.

The paint shown is made by a very talented painter a real master in Photoshop. ( Monoblau)     http://www.unionvogelhirsch.de/
He designed and painted the livery on the Alabeo Mooney Ovation.
The model on top shows the straight lines Stefan (Monoblau)  made on the texture.
The lower model shows the same paint with curved lines on the texture giving straight lines on the model.
This corrections were made by myself, just to demonstrate  "It can be done" in an average paintingprogram.
Not saying I am a better painter, just showing , years of experience really help.
Photoshop cannot offer us tools to solve these problems, its a question of trial and error , pixel by pixel.
FSRepaint  might be handy to use for FSX painters, X-Plane painters can use some 3D programs , things still stay complicated.

The lower pictures show the incredible mess we have to paint to get an acceptable result and the straight version giving the curved lines on the model.

They say GA stands for "General-Aviation"    for sim-painters it often stands  for   "Great-Agony" 
Sometimes I think .  " Are we GA-painters masochists ? "

 

 

 

 

 

ps.

I actually added this issue to the FAQ  right away.

[vgbaron 3,618]

Fortunately I am not the timid type. Seems like I've taken on a challenging project. Feels a bit like trying to translate documents from German to French while learning both German and French.

Now that I've found out I was flipping the textures wrong, it explains why some of my lines did strange things. I seem to now have all the parts in the right place and I can start drawing some lines.

I see, in this model, the lines will runs across three different sections. I'm trying to line it up by using the rivets as a reference. Is there a trick to aligning across different sections or is it mainly eyeballing and trial and error?

Actually, although a tad frustrating, I'm having fun with this - fortunately I live aline and do not have to explain the loud "AHA!" when something I do works as expected.

I appreciate the help!

Vic

[Ron Attwood 3,465]

I think you're on the right lines. A small tip though. Instead of 'AHA!' try 'Gotcha you little b*****d!' Much more satisfying.

[Leen3131cs 107]

Amen to that Ron.

 

Leen

[vgbaron 3,618]

2 hours ago, Ron Attwood said:

I think you're on the right lines. A small tip though. Instead of 'AHA!' try 'Gotcha you little b*****d!' Much more satisfying.

ROFLMAO!    You have my house bugged????  I was being politically correct.

Actually today is the first day where I feel I have a handle on it. I can actually see what I'm doing and know *where* I'm painting. Spend a lot of time sampling different brush techniques, etc to see how the look. Loving the multiple undo commands.

One thing I'm doing - perhaps there is an easier way----

Working on left and right side of nose - I open both files in PS and position them so that the item I'm painting is in the same position - switching back and forth helps me align the stroke so that the are a match left/right. 

Vic

[Ted Striker 338]

Looking forward to seeing that first repaint Vic. I'm guessing it is a Beech Baron with a black panther on the tail.

Ted

Edited March 24, 2018 by Ted Striker

[lodestar 186]

3 hours ago, vgbaron said:

Feels a bit like trying to translate documents from German to French while learning both German and French

The newly announced Franco-German fighter jet(with a black panther on the tail, ofcourse)? 

I was thinking about trying to learn this too, not sure if GIMP is up to the task. Not willing to spend on Photoshop, for now

[vgbaron 3,618]

I started with GIMP and had a few problems opening files properly but it could easily be me.

So far though, it's fun.

Vic