Tom's Cat
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Hey Pete, … looks very nice once again.
Cheers,
LS -
Thanks, really just total WIP shots. This is the first rough application of the camo via paths. I started redoing the Tomcat panel lines but ended up just redoing all rivets (I have by now mastered the rivet brushes and also the path tool:)).
Onesimus’ original rivets are just incompatible to the way I put together the skin now. Apart from that its pointless to redo the panels for this ancient model except for a little added detail.
With the paths for panels and camo technique now set I’m doing the Aggressor Tomcats. Tomcat, Baby!
If anyone knows anything about how task automation in PS CS 3/6 works pls let me know. It’s keeping me from spending time on some really awesome weathering techniques cuz I don’t feel like doing them 100 times over.
Any help would be appreciated!!!
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Oh and for us Tomcat fan-atics, the Tom is an F-14B, back then F-14A+ with the VF-24 ‘Renegades’ around 1990. Tomcat like this was spotted at Fallon in 1990 and had sister in slightly more eclectic techno camo in sand/red colors.
BuNo of this bird is unclear right now, there are.conflicting accounts but I’ll consult D. Brown tonight:).
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If anyone knows anything about how task automation in PS CS 3/6 works pls let me know. It’s keeping me from spending time on some really awesome weathering techniques cuz I don’t feel like doing them 100 times over.
Any help would be appreciated!!!
Pete, use the “Action” window (Window -> Action or press Alt+F9)
There create a new Action (icon similar to create new layer)
… enter a name for that action and click record, then simply do the actions you want and it will be recorded
(note also those red record icon)when you’re done with recording, press that stop icon.
Now you can “play” that “record” on another picture or layer.
Be warned: always have a backp of your work before you try any “record” the first time.
and BTW. I’m on CS5.Cheers,
LS -
Hahaha I hear the back up call but thats all taken care off - I now run all files far away from the system disc and have a second external backup. This isn’t gonna happen to me three times
Thanks a bunch for the automation tutorial. The recorded actions…I assume PS notes the location of the action within the file?!
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Lazystone I don’t think I expressed my appreciation sufficiently so…THANKS A BUNCH!
And i took a Kodak of an F-14D pit 15 years ago…
You can keep it
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The recorded actions…I assume PS notes the location of the action within the file?!
No, (if I understand you correctly) … actions are saved in Photoshop (like brushes),
not in a *.psd file itself.So you can use an action on a differently *.psd.
BUT sometimes the actions use layer names when you switch layers during a record for example.
Play around with that feature to see where it’s helpfull for you.Lazystone I don’t think I expressed my appreciation sufficiently so…THANKS A BUNCH!
Oh, you already did, … with your already released stuff and with your latest WIP shot.
I’m glad I could help you out.And Thank’s Pete for posting that old Kodak of an F-14D pit, … so nostalgic.
Cheers,
LS -
I was asking because of the location of where the action is applied. For instance if I apply a certain manipulation in a 1024x1024 texture in a particular area of.the texture and then run the recorded action on the same layer in a different texture will it be applied in the same area?
I’ll play around with it some more tonight. Oh and that Kodak is actually a.screenshot of mykinge’s pit with some post processing :)))
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Now i got it.
The answer is yes and no, … hahaha.
For example:
If you simply use the brush and paint a line it will be not recorded.
If you select an area -> then fill (foreground color) then it will select and fill the same area on another layer.You can find a more exact explanation here:
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/photoshop/cs/using/WSfd1234e1c4b69f30ea53e41001031ab64-7448a.htmlBTW. did you know that in fact there exist many PSP video tutorials on youtube?
try to search there for:
cs5 actionsAbout kodak, … bloody hell
,… still nostalgic.
Cheers,
LS -
Current WIP, camo now based on original paint, alignment between panels and underside of glove not done yet, colors corrected, panels created from painted texture so the lines ‘reflect’ the underlying color. Something went wrong during compression so some camo edges are a little ‘noisy’. Thief of Baghdad stencil added even though this one is actually the ‘Camel Smoker’
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, Baby!
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Finished the Camel Smoker last night. It looks good but with a complex camo like this the model hits its limits in terms of ‘skinability’.
The drop tanks both use the same texture so the insides cannot be painted grey, the outer weapon rails only use a one sided texture, again the insides cannot he painted grey. Apart from that it’s smokin’
I’ll post an update tonight, Baby!
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This Camel Smoker skin is turning out to be a total pain. I went back to fix some stuff I didn’t like very much and I still don’t like it…
Current WIP…somehow this color scheme brings out the worst in the model. All camo elements are feathered with 1px, Vertical and horizontal stabs skinned based on the real smoker, Wings redone, Front fuselage redone, engine intakes realigned. I’ve never put so much time into a skin that after a while still looked so shitty. I’ll fix what I can and leave it at that, after that return to the regular fleet squadrons - screw the desert, Baby!
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This Camel Smoker skin is turning out to be a total pain. I went back to fix some stuff I didn’t like very much and I still don’t like it…
Current WIP…somehow this color scheme brings out the worst in the model. All camo elements are feathered with 1px,
Pete, I can feel your pain ;). To me it actually looks to clean, so please try the following…
-Copy your camo layers -> add noise to those layers -> reduce opacity to around 10,
then scale those layers to get bigger “noise spots”, then cut excrescent pixels to match your orig camo size…
to get some slightly but rough “fitfulness”.Next add a fresh layer, create huge random splashes of black, “gausian blur” generously by 5-7px,
and reduce it’s opacity to 5 or less. This will bring more “fitfulness” into your colors.Repeat last step with a fresh layer and wihte color. This will bring more “fitfulness” into your colors again.
You might want to play with the blur- and opacity values.Next I hope you’ve done the camo elements using a path, if so then
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“stroke” (inside 1px black) the path of the brown camo to a new layerA
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“stroke” (inside 1px black) the path of the green camo to a new layerB
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“gausian blur” both layers by 2px or 3px and reduce it’s opacity to 10
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optionaly copy both layers, “gausian blur” again by 5px and reduce it’s opacity to 5
You might want to play with the blur- and opacity values, to get a slightly “thicker paint on borders” effect.
You might also get ideas by reading some good old “how to”:
http://tactical.nekromantix.com/wiki/doku.php?id=falcon4:texturesOhh, and I’ve noticed (by a quick glance at RL pics) that your green color needs to get brighter
and needs lower saturation.I hope it helps you out.
Cheers,
LS -
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It looks clean because all weathering layers are disabled, plus the panels are the standard lines for aligning, this isn’t spposed to be a final look. This is an alignment issue to do with the model and the tex mapping.
First half of your post generally deals with noise and I got that dept. covered. The noise will in combination with my other weathering layers and some shine brighten the colors to the degree necessary hence the darker color.
Second half of your post I can see what you’re getting at, I use a similar technique to ‘elevate’ panels. I think if you use shadows and highlights on the edges of any given area (shadow on top and left and highlight on bottom and right) you’ll get a more subtle result sort of like a mipmap but that’s a matter of preference.
Point is the real stuff doesn’t have the look that either technique creates in the camo so I’m not looking to use it. What some do have (as the camel smoker) is a rough noise like what you get with the PS noise in precise setting with roughly a 17/9/20 setting and that can be applied to the camo path as you indicate. Thanks for the input man as always, I’ll give it a try anyway.
Aaanyway I know it will look fine once all the dirt and dust is on it but what I don’t like is how this specific paintscheme in its virgin nature sits on this specific model.
Ok now, skinning diversion over
PS: I can recite those tutorials by heart man
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Project Camel Smoker turning point…I now love this paintscheme and I think this is turning into my favorite AGRS Cat.
If you want to get to know the 14 model and its texmap…try this skin. I found corners on the texture I didn’t even know existed.
Had to throw the NAVY stencil on for viewing pleasure in LOD
Oh and as you can see the inside of the weapons pylon CAN be colored
And my ridiculous statement “…the model hits its limits in terms of ‘skinability’…” can be logged under stingray:
Back in business, Baby!
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Alignment phase AKA making rough edges look round AKA Alignment Hell!
Left side done…
Aaargh…
Hmmm…
Renegades, Baby!
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Done some work on the engine intakes, the outer bottom sides of the engine pods are generating major headaches as they are aligned somehere along the pods only not where the pods actually are…like I said - wanna get to know this model > attempt to do this skin!
Also corrected some things on the stabs and top fuselage as well as front fuselage…
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Added right side outer bottom part of engine pod and skinned drop tanks including all panel lines and 3D elements…
Skinage, Baby!8-)
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Looking Good!