Painting a lovely old Bucc....

[Techy111]

Hi all... I want to start a repaint of a strange coloured A/C that i recently found whilst trawling t'internet and wondered if anyone can give me some pointers on getting a really crappy weathered look to the paintscheme.....I use PSP9.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1197004/L/

I was stationed at RAF Lossiemouth from '84 to '86 and have a strong affinity (right word?) with the old Bucc and i have not come across this repaint anywhere and if anyone knows different can they please let me know before i get started?
I loved Lossie as i got to fly in , among many others in my time - The Shack , Jag , Hunter , Chippie , Seaking and when she came to a families day The BBMF Lanc
I have some photos hiding somewhere of me in a C-130 , Chinook , Puma , and at RAF Gatow a Chippie and a AAC Gazelle hovering over the wall which i will scan in sometime.
Yes i was one of these flightline junkies who always pestered the pilots for a ride LOL....


Techy

[Garry Russell]

Hi Techy

The best way is to paint it clean and then add the grime and use marks on seperate layers changing the opacity of those layers until you get the effect you want.

By using diffent layers you can apply different effects...manipulate each one seperately and delete or add more layers without spoiling the base livery.

Garry

[Techy111]

Ok a few questions for you folks ? I am re-texturing the whole skin as the old one is in 256x256.... I am doing it as 512x512 as DXT1 (No Alphas) can i increase this to 1024x1024 as DXT3 with Alphas and does everything in the texture folder have to be the same size to work?
Also the original readme files say the files are freeware but may not be uploaded as payware after mods.... Does that mean i can change the paint without any reproach?
I am also re modelling all the lines as can be seen on a screenshot below...



Any thoughts or help much appreciated as i am a fledgling

Techy

[Garry Russell]

Hi Techy

Why use DXT1? :o

Even DXT3 is only used now if it slows the system down. Those are very low quality formats. :-(

You want to increase the resolution to improve quality but then are reducing the quality with compressed formats. :think:

I paint in 32-888 and some files are turned to DXT3 afterwards but those that matter are left 32 bit

If you want fine detail on your dirt you need to use 32 bit . Compressing it down to DXT3 will cause a lot of the fine detail to smudge and blurr into itself.

I also was sent some DC8 textures once because when zooming in and out black areas of lost texture were occurring. That was a result of being saved in DXT1. The large external textures did not like that format.

Best thing to do is leave the textures at the resolution they are supplied in and paint in 32bit..never convert to DXT3 until you are finished and save a copy of the high quility 32 bit.

Also have your panel lines on seperate layers.

As to alphas. I don't know what you mean by no alpha as a way of saving. Alphas are used to make things shine or transparent depending on how the model is set up. I only use alphas if needed so most of mine don't have them.........or a lot don't

Alphas are not put in or left out as a fashion accessory.......they are either needed or not and the subject will determine that.

Garry

[Techy111]

Garry.... first i really appreciate your time and proberly your patience The Alphasim textures are in DXT1 256x256 format and being a noob i thought i was pushing my luck converting the textures to DXT3 and the furthest i have ever ventured is DXT5 DDS files for FSX but i gladly take on your advice and will start working towards the 32 bit textures you mentioned.
thanks again for your time Garry.

Techy

[Garry Russell]

Hi Tech

You can try different compressed formats when the paint is done, but paint it in 32 and then you have the best quality and retain all the options.

I have not used DDS yet so I can't coment..but again start high and go down to it.

If they are supplied compressed you can't decompress and get the quality back.

It may be an idea to check arround for a paint kit.

Sometimes the seller has one and if not then sometimes others painters have knocked one up and pass that on.

Failing that.......

Your best bet would be to use chunks of the existing if necessary and use the rest as a templete and draw new lines etc over that, again using seperate layers.

Some details you may have to use ..like photo textures for wheels or wheel legs..perhaps engine/exhaust detail.

If that is the case then chances are they won't show on those small areas

It is the main airframe surfaces that are important and even though it is a pain and time comsuming it is worth overhauling the lot.

When you have finished I am sure will see the difference and see how worthwhile it was to do that.

There are no easy answers in repainting and no magic one fix for all formulas.

Just take it step by step and do each on it's merits.

Two things when starting out that are worth remembering

You can't use too many layers. It is useful to keep them seperate and can be combined later in a copy . I have about 50 layers on the HS 748 paint kit I made and about the same on the Argosy. My Superfreighter has more than that now even though it's not finshed as idividual parts are added and textured. Always make sure you have a master layered document as a back up

The other thing to bear in mind is you can't fail

Even if you get fed up with a job and throw it you will always have learned somthing on that job. Things rub off as you work on the paints and daunting it may seem at first some of it sticks and the knowledge grows

If you get stuck then post here and someone will soon answer.

Individuals have different ways of working so spread it arround and soon you will find one that suits you.

Don't be afraid to ask anything you may feel is trivial as we were all newbies once and most question we have answers too because we once asked them ourselves. ;-)

I'm sure you'll get there

ATB

Garry

[Techy111]

I am currently working on the panel lines and i have noticed in the original model the lines are a bit Squew wiff ===



I have re-lined the other side and was wondering if theres an easier way to do this? Or is it patience ? :o



Just want to get it right.........

Techy

p.s. Am i in the right forum for these posts?

[Garry Russell]

Just trial and error until you get it right :@

Frustrating at times but if you try and cut corners you will regret it later :-(

Garry

[Techy111]

I have nearly finished re mapping all the lines but in FS9 i get a flickering anomaly just behind the Cockpit any ideas?

All lines saved as 32 bit 888 which is a vast improvement over the original DXT1....... Pic below.



Techy

[Jason32]

Talking about the Bucc, its the next project from me at UKMIL.

I like your Bucc work, very nice indeed

The small section behind the canopy, i too work in 32 Bit for quality and i also get that section flickering, but when you open the canopy the flicker goes away...i will look into it more when i finish my Bucc.

Heres a pic of mine, in very early WIP stage, Ive redrawn the panel lines as myself i hate the original AS ones as they look very basic compared to a real Bucc drawing. But as usual the limits of the model has made be have to fit to make it look better rather than 100% to the model but anything than the original AS lines are better...