My modest first repaint.

[Paul K]

Cheers, Garry.

Jim Hodkinson, who produced the bare metal template, also released the set of layers he used in the process. I'll have a look at what I can use, but Its the rivets and panel lines that are crucial, methinks. Won't get much more done before the weekend though. Thanks for your help.

[Garry Russell]

No prob Paul

You are probably finding after getting in a little bit it suddenly looks daunting and you are biting off more than you can chew..but worry not, another session or two and you'll wonder why you ever thought that.

Bit by bit, as you are doing is much better for you..... and...this is very important...easier for anyone helping you out.

Have fun.

[Fodda]

This is all excellent advice! Makes me want to get my layered wotsits out again and have another go on the Rapides.

The best thing about layers and having the paint and text layers separate is being able to easily change registrations and/or aeroplane names for different planes in a fleet. Also having all the weathering and dirt on a separate layer (or layers) allows you to easily create a factory fresh looking repaint, and the same thing after a few days in service.

[DaveB]

Makes me want to get my layered wotsits out again and have another go on the Rapides.

Not a bad idea Gary. I've covered all the VA fleet but only for the FS9 v2 model so I'm more than happy to leave the FSX model paints to you

ATB

DaveB

[Garry Russell]

In any case Dave..........you'll be busy painting my Britannia



Garry

[DaveB]

'La-la' headphones

ATB

DaveB

[Fodda]

Eeerrrr... Yeah, thanks for reminding me Dave. I had a look at doing my old Rapide Railway Air Services repaint in FSX... And one look at FSX repainting made me wince... I couldn't get my head around the changes. I may... That's may mind... have another look over the holidays.

Now for a hopeful one... Is there a paintkit for the FSX Rapide anywhere?

[Paul K]

I was in Border's closing down sale today and found the GIMP manual by Akkana Peck with 30% off. Don't really know why I bought it because I should focus on one thing ( Photoshop 5.5 ) or the other. There is a very good section on layer masks in it, however.

All I need now is Adobe to come up with an Elements 2 fix for Windows 7 and I'll have three paint proggies, none of which I am a master.

[DaveB]

Adobe have already done that mate. Unfortunately, it's called Elements 8

ATB

DaveB

[Wildbillkelso]

I see what Markus is saiyng but with respect even though that is a common method is not a good way to do things.
You don't need to reduce the opacity when spraying over in photoshop.
Use the multiply function..reducing opacity on paint layers is not good and something I have never done.....before photoshop I would select the rivets and copy them or make new ones onto a new layer and redraw the lines.
It should always be detail above the paint (at reduced opacity) not the other way round otherwise the paint looks pale and is never the right colour.

Dear Garry,
yours is of course the sophisticated way of doing repaints!
As I'm using PaintShopProX for my repaints, I don't know the "multiply" function of Photoshop, so I can't tell how it works. The german user interface of PSP doesn't make things easier sometimes...

"Details above paint" may be right in most cases, but I won't call a reduced opacity paint layer "not good" in general:
Selecting or redrawing rivets and panel lines and setting them "on top" just to add some markings or letterings doesn't seem like a reasonable expenditure to me. Did I already mention that I'm lazy?
Furthermore, those structural parts are painted over in reality, so it can't be generally wrong to have "paint over rivets".

Of course it depends on the appearance you'd like to create:
In my eyes, a "pale" paint sometimes will fit to depict a sun-bleached and weather-torn workhorse. It sure won't be right for an immaculate "out of the box" aircraft.

As you can see, Paul, there are different approaches to get things done - try on your own and have fun with it!

Cheers,
Markus.