My first completed repaint

[Paul K]

Here's my A2A Cherokee repaint, and it's the first one I've ever fully completed, on any aircraft ( I usually lose interest about 75% of the way there ). Anyway, this is a simple, fictional one representing my own personal aircraft. Now I can go touring !

Many many thanks to Bill Womack for his excellent tutorial, particularly regarding adjustment layers:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwHkzVszOMg

[DaveB]

Very smart it looks too Paul. Well Done that man

ATB
DaveB

[Aharon]

great tail paint!

[Paul K]

Thank you chaps

I struggled with the registration a little, and it's still not exactly what I would like. I was after doing red letters with a blue outline - so, typing an outline letter and then filling with red paintbucket. I just couldn't get the anti-aliasing right, however. The letter edges were fine when solid, but as soon as I turned them into outlines ( by contracting in PSE and by stylizing text in Paint.net ) I got jaggy edges again. Any hints and tips in that regard would be appreciated.

[DaveB]

What version of PSE are you using Paul? I had PSE1 then moved to PSE2 (came free with a Canon I bought years ago) and outlining letters/numbers e t c was the same. Never bothered going any higher as all the 'improvements' were photo related rather than what I use it for (painting).
If I remember right.. in PSE2.. you type whatever it is you want to type (noting that this is the outline colour you want) then pull down an outline from the effects menu (eg.. thin, medium or large) and drop it onto the text. Once you've done that, you simply fill with the colour you want using the paint bucket. As long as anti-alias is ticked.. everything remains smooth. Been a while since I've done it but I'm sure this is how I've done it in the past.

ATB
DaveB

[Dev One]

You could cheat and make each letter have two layers, the underlayer being the next size font larger....It works for me with psp7.
Keith

[DaveB]

That's a good alternative Keith but this really is easy in PSE2.. unbelievably so. I have PS CS2 and it would probably take minutes to do what PSE2 does in seconds.. that is if I could make it do it at all! I'll be interested to learn which version Paul has

ATB
DaveB

[DaveG]

Great paint Paul. Well done

[Paul K]

Great paint Paul. Well done

Thanks Dave

Dave B: I'm using PSE 9. However, a good while ago, I used PSE 2, and I'm sure I had a plug-in which allowed you to convert solid text to outline text. Here's an example, something I did for my Silent Hunter 3 Wolves at War campaign persona. The outline text at the top was just right: smooth on the inside and outside edges.



I've searched for that plug-in, hoping for a version for PSE 9, but so far no luck. So, I tried using this method, but it leaves antialiased pixels on the inside of the letter shape, which interfere with the colour fill using paint bucket.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7O_xgyVRzw

The other method I tried was simply by using Paint.Net for just the text layer - Paint has the ability to turn solid text into outline text at the click of a mouse. Trouble is, when you do that click, the edges become un-anti-aliased
( pro-aliased ? ). It smooths out a little when the PSD is saved as a DDS, but not enough to pass close inspection.

Keith...hadn't thought of your method, but I'll give it a try. The thing is, there is a maximum font size with PSE 9, something like 139 pixels, and if you need it bigger ( which you do ), you have to stretch the layer. That results in the letters being the correct width and height, but not thick enough, as is a bit evident on my repaint above.

If only I could find that PSE plug in..

EDIT: Dave B. what effect were you using in PSE 2 to get outline text ? I've looked through the available effects in PSE 9 , and cant see anything that might do the job.

[DaveB]

Hiya Paul

Well mate.. if I have that plug-in for PSE2, it's there without me knowing it I'm pretty sure that the effect is part of the default program. This said.. updates/newer versions will often take things out that are considered unnecessary and it may be the case that PS, in their wisdom, removed this effect. I know there was a great bevel effect in PSE1 I used for gauge surrounds and was miffed to see it had gone in PSE2

Just in case.. check your 'Effects' drop-down to see if 'Outline' is there
ATB
DaveB