Me first profile on Simmers'.

[Goodwood]

No, I do not flatten, though that's an interesting strategy. I've also heard about applying a layer mask, essentially a full layer of white with the profile shape cut out to make sure nothing shows that you don't want to show. Heh.

I formed the wing based on the shape shown in the source imagery that was used; a layer was created and a solid object was painted to match the outline of the wing. Basing all shading on that object, I proceeded to apply my techniques (it was a bit tough to figure out at first), using the shape to serve as a guide to trim off excess shading, keeping the wing sharp compared to the rest of the fuselage. My templates have about five to seven separate shading layers, all of which can be tweaked but most likely wouldn't be as they're pretty universal.

Meanwhile, I've created a separate template, incorporating the Malcolm hood and whip antenna that was installed to replace the radio mast per a popular field modification among 8th and 9th Air Force fighter units. Neat, eh?

[anadc4]

The area I had the greatest issue with - and we are talking four engine airliner here - was where the nacelle shading met the underwing shading. A mate from Singapore who got into profile art via flight sim repaints had the same issues. Never found a satisfactory solution until I merged the wing and nacelle shading into a single layer. Might be problem exacerbated by scale. My profiles are only 3000px wide, so the critical nacelle/wing overlap is quite small on a DC-7, for instance.


Flattening the image is what we do at the newspaper I work at before the page is made up as a pdf file. It is to reduce file size but we are talking huge high res files here - several hundred Mbs before flattening. With a mainframe, file storage is not an issue like on a PC. I convert my images to a 800px jpegs for the crude pdf catalogue I can send out to interested people. When I print - and all my profiles are printed - I do it off the layered pdf file onto A4. Printing on A4 reduces the image to about 30% of the original without reducing the pixel count. Makes for very sharp images.

David

[Goodwood]

Yes, well, I've yet to attempt a multi-engine aeroplane... ...who has the time for these things anyway? I'm still just learning, but what you say makes sense.

[anadc4]

I'm still just learning,

Learning? The stuff you are doing is exceptional for a "novice".

Do you plan to tackle the prop? I grew up here in Australia with the "British" tradition of profile art, which displayed the plane gear up, no props and the aircraft level. It was the way profiles were done in the Observer's Book of Aircraft (albeit as silhouettes), British aircraft books and mags such as Flying Review. In the States the tradition seemed to be the plane at rest, sitting on its gear, ground level, and with a prop.

David

[Goodwood]

Nah, I'll leave the prop to those with more talent, heh. Besides, one prop is the same as another on most aircraft of the same type, with *very* rare exceptions. To be honest the only reason this series of profiles is depicted thusly is due to the source material used. I have a similar source for the P-51D that includes prop, but I'll be leaving that off if/when I get to it.

If you'd like to see some of my early work, go here. You'll see the progression from Jug to Wurger to Mustang...

Besides, everyone is "just learning" - anyone who tells you they've learnt it all is a gasbag of ego...

[SunDog]

That's a good profile you've done their, Visited your site too the Jugs are good I did Bonnie for il2 skins a few years back, she has the right name