Skin Tutorials

[JG52Batz]

Please im new here can somebody point me in the directon of some skin Tutorials for complete noobs. Ive been having fun creating screenshots but would love to have a go at skinning

[adlabs6]

Take a look at these, they cover alot of the basics for beginners.

http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/foru...nder-tool.html
http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/foru...ins-voids.html
http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/foru...ts-il2-fb.html

Not sure which program you are using, but there are many tutorials submitted by staff and members to cover lots of techniques with each of the major programs.

And of course, if you get stuck just ask!

[JG52Batz]

Thank you i will take a look.
Im using Photoshop CS3 BTW

[Serval]

In that case look here also: Simmers Paint Shop - Photoshop
And especially these:
http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/foru...-markings.html
http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/foru...photoshop.html
http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/foru...photoshop.html
http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/foru...photoshop.html

If you get the hang of these things read on with the other tutorials. And ask what is not clear to you

[JG52Batz]

Thanks for the advice, what im not too sure about is i heard about mirroring on skins whats that?
Sorry more qusetions where can i get colour swatches for Photoshop and aircraft markings?

[JG52Batz]

One more question i feel like a complete noob but when i find some swatches for photoshop how do i install them??

Sorry for all the questions

[adlabs6]

Check your installation path for Photoshop, there should be a subdirectory in there for brushes. Mine (Photoshop Elements 2) is in Presets/Color Swatches.

Once you find the location, just drop the .aco file into the folder and start Photohshop. Now you should be able to load that palette from the palette toolbox.

[JG52Batz]

I have been folowing the tutorials here but i have a problem when i save the file. When i save the file and go to IL2 to look at the skin i cant find it .
I think that skins should be saved as 8 bit bmp files? but when i save bmp files i dont get the option to save as 8 bit


What am i doing wrong and wy are my files not showing up in game?

Here is the difference between my skin and i already have in game.

[adlabs6]

Ok, this is where you've got some choices.

First and easiest... Save the BMP file with the 24 bit selection. Now close your layered file, and open up the BMP file you just saved. Click 'Image : Mode : Indexed Color'. This should bring up some options in a dialog. For the palette you want one called 'adaptive', and then set dither to 'diffusion' and a hgh percentage, 100% is fine. Save the file and it should work in IL2 now.

The longer but visually improved method is to use BRIGHT, an external application which does the conversion to a higher standard. There is a whole separate article covering this process, here:
http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/foru...ng-bright.html

And if you want to know some more about what's going on with this conversion process in the first place, this article will explain some of the details:
http://www.simmerspaintshop.com/foru...e-artists.html

Lots of people get stuck on this for the first time or two, then it's easy as pie. Feel free to post if you get stuck!

[Friendly_flyer]

Thanks for the advice, what im not too sure about is i heard about mirroring on skins whats that?

Mirroring is when one part of the skin file is used on more than one part of the aircraft. The He111 skin for instance uses only one wing and one tailplan. Whatever markings and camouflage you paint on the wing or tailplan will appear on bout starboard and port side. This makes it impossible to make a skin with three white strips on the port wing, like commanders had during Battle of Britain. A few skins have such problems, most don't.