Reply With QuoteNice mustangs don't change a thing. My only advice is don't go too shiny and don't rely too heavily on restored aircraft as a source for how a combat aircraft would look.
Senior Member
Yes, everybody likes making Mustang profiles!
This is only my second attempt at making profile art. My first one was of a B-17F that my grandfather flew in. I taught me a lot about what to do and more importantly what not to do when making profiles! I might go back some time and correct it's most glaring problems, but before I did, I wanted to practice on a much easier subject. Enter the P-51!
I'll skip the really early versions and start with this:
Not 100% there, but before I finished detailing everything out, I created some "polished" layers to better recreate the look of some of these planes that are flying as current-day warbirds. I put this effect above the paint layers to try and get the paint to look shiny as well. I'll probably add some extra "shine" highlighting at some point, too.
Compare this to the last picture of Moonbeam McSwine above. The only changes are the polished effect and a bit better highlighting.
Opinions? Suggestions? Harsh language?
Oh, yes, these are resized down by about 60% from the original, which is 2500x1000 pixels. Yes, I know some will say it needs to be much higher resolution, but I wanted to keep things manageable. I do some of this at work during slow times, so I'm also somewhat limited by my crappy computer there. I might resize them up to 5000x2000 someday, even though I know that will mean quite a bit of cleanup work.
Senior Member
Nice mustangs don't change a thing. My only advice is don't go too shiny and don't rely too heavily on restored aircraft as a source for how a combat aircraft would look.
Senior Member
I especially like your deformed metal effect. Fritzie101 is right about the shiny part: don't overdo it. However, what you've done is OK, so long as you don't add anything on top of it IMHO.
Senior Member
I recon if you and Gamary got together, you'd turn out the best mustangs ever seen.
You've got a real life feel about the metal, but some of the 3D elements arn't as strong as Gamary's.
Still great work.
Senior Member
Nice profile Jarink
I agree with gamary I like the your metal effect
Senior Member
Wow! Great metal work, and then prop job is super!
How about some highlights on the forward canopy and a shadow of the horizontal prop blade on the spinner?
More! More!
Senior Member
Oh, certainly; I agree completely. I know they are often painted at the whim of the owner and the owners don't always (almost never?) insist on historical accuracy! These profiles so far are all of "warbirds" and not meant to be historical representations. That's why I was working on the shine effect. I have another less-shiny template that I'm going to use for historical birds. First up for them will be some 506th Fighter Group planes.Originally Posted by fritzie101
Vacajun - D'oh! Thanks for picking up the lack of shadow for the prop. I totally missed it. I'm still working on some of the highlighting, too.
Senior Member
Update time. I added some 3D panel effects and some other minor details. There's still a few odds and ends I need to work on, but the template is 80-90% done, I think.
Two profiles, one a "Warbird" and the other a historical picture of "Shanghai Lil" from the 462nd Fighter Squadron, 506th Fighter Group. The main difference between these two is the way the metal is done. They both share the same base metal layers, but the warbird has the "shine" effect and Shanghai Lil has a much rougher look to it.
Quick Silver
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Shanghai Lil
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Senior Member
Nice! I prefer the actual war-weary look. The slippery Mustangs exasperate me: if you really need something to shave in front of, a mirror will do the job just as well.
Senior Member
I added some 75 gallon drop tanks today. I still need to make the 108 gallon and 165 gallon tanks (used in the Pacific), plus zero-length rocket rails and I think this template can be called "done". Oh yea, some weathering, too. And 250 and 500 pound bombs. And landing gear.
Maybe it'll never be "done"!
My Achin' Back from the 4th Fighter Group, 334th Fighter Squadron
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Fighting Lady from the 506th Fighter Group, 457th Fighter Squadron
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