Ju88A

[Supah]

Or just right click on the layer containing your old highlight holding Ctrl making a selection in its shape and then fill that selection on another layer with a gradient fill Just a matter of how hard you want to make it for yourself.

[Clint Mitchell]

Good idea Supah.

AC Pro:
I'll proceed with the other bits now then

Cheers

Clint

[Clint Mitchell]

Main Shading on Vertical Stabiliser complete. Had to have a sneaky peak with some markings.



Cheers

Clint

[gamary]

I might have misunderstood what you meant AP, but I have the impression that what you're describing is incorrect. The diagram you made with the sun's position and the angle at which the light hits the aircraft is wrong IMO because you're representing the sun as being located extremely close to the subject/aircraft. In real life the sun is so distant that the angle at which the light hits the fuselage would be 99.99999% identical everywhere on the fuselage. The example you give would be correct for a local light source, such as a lamp or projector, but can't be used for something as distant as the sun.

If the diagram is correct, it would mean that the shadow of the wing should be at a different angle from the shadow of the stabilizer, which doesn't make sense.

Please let me know if I misunderstood your explanation. I'm not sure I've understood it completely.

On the other hand, I think the effect can be interesting to enhance shape definition, but following different principles.

[Vacajun]

GM,

Absolutely correct!

I'm always first drawn to shadow rendering on profiles, because it can really kill an otherwise perfect piece of art.

I'm aware that various artists on SPS visualize the sun position from different angles--for example,some people here have the sun position slightly above the horizon and directly abeam the aircraft (parallel to the left wing). Most profilers have always used the sun at a position near the centerline and about 70 degrees forward of the vertical, in front of the aircraft. So, you have to know the artist's perspective before commenting on the work. But, in any event, the sun is way, way out there just as you point out, and the shadows and highlights must be consistent with the selected position.

[Clint Mitchell]

I'm open to debate on this. I've still got the original highlight just in case.

Thanks all

Clint

[Baron]

Just can agree gamary! If you take the sun as light source all light rays come with the same angle and all parts of the plane get the same exposure.

Cheers, Simon

PS: Clint, you should rework the lighting of your tail section! It's too bright. Here is a WIP shot of mine Ju 88 C-6.

[Clint Mitchell]

PS: Clint, you should rework the lighting of your tail section! It's too bright. Here is a WIP shot of mine Ju 88 C-6.

Thanks Simon, I'll look into it.

Clint

[Vacajun]

Clint,

It appears that the tail brightness problem might be caused by your highlight on the leading edge of the horizontal. Would suggest that it should be less bright and on the upper forward surface of the tail.

[Aircraftprofiles]

gamary: I´ll be happy to try and elaborate on this matter. You are completly right abut the sun not comming from a certain point, but the rays are comming form a general direction. on Ill 1 the sun is makes as a line instead of a point.
However, it still means that the rays hit the surface of a object (aircraft) at different angels(ill. 1). The suns rays will be traveling through the air in the same direction (the reflected rays not considered here), but will hit the surface of the aircraft in different angels, due to the cigars shape of the aircraft

If the light hit the fuselage with an identical intensenty all over the fuselage it would mean that the highlight would be the same all over, you are right about that too. However, that´s not the case: If you think of a simple spherical object, and the light that hit that sphere´s upper surface (the light side of the sphere) was identical all over, then the sphere would have a identically illuminated side facing the light source, and a dark side facing away from the light source (ill. 2.1). But in reality there´s a focus point of the light, the the highlight is fading in any direction from that point (ill. 2.2).

If you take ill 2.2 and make it more alongated, sort of like a fuselage of a aircraft. The focus point will still be at the part of the surface where the rays from the sun, hit at an angle of 90 degrees, and fade from there. As you stretch the object the highlight will follow, since the area where the suns rays hit the object in a 90 degress angle (and near 90 degress) is also being stretched.

Therefore: In my eyes there should be a focus point of the highlight. That focus point should be where the lightsources rays hit the surface at a 90 degress angle.

Regarding the shading: As noted by Gamary the sun is not a point, but gives light from a general direction. Then the shade should be identical for the wing and the tail, since the rays all hit the aircraft from the same direction (ill. 1)

I hope this makes my point more clear...Sorry clint, about hijacking your thread ! Hope it´s ok..just let me know if you want me to start a new thread.

Thanks for being willing engage in this discussion !