IL-2 Noseart

[Aviar]

I have a female image I want to use as a noseart. I also want to place a colored circle behind the image, as a background. However, I can't seem to do it. The background always 'covers' the image. In other words, a red background also turns the image red. I just want the background red...not the image itself. If I place the image layer on top of the background layer, it still turns the image itself red.

I'm thinking that the 'Mask' feature might be the answer but I tried all the options but none worked.

Currently, I have the image on a seperate layer with a transparent background. I have another layer with the red 'circle' I want to use as the background. Somehow I have to merge these two layers so that the red background does not cover any of the image.

*Using GIMP, of course.

Aviar

[Serval]

The layer with the circle should be behind the female.
The backgroungs should be a color that looks best like the camo you will use the image on (for blending), often that is grey.
If you have all layers visible and it looks OK in GIMP, then you should be fine.
Save the image as BMP. Make sure it is 256 colors/8 bit, eighter directly in GIMP of by converting with Bright afterward. View it in game.

[Aviar]

Yes, I know "The layer with the circle should be behind the female". However, the red background bleeds throught and tints the image red. I can't seem to solve this issue.

Aviar

[adlabs6]

Did you check the opacity of the layer with the female? If the red circle is showing through it, you've got to set opacity to 100% for that layer.

BTW... how did you get the female to have a transparency around the outside of the image are? Using a layer mode? If so, that's the issue right there. You'll have to cut or erase away the unwanted parts of that layer, rather than using a layer blending mode.

If that's what you are doing.

[Aviar]

BTW... how did you get the female to have a transparency around the outside of the image are? Using a layer mode? If so, that's the issue right there. You'll have to cut or erase away the unwanted parts of that layer, rather than using a layer blending mode.

If that's what you are doing.

Did you ever see the noseart files in IL-2? That's what I am using....one of those files. If you open one up, you will see an image and a gray background.

The game makes the gray transparent if you choose the noseart for your plane. However, I am loading the file into GIMP, so I had to make that gray background transparent, otherwise it would show as part of my 'custom' noseart....which I don't want. I want only the image itself.

So now I have an image alone, with no background. So far so good. Then I want to place a circle of color behind the image. This is my problem. The color is tinting the image itself, even though it is 'behind' the image. I just want the color 'around' the image, without altering the image itself.

Aviar

[adlabs6]

No, I left IL2 before those noseart files came along.

What method did you use to make the gray part transparent?

[Aviar]

No, I left IL2 before those noseart files came along.

What method did you use to make the gray part transparent?

Choose Layer/Transparency/Color to Alpha...

Then you match the color you want to make transparent...in this case the gray background. That's how I get the image itself without a background.

Aviar

[adlabs6]

Thanks Aviar, that let me test here on my computer.

Unfortunately, when I use this same "Color to Alpha" tool, all of my test images become very slightly transparent. You can see this if you are using a background checkerboard for the transparency, it shows very faintly through the image area after removing the gray.

Try this out:
Starting with a fresh layer of the image of the female, use the following command:
Layer/Transparency/Add Alpha Channel

Then use:
Select/By Color

Click on the gray you want removed, and it should show a selection. Adjust the selection as needed, for best results. Then on the image layer with the selection use:
Edit/Clear

Now you should have transparency only where selected, with 100% opaque pixels in the image area.

[Aviar]

That also works but the image looks different...more washed out and with 'holes' (missing pixels) throughout.

I'll keep trying but thanks for the help anyway.

Aviar

[Serval]

Maybe this is a quick and dirty trick (not tested as I use no GIMP)
Use te original female as background.
Above it a layer with your red circle.
Above that the female with the adjustment adlabs6 suggested.
The background might counter the effects you describe.

Also not the adjust selection part of adlabs description. I guess you might be able to do some things there to fix your problem (partially)