Airliners!

[GrubbyFingers]

Hi AAJ,

This work is remarkable, even more so as it is done as vector artwork! Your natural metal American bird is a real jaw-dropper. Well done, indeed!

Welcome and I hope we'll see more of your work in the future.

I'd be interested to see a close up of some of the natural metal work.

Grubby.

[asj410]

Thanks, Grubby! I appreciate that! I'm still trying to tweak the bare metal look, since I'm not totally satisfied with it. But I think at this point, I may have done all I can do with it in Illustrator. What I'd like to do is add some random scuff marks and other variations in coloring as can be seen along the upper fuselages of the aircraft in the following pics:

Photos: Boeing 737-823 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

Photos: Boeing 757-223 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

Photos: McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (DC-9-82) Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

Below is a close-up of an unfinished USAir 737-300 that I've been working on to illustrate how the bare metal is looking at this point. I darkened it up a bit overall compared to the American 727-200. I've been debating over whether to give it a more reflective look by simulating some cloud-type reflections along the upper fuselage compared to how it is now with a simulated clear sky. Basically just stuff to reduce how "clean-cut" it looks. But at this point, with every addition I make in Illustrator, I have to consider whether or not the thing will even export out of Illustrator because of that irritating (and apparently unsolvable) "insufficient memory" error that seems to be a bug rather than a genuine error.

[mclaring]

Dude,

the metal work on that 737-200 is supremo. Good work,

MC

[amo]

Thanks for the civil support Great work maybe you could pass on your metal techniques as I seem to have problems with it. I also use vector programme (Coreldraw X5) then export to psd files.

[mclaring]

Amo,

here is my bare metal work. hard to get right, and I've never mastered it. Some of the P-51s on this site are the best,

MC

[asj410]

Nice work, MC! I love how you guys are able to incorporate such insane amounts of detail into your work.

amo, I'm not sure how well I'll be able to articulate what it is that I do for my bare metal, but it basically involves the use of the gradient mesh tool. It was a bear to learn, and it can be a pain in the butt, but it's given me the best bare metal look in Illustrator. I basically split the fuselage into several parts along specific vertical panel lines (e.g. the one aft of the L1 door on that USAir 737-300 that I posted), and then create gradient mesh objects out of those individual sections of fuselage with which to work on. From there, it's just a matter of strategically adding and positioning anchor points, then filling those points with certain colors. Not sure how much that helps, but hopefully it helps a little!

[asj410]

Here's one more before I head to bed. Did this one last year for a friend of mine who flies for PSA. I really wish I could find a website or other resource that lists the first flight of a specific CRJ. None of the places I've found seem to have this information, yet they do have the delivery dates. I wonder if Bombardier just doesn't release first flight dates for some strange reason.

[BigLarry1950]

Nice looking 727's above ... Great job. I am attempting to do a FS-2004 version of a TWA Boeing 757-200 using a Posky paint kit. The model I'm looking at is N709US found on airliners.net. But I've not been able to find the gold colored globe logo found on foward section of the fuselage.

[bogsituacije]

Nice work

[bogsituacije]

Thanks, Grubby! I appreciate that! I'm still trying to tweak the bare metal look, since I'm not totally satisfied with it. But I think at this point, I may have done all I can do with it in Illustrator. What I'd like to do is add some random scuff marks and other variations in coloring as can be seen along the upper fuselages of the aircraft in the following pics:

Photos: Boeing 737-823 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

Photos: Boeing 757-223 Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

Photos: McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (DC-9-82) Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

Below is a close-up of an unfinished USAir 737-300 that I've been working on to illustrate how the bare metal is looking at this point. I darkened it up a bit overall compared to the American 727-200. I've been debating over whether to give it a more reflective look by simulating some cloud-type reflections along the upper fuselage compared to how it is now with a simulated clear sky. Basically just stuff to reduce how "clean-cut" it looks. But at this point, with every addition I make in Illustrator, I have to consider whether or not the thing will even export out of Illustrator because of that irritating (and apparently unsolvable) "insufficient memory" error that seems to be a bug rather than a genuine error.

Very nice window effect