Newbie painting an F/A-18A+

[Rolex]

OK, before I start, this is my first paint, and first post here. I've been lurking around this site for years and years watching all the great things you guys do. I have mad respect for everything I've seen over the years. That being said, I figured it was time to paint an aircraft myself.

I know some of you don't like the Hornet, so let me tell you, this Hornet is near and dear to my heart. I flew it as an Instructor during my time with the U.S. Navy and it happens to have my name painted on the side.

I've been working with Photoshop for years, painting aircraft skins for just about any aviation game or sim you can think of. The airtistic part of painting profiles has always amazed me, so I figured it was time to get off the pot and learn a new skill.

This is a very very very early stage WIP, so without further hesitation, here it is. Please don't hold back comments or suggestions as I've seen you do over the years, and if you pick on the aircraft, stand bye for a fight. I saved it as a JPG so I'm not sure how much will be lost....

[Rolex]

Did a little more work today. I've read all the tutorials on this site and as you can see I'm not really following any order. Kind of like an ADHD kid working right now, I see the forward antenna, Ohhh, Ohhh I'll work on that. How bout the form lights, the tail vent, now back and paint a little more.

I know I need more shadowing and highlights, still more paint and LOTS more details to work out.

I think I need to stop and concentrate on my line work first and foremost, because the line drawing I'm using is giving me problems.

[Maciej N]

Very good way to start with this theme

[gamary]

Welcome, Rolex!

I'm not crazy about the Hornet for two very valid reasons:

1 - Its legs are too short and that was a problem when I was playing Harpoon.

2 - The Super Hornet is a nuisance to us Frenchmen trying (and failing) to sell the Rafale to the entire world.



You're off to a good start.

My 2 cents: I usually start with a completely neutral grey aircraft rather than one that's already painted or camouflaged. I learned this the hard way. In some cases it won't matter, but in others you'll realize that all of the shading and lighting (aka the hard part) you've done is valid only for that paintscheme and that it looks just wrong on any other paint job...

Looking forward to seeing your progress on this. Don't hesitate to experiment and copy what others have done. This is how we all progress!

[inkworm]

How many of us can say we do profiles of a fast jet we used to fly? Never really studied the F18 enough to comment on it, try taking the opacity of the lines down and see how it looks.

[Rolex]

Hey guys, thanks for the comments, hope to have an update later tonight. I've redone the lines and have made a grey only layer and am currently working the shadows and highlights. Thanks again for the comments and suggestions, keep em coming.

Inkworm: If you look closely at the pilot, I cropped myself from a photo my father-in-law took and added it in, don't know if it will stay. Maybe I'll turn it into a line drawing and try and paint it, who knows, long way off at this point.

[inkworm]

I did notice and would have guess it was you but hard to see any detail when viewing it on the phone.

Personally I find it easier to do the shading and highlights with the markings turned off and think most of the others add them in at the last minute.

What else did you get to fly so we know what other profiles to expect in future?

[Rolex]

I flew a number of different aircraft over my 22 years in the Navy. Here's the list:

SH-60B's HSL-40,46,48,41,49, NSAWC
H-60A, SH-60F/B, HH-60H, MH-53D Sikorsky Plant.
TH-57 HT-18
T-34 VT-27-28
T-45 VT-22
F/A-18C VFA-113
F/A-18A-D VFA-125

Civilian:

737 Type Rated (never flew, just got the type rating).
Cessna Citation 550
Eurocopter AS-350 A-Star
Cessna 206, 172, 150
Beechcraft Bonanza, V-Tail, Debbonaire.

Need to get through this profile before I can even think about any others.

[Rolex]

Here's the grey only as it sits, still have to work the LEX and wing.....

[Rolex]

Another Grey update and how it looks with the paint, what say you all?