Step-By-Step Rivets

[BLOWHARD]

Also see this this tutorial for more information. -adlabs6

Here's what I do for WWII planes. I have a slightly different method for WWI and for planes that only get a few rivets here and there.

First off, start with a handy dandy plane with panel lines already set up

STEP 1
The first thing I do, because I like doing it this way, is to draw out paths using the pen tool where my rivet lines will be.

(skip STEP 3 if you don't want to use paths)

STEP 2
Set your brush up. I use a one pixel hard edged brush and I set the spacing to whatever looks correct for the plane at hand.


STEP 3
Once you've got the right spacing and the brush set up, the color you want for your rivets and a new layer for the rivets to be painted on, go to the path window sub menu and select "Stroke Path..." You can also select 1 or more paths from a whole set and selectively stroke just what you want.
(I know it sounds funny, but get yer mind out of the gutter!!! )


It'll ask what brush you want, in a pop up window, if you've already selected it, it'll show as the brush you'll stroke with. If not, select the brush you have just set up.
...And like magic, the rivets will just pop up!


STEP 3a
If you don't like paths or don't want to learn how to use them you can do the same by using the pen tool and the shift key to draw straight or diagonal lines, depending on when you hit the sift key. You can't, of course, draw circle rivets lines or curved rivets lines without a path. You'll have to arrange those by hand.

STEP 4
To finish it off I like to add a little shadow around the rivets. This is not only a shadow but also simulates the dirt that collects around both raised and flush rivets.


How it's done is easy, "select all" on the rivets layer and nudge the selection 1 pixel up and then one pixel down to it's original place using the move tool. The reason for this is it gives you an exact selection. If you use the magic wand the selection will never be exact no matter the setting of the wand. Next "select inverse" and create a new layer for your shadows. Fill it with black or dark brown or whatever. Then feather that selection by 1 pixel. This won't work if you've only got 1 pixel selections but if you end up with spit pixels as I have above, it'll do perfect.
Once you've feathered, clear it out. You'll be left with a perfect fuzzy dark ring around your rivets.
Of course this will only work if you have light colored rivets. Forget using that unless you want to show light catching the dimples around flush rivets, in which case you're set. For dimples you might want to expand by 1 pixel, then feather by 1 or even 2 pixels. It get's pretty damn complicated if you want to show directional light and shadow on your dimples.

That's about it. The rest is up to you, how much you want them to stand out or blend in, what color you use, light or dark etc. I tend to like light ones but as you can see from the examples below, both work fine.

[bzhyoyo]

Hi Blowhard,
could you make some precisions on some sentences I don't understand? Cheers.

"select all" on the rivets layer and nudge the selection 1 pixel up and then one pixel down to it's original place using the move tool

Do you mean the original rivet layer? Shouldn't it be a copy?

Next "select inverse"

When I select all then select inverse, I get the warning "no pixel is selected". What am I doing wrong?

[BLOWHARD]

Do you mean the original rivet layer? Shouldn't it be a copy?

A little tricky because it can be done so many ways depending on how you work it. I'll be more specific about what I do;
If you select "all" you select the whole canvas, nothing specific. If you were to fill after selecting all, you'd fill the whole canvas. If you were to copy and paste after selecting all you copy the rivets but they would end up moving to the top left of the canvas. But, if you select all, nudge once, and return, you selected just what is painted on that layer including any subtleties.
You could use a copy of that layer but what I do is use this layer to make my selection for another layer. You can make a copy layer and do the same steps but fill the selection on your copy. You can use any layer with something painted on it to make a selection this way, it doesn't depend on making a copy. The important thing is too keep what you're doing with all the layers clear in your mind :P

When I select all then select inverse, I get the warning "no pixel is selected". What am I doing wrong?

That could be several things. When this happens, first make a new layer and try filling it with black or a bright red or something. It might turn out your selection is smaller that a single pixel in any one place but that it will still fill in the very small bits you selected.
It might also be that you haven't really selected anything. To do a test, make a new layer and paint a big dot or shape on it. Select all, nudge it to select it, if you see the marquee "marching ants" around it, you've done it right. If not, maybe you haven't nudge that painted shape, but instead just shifted your selection.

Let me know if this is clearer. If not, I'll try it again

[bzhyoyo]

Thanks, that's clearer now. Actually that's a selection method I already use but my understanding of English failed me that time. Off to do some riveting!