Re-coloring tutorial available

[46rob]

http://www.worlds-smallest-air-museum.com/TUTORIALS/

Not the only way to do things--but it's a good set of basic techniques

[Elliott]

Thanks for the link, Rob. I had not seen this previously. Great tutorial!

Regards,

Elliott

[cgutzmer]

it is great! I have been thinking of adding some more designs to winkys squadron
Chris

[rmks2000]

Thanks Rob! I forgot about this one.

[rmks2000]

Spoke too soon! This tut looks new! Nice that you even have some basic cardmodeling tips along with the tutorial. Thanks again.

[46rob]

Yes, FG just posted it Monday. Took two years of off and on again (mostly off) writing. Not exactly a high priority project. Lots of things I had to learn the hard way.

[MOS95B]

I quickly scanned through that tutorial, and plan on printing it on good paper and keeping it at my work table. Great tips for building, and learning PS.

Thank you!!

[hpept]

Very good tutorial rob. But there's an aspect that I still can't figure out: how to add writings or patches, or symbols, that span through several separate pieces. I didn't find a way, yet, to match the borders of the portions so that they line up perfectly when assembled. Any hint?

[46rob]

Two different approaches:

For most work--where the markings are parallel to the fuslage horizontal datum line, create a virtual "t" Square as a separate layer from two lines six or so pixels wide....make it more like a cross than a T. Measure from either a center point or the edge--whichever is less --to the point you wish to place your marking. Align the t square tangent to the edge of the fuselage section, and then proceed to align your marking with it.

For markings that pass diagonally acrosss the fuselage, make each section into a separate layer, with a transparent background. Then you have to carefully "roll " the parts against each other to align the tangents of the point on each edge together. Then cut and paste in your markings and merge each markng segment with it's apropriate fuselage segment.

Hope this helps. there was so much info I could hav put into the document--I had to pick and choose, otherwise I'd never have finished it at all.

[hpept]

Then you have to carefully "roll " the parts against each other to align the tangents of the point on each edge together.

This definitely makes sense in theory, as it's how I would do if I had the cutouts in my hands, but I have some difficulties in figuring how to do it virtually without slipping the parts between each other. I have no particular software tools to do it, and I think it can be done only by hand.

Hope this helps. there was so much info I could hav put into the document--I had to pick and choose, otherwise I'd never have finished it at all

Sure it does. I found your tut very helpful. Thank you again for dedicating your time to write it and sharing with us.

[46rob]

Try using GIMP--it's freeware that emulates Photoshop in a lot of respects.

With it you can do all of what I've just described. do a web search for download sites.

[46rob]

I've added another section to the tutorial, explaining two different ways I separate insignia and lettering, and align them with individual sections. There are other ways--but I'm comfortable using these two methods.

[hpept]

Thank you Rob!!! What can I expect more than a tailored tutorial?

[46rob]

Anything for a friend

[k5083]

The most difficult thing when you are doing insignia and lettering across parts occurs when they are on conic sections that are radically tapered (so the developed cone has a highly curved edge) AND they are split across two such sections with different tapers, so that if you lay the two sections next to each other and place the marking where they meet, the marking will be distorted and some of it will have to be cut out.

Another difficult problem is getting a straight line across, say, four or five sections of a fuselage, like a pinstripe or panel line that runs all the way from nose to tail, and getting it straight. Even with Rob's T-square device this can be very tricky.

As a last resort, sometimes the only solution (referring here to Rob's excellent tutorial on designing a model) is cut and try: Do a test build of the model, draw the markings on it (or apply stickers or decals if you have or can make them), then take it apart again and scan the pieces as a basis for the final markings.

August