Is Gimp a good utility for skinning?

Aviar · July 09, 2009, 07:46:41 AM

Howdy. I'm always asking people to alter skins for me, so I decided to try and do some myself. I heard about Gimp and because it's free, that's what I decided to use.

I know nothing about skinning, but I would like to try simple things like add/erase numbers, add some nose art, things like that. I know that to be a real skinner can take a very long time. I'll never be able to do that, but I might be able to master some of the simple tasks.

However, after spending several hours with Gimp, I don't feel like I learned anything about skinning at all.

For instance, how hard is it to simply erase a number on an aircraft? Is it always the same procedure, or does it depend on how the skin was created? Does it matter what program the original skin was created with?

I even watched some Gimp tutorials on YouTube concerning the cloning tool. I was able to do it, but the final product looked horrible.

I thought you skinners used multiple layers, but every skin I loaded into Gimp only had one layer. I must be doing something wrong. I was hoping that the numbers were on one layer, and that I could just delete that layer. Maybe Gimp cannot see multiple layers? I know the program is free, so maybe it's not that powerful?

I really have no clue what I'm talking about here......I'm totally lost. After all these hours, I've gotten nowhere.

Aviar

_AH_Stiffy · July 09, 2009, 09:44:41 AM

ive never used gimp so i cant comment on it, but with that said, i can comment on some of your other question.
layers, yes the use of layers is the way to go. try downloading a template and looking at that to see how many layers they use and what types of things are on them.
Clone tool, dont know what to add to this except it takes practice, trial+error ect.

once your done with your image, you have to merge the layers together which is why when you open a skin up all you see is one layer

your best bet is to have someone walk you thru the basics so you get a feel for it and then try the tutorals again, things will work out better for you

good luck

ps. i use paint shop pro 7

_AH_DarkWolf · July 09, 2009, 08:46:43 PM

Stiffy is correct (for a Red Wings fan), modifying an existing skin is difficult. Paticularly removing things since you might have to re-draw details. Little easier to add things, but you won't have the details of rivets, panel lines and weathering over what you add unless you try and draw the stuff in by hand. You could try putting the skin you want to modify as the base layer in a template, that way you'd have some detail over the stuff you add, might help some if your're removing stuff too. But that can result in excessive weathering and details on the rest of the skin.

Working from a template is a little harder, but you'll get better results. Depending on what a/c you want to paint, there are some killer templates out there that require very little work to create a nice skin. Others are a royal pain in the @$$. You should take a look at a few templates, you might find it easier than you think.

DW

Aviar · July 09, 2009, 10:39:52 PM

I think I'll stick to mission-building and let the experts do the skinning. What was I thinking?

Aviar

_AH_Gonzo · July 09, 2009, 10:45:17 PM

S! Aviar, don't give up on it. Skinning can be fun. It takes a while to get the hang of it and you'll always be learning new things but the results can be awesome.

_AH_DarkWolf · July 09, 2009, 11:09:32 PM

Yeah, if you've got the patience for mission building, skinning from templates should'nt be a stretch.

DW

_AH_Col._Hogan · July 10, 2009, 12:18:40 AM

I use the 64 count of Crayola Crayons

S!

Aviar · July 10, 2009, 05:09:43 AM

It looks like MS Paint is about as complicated as I can handle. As Dirty Harry said...."A man's gotta know his limitations."

Aviar

_AH_Twisted · July 10, 2009, 05:53:46 PM

Aviar the hardest part about skinning is getting used to what ever program you decide to use. Knowing how to use what .

Personally I'm at a slight disadvantage over many of the other skinners like DW because quite frankly my pc is so out of date. Considering I built this back in 2001 so I can't turn the graphics up in game high enough to see how the skin would look like to others that are able to so I guess a lot in hopes it does look good (kooky).

To me mission building is WAY harder than skinning. I've tried but can't figure it out very well yet. At least compared to what others build. I just like working with graphics so it is more natural for me.

I started out by just laying complete color coverage over the void skins then changing certain areas, launch the game and see what changed where. It was all trial and error. Now there are some really good templates you can download to work with. Also a lot of other skins to see what panels are where.

By the way I use Paintshop Pro 6 and 10 combined. Because I do I've got to also use a program called Bright to compress and change the color depth back to 256 without much bleeding and color loss.
~S~

_AH_Col._Hogan · July 10, 2009, 06:26:35 PM

I know, lets trade skins for Av's coop folder (glasses)

Aviar · July 11, 2009, 04:38:20 AM

I've hung up my paintbrush....back to the FMB. I'm working on a coop mission for the AH squad.

It's a high altitude B-29 strike into North Korea, escorted by F-86's and intercepted by MiG'15's. The F-86's will take off from two different airfields and need to rendezvous with the already airborn B-29's. The MiG-15's will scramble from two airfields and be vectored to intercept the bombers.

The MiG-15 was originally intended to intercept American bombers like the B-29. F-86 squadrons were rushed to the Far East in late 1950, as an answer to the newly-introduced MiG-15.

As soon as the 'official' F-86 and MiG-15 are released, I'll send the mission to the AH squad. Thanks for everything!

Aviar

_AH_Duff4r · July 11, 2009, 05:36:34 AM

For simple stuff like changing numbers, names, etc. I use Paint.net.

It's MS paint on serious steroids and free! Here: http://www.getpaint.net

Aviar · July 11, 2009, 09:25:27 AM

Quote from: _AH_Duff4r on July 11, 2009, 05:36:34 AM
For simple stuff like changing numbers, names, etc. I use Paint.net.

It's MS paint on serious steroids and free! Here: http://www.getpaint.net

As Michael Corleone said...."Just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in."

Ok, I downloaded Paint.NET and I actually liked some things better than Gimp, although it has less features.

But one thing has me stumped.....the numbering on both sides of the fuselage. One side is no problem. The other side has to be somehow flipped.......upside down and backwards (I think).

Anyway, I can't do it....LOL. No clue. The Font Tool has no option to do this. Now, I figured out that I could 'Flip Vertical' the entire skin and then I could get the 'upside down' part.......but no clue on how to get the numbers on that side BACKWARDS.

Now, if you even understood what I just said, you may have more problems than I do.

Aviar

Aviar · July 11, 2009, 09:41:19 AM

Oh for cryin' outloud....I think I figured it out. You also have to flip the entire skin Horizontal before you apply the number on the other side. And then (I learned the hard way) you also have to flip everything back to the way it was.....or else your plane will not look like a plane.....holy mother of pearl.

Man, skinning is sooooo much harder than mission-building.....and I'm not even skinning...LOL. I'm playing with little numbers on a cartoon plane at 05:30.

I'm going to sleep....but I finally erased and changed my first set of numbers on a plane!

Aviar

_AH_Col._Hogan · July 11, 2009, 05:05:55 PM

I think I smell an Intervention.......

S!