Getting rid of the wood deck, laying out where I want deck plates.

I'm working from some old constrution and refit images and placing lines on the broken up bits and pieces of the deck in the targa file so that they line up smoothly...not easy and very tedious. Yes, I know I could just slap something a lot simpler there, but my days doing plastic models keep nagging me and demand I do more.

Still have to figure out how to texturize them and add a little bit of wear and rust spots on their edges. I don't have any ideas on how to do this yet, anyone have any good suggestions?

http://img813.imageshack.us/img813/5...27873836ab.jpg

Coming along nicely.

What program do you use to do textures?

I use different layers for each thing I do like rust and shadeing.
I also use a lot of different brushes.
The bolts and rivets on the 12pdr are brushes.

Thanks. She is coming along slowly, but yes, nicely.

I think, as I mentioned to 'the_frog', she is starting to look a little more "British".

You will probably laugh, I use a very old version of Paint Shop Pro, version 5.01 from 1998 (before Windows XP came out). Yes, it supports layers, and alpha channels and I've installed useful filters like MuRa's Cloud filter and Mac's Remove White. If there is a brush I need, I know how to import them as a custom brush from Photoshop.

I also have a copy of Photoshop CS2 that was given to me. I find it too difficult to use, its interface and menus are non-intuitive and too cluttered. I only use it for the filters and artistic effects that my trusty old PSP doesn't have.

For making alpha channels I use TgaTool2, a neat little tool that can create an alpha channel or an alpha template from an uncompressed targa file and send it to your graphics program for editing...easy peasy. Made by the same guy that created DXTBmp.

I use layers a lot, I usually have to experiment with them. It was by applying a very slightly yellow off-white layer with some Noise at multiply 50% that made the white on the GWX skin I am using look more "natural". The base deck color was a surprise fluke when I accidentally applied an exclusion layer with the previously mentioned off-white over a light grey texture, a little RGB adjustment and I had what I wanted. The deck plates are also a layer. I use noise effects a lot also to fix textures that look too flat or shiny, and an unsharp mask is a wonderful thing when used with care.

It is the combination of brush type and size, opacity, and paper texture that I am really unskilled at. I can never get the right look no matter what I try.

What Jim said.

I have also to admit, that this is one of the most anticipated ships for me here on SubSim.

Keep it up! :salute:

Finally, an update!

I have had even less time than normal as of late to work on the textures...some health problems, a transit strike, a deathly sick cat of mine and another of mine that tore open its paw to the bone requiring surgery, all combined to seriously disrupt my karma and schedules...but here are a few shots to show some of the work that I have done so far on the deck.

http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/8...tnewdeck01.jpg

http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/7...tnewdeck02.jpg

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/9...tnewdeck03.jpg

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/1623/shotnewdeck04.jpg

The deck plates are laid out in as close an approximation as I can get from working with the old orthochromatic images of the ships.

The color of the steel deck is not the usual Royal Navy color, apparently when the flush deckers were delivered by the USN they came with complete on-board supplies of paint and the decks were left in their original US Navy dark grey until at least 1943.

From the images that I have it appears that areas of the high points created by the weld beads and rivets would wear lighter than the rest of the deck and so I have tried (with no small amount of effort) to simulate that so as to add more texturing and detail.

There is still more to be done to the deck, like shading, and certain parts are incomplete, like the deck on the midships superstructure, which is just a recoloring of a portion of the stock deck, I have left it for now to use as reference so that I can try to emulate the rusty staining on other sections of the deck, hopefully that won't take as long.

It has been a hair-pulling learning experience so far, but I will get 'er done...eventually.

Very nice Kafka. Looking good. :yeah:

Sorry to hear about your cats. Hope they're all right. And you to of course.

Regards.

Thanks!

The cats are alright now, they just required a lot of time and care to allow them to heal.

I'm okay as well. I just have a banged up left ankle that I sustained from a fall a couple of years ago. It has caused me to limp and gets pretty painful if I put pressure on it or use it too much. Like lately since, because of the Transit strike, I now have to use my car which, of course, has a standard transmission. It is getting better, a year ago I could hardly walk some days. The Orthopedic Surgeon I saw thinks it can be fixed with a simple operation, I'll find out when I hear the results of the CT Scan I had last week.

As well I occasionally have mild recurrences of symptoms from some head injuries that I received five years ago, they come and go. No worries. :salute:

Looks like a real beauty.
Thanx for the update.


I hope you karma and your cat's will get better soon.

Hold Fast, mate!

Hi Kafka!

First let me say it looks very nice and thx for the update! :yeah:

And second I´ve an "Off-Topic" Question: What for an Env./Water-MOD do you use on the above screens? :hmmm: It looks very nice! :up:

If it´s an "own" creation, is it possible that you upload the needed files for me please? :oops:

Best regards,
Magic

@Magic1111

Yes, it is my own creation and is a work in slow progress, but it is quite far from being finished so I am sorry I can't upload it for you yet. However, you have prompted me to start a new thread here, because I didn't think any one would be interested in it. You kind of made me feel warm and fuzzy that you did! :sunny:

Regards :salute:
Kafka BC

Heyho Kafka!

Great Idea with the new Thread! :yeah:

Now I go to your Env.-Thread....:yep:

Best regards,
Magic:salute: