First Paint...Comments!

[nagpaw]

So while ensconced within my humble abode (i.e. quarantined like a rabid animal), I decided to give aircraft painting a try. I've wanted to for a long time, but never got around to it. Here's my first result, still a work-in-progress. I still need to figure out the alpha channel, and there's some markings to tweak and add.

The paint represents fictional TA-4J BuAer 154280 painted in an equally fictional heritage scheme representing the Torpedo Six squadron commander's TBD circa 1940. Yes, the center tank is painted like an infamous Mark 13 torpedo Comments welcome (nice, constructive ones...especially since I know what most people think of fictional paints...) Thanks!

If anyone has time, I have a question for other painters. I've tried to change the front pilot's face, but it appears that although there are separate front and rear textures, the faces are mapped only to the front pilot texture. Or maybe I'm doing something wrong. Any thoughts?

 

[Jafo]

I've never had an issue with fictional paints....I do a lot of them myself. Biggest issue you will have with painting is....just when you have mastered one plane's painting....the next one will have an entirely different system and you're starting from scratch - again....

Here's fictional for you...

 

[henrystreet]

Comments welcome (nice, constructive ones...especially since I know what most people think of fictional paints...) Thanks!

Looks great! I love the late 30s and early 40s USN paints.

All the repainting I've done have been fictional tribute paints.

Keep at it.

 

[tommieboy]

Fictional repaints....



Tommy

 

[pilto von pilto]

So while ensconced within my humble abode (i.e. quarantined like a rabid animal), I decided to give aircraft painting a try. I've wanted to for a long time, but never got around to it. Here's my first result, still a work-in-progress. I still need to figure out the alpha channel, and there's some markings to tweak and add.

The paint represents fictional TA-4J BuAer 154280 painted in an equally fictional heritage scheme representing the Torpedo Six squadron commander's TBD circa 1940. Yes, the center tank is painted like an infamous Mark 13 torpedo Comments welcome (nice, constructive ones...especially since I know what most people think of fictional paints...) Thanks!

If anyone has time, I have a question for other painters. I've tried to change the front pilot's face, but it appears that although there are separate front and rear textures, the faces are mapped only to the front pilot texture. Or maybe I'm doing something wrong. Any thoughts?

Faces being mapped to the same space would almost certainly be a FPS,load issue. Most people tend to not worry about it and most repainters dont bother with internals anyway... ( that i have seen let me say for claritys sake. )

Plus 1 for fictional repaints. They actually are more tough to do than real world. Due to lack of reference and how you take a certain aspect of a scheme and apply it to a different unrelated subject. So excellent start.

 

[tgycgijoes]

Face Paints

With helmets, and oxygen masks, I wouldn't worry about which face is on which pilot. In aircraft that the whole face is visible and its in a texture you have a chance to change it. What textures are placed where is a product of the model's design. You can check what textures are on what part in Model Converter X. Sometimes I have had to use this program just to figure out what the designer had in mind to do a repaint. Nice job by the way. And your first repaint is very good.

 

[jmbiii]

The paint represents fictional TA-4J BuAer 154280 painted in an equally fictional heritage scheme representing the Torpedo Six squadron commander's TBD circa 1940. Yes, the center tank is painted like an infamous Mark 13 torpedo Comments welcome (nice, constructive ones...especially since I know what most people think of fictional paints...) Thanks!

Very good for a first ! I've managed to put my face on one or two pilots, LOL.
Just what JAFO said, once you have figured out how to paint one plane the next is completely different.
If you want to torture yourself try a Carenado or Alabeo !

 

[Josh Patterson]

So while ensconced within my humble abode (i.e. quarantined like a rabid animal), I decided to give aircraft painting a try. I've wanted to for a long time, but never got around to it. Here's my first result, still a work-in-progress. I still need to figure out the alpha channel, and there's some markings to tweak and add.

The paint represents fictional TA-4J BuAer 154280 painted in an equally fictional heritage scheme representing the Torpedo Six squadron commander's TBD circa 1940. Yes, the center tank is painted like an infamous Mark 13 torpedo Comments welcome (nice, constructive ones...especially since I know what most people think of fictional paints...) Thanks!

If anyone has time, I have a question for other painters. I've tried to change the front pilot's face, but it appears that although there are separate front and rear textures, the faces are mapped only to the front pilot texture. Or maybe I'm doing something wrong. Any thoughts?

I wouldn't totally call this fictional. More like probable. Had the Navy still been flying the Skyhawk in 2011 when the navy celebrated 100 years of naval aviation it most likely would've gotten a retro scheme. I really like this one. Tribute to a Douglas Devastator off of the Enterprise? I'll definitely add this scheme to the fleet. Excellent job, to speak nothing of it being your first try! (I'm still hacking away at George Laven's colorful F-100 for Milviz's Hun.)

 

[mikew]

I think is looks great. Nice Job!

Mike

 

[awstub]

I like what you have done..... although personally, to make it a bit more "believable", instead of the pre-WWII roundels, I would have given it modern ones.

Interesting about the faces.....are the helmets also on the same map, or can they be individually painted?

 

[jankees]

excellent job for a first paint!

 

[nagpaw]

Thanks, everyone! I'm still working on her. When I'm finished, I may paint a few other section birds from VT-6 and VT-3. VT-8 apparently never operated the TBD in the pre-WW2 scheme, so I may try my hand at camouflage. I'll leave the faces the way they are. While the helmets are mapped separately, the faces aren't. While I like to have my personal flying companion in back, I'm fine with the way it is.

Question for everyone: do military birds like this even need an alpha? If so...does anyone know of a really good explanation/tutorial where I can start?

Question for the pros: when you paint camouflage, do you use the "airbrush" tool and a free hand? Seems kind of difficult to do with a mouse.

 

[awstub]

When I did the SEA F-4C camouflage schemes for the SWS F-4B, I did them all with a mouse. Since then, I bought a Ugee UG-2150 Graphics tablet display (you can find them for about $350 online), so now I have a 21" monitor that I can draw directly onto with one of the supplied digital pens.

What I like to do is rough in the camouflage with a paint brush or pencil tool to get the general pattern down and then "feather" the edges with an airbrush tool. I usually keep each color on a separate layer, with the predominant color at the bottom and the others overlapping a little bit. I do it this way because often, the camouflage patters were based on official patterns issued by the service branch..... so they will be similar, but not identical, to each other. This way I don't have to "re-invent the wheel" each time I paint a similar airplane. I just adjust the patterns a little here and there.

Thanks, everyone! I'm still working on her. When I'm finished, I may paint a few other section birds from VT-6 and VT-3. VT-8 apparently never operated the TBD in the pre-WW2 scheme, so I may try my hand at camouflage. I'll leave the faces the way they are. While the helmets are mapped separately, the faces aren't. While I like to have my personal flying companion in back, I'm fine with the way it is.

Question for everyone: do military birds like this even need an alpha? If so...does anyone know of a really good explanation/tutorial where I can start?

Question for the pros: when you paint camouflage, do you use the "airbrush" tool and a free hand? Seems kind of difficult to do with a mouse.

 

[pilto von pilto]

Thanks, everyone! I'm still working on her. When I'm finished, I may paint a few other section birds from VT-6 and VT-3. VT-8 apparently never operated the TBD in the pre-WW2 scheme, so I may try my hand at camouflage. I'll leave the faces the way they are. While the helmets are mapped separately, the faces aren't. While I like to have my personal flying companion in back, I'm fine with the way it is.

Question for everyone: do military birds like this even need an alpha? If so...does anyone know of a really good explanation/tutorial where I can start?

Question for the pros: when you paint camouflage, do you use the "airbrush" tool and a free hand? Seems kind of difficult to do with a mouse.

Alpha : depends on how the modeller has set up the file. Some use the alpha as a spec map ( shiny map ) some have a separate spec map. And then it is down to if they have clicked inverse or not. So sometimes white is gloss but sometimes it isnt. Without hacking the MDL with modelconverterx if the model was not set up to use alpha then there is no point in painting the alpha channel.

Camouflage : cheap wacom pen for camouflage adds the realism of hand painted to hand painted camouflage. Or if you're handy with photoshop ( or use it for that matter ) then feather + smart layer effects can get close but there is something nice about just sitting there with a pen and drawing camouflage... I am odd.

 

[nagpaw]

Thanks for the advice about camouflage, guys! I'm trying it with a mouse and started with some difficulties. The best bit was to draw out the lines I want to follow, then trace them with the airbrush tool. Having a path made all the difference. I'll upload a few shots of what I finished tomorrow morning.

Thanks again!

 

[nagpaw]

Blue Gray Camouflage 8-T-7

Well, I'm finished quite a bit later than I expected, but I finished my first camouflage paint. This is quite fun, especially since I'm not trying to match a real airplane.

Continuing my Naval Heritage Skyhawk series, I painted TA-4J BuAer 154284 in the colors of TBD 8-T-7 of VT-8 as it appeared aboard Hornet on June 4, 1942. Ensign John Gray and ARM3 Max Calkins died that day aboard this aircraft attacking the Japanese fleet near Midway. Having read quite a bit about Torpedo 8's attack, I felt obliged to paint an inscription on the nose landing gear door, compete with gold star USN service flag.

In case anyone wonders, I went through Joe Baugher's fantastic list of BuAer numbers and found a nice block of cancelled TA-4Fs between numbers 154218 and 154286. All of my paints will be Fs and Js from that serial block to complete the "fiction." The really observant will notice that TBD 8-T-7 was Douglas serial number 284. This paint is of fictional BuAer 154284. Yeah, I'm pretty proud of that one

Anyway, I'm going to try and complete paints for Torpedo Squadrons 2 through 8. VT-2, -3, -5, and -6 will be in the prewar high-visibility scheme, while VT-4, -7, and -8 will be in the blue gray scheme. Like Josh said above, I consider these paints "plausible" based on some of the schemes that appeared for the Naval Aviation 100th anniversary. They're all going to be clean...for the airshow circuit.

Thanks again for all the advice, everyone!

 

[Victory103]

Really nice job and tribute as well. There are several "what-if" paints I wish the USN had the budget for during the 2012 CoNA painting spree, mostly aircraft like the A-4/6/7 and F-14 that were already long retired. I'm still trying to figure out painting AI aircraft with layers, looks like you have it down.

 

[Jafo]

Sure looks like you got the hang of it...

The 'real fun' part of it is....it never gets old/boring. The next A/C model is a whole new experience...

 

[nagpaw]

Thanks again, guys! Yes, there's quite a few "retro" schemes I would loved to have seen in real life. Thankfully, virtual paint is free!

I've finished the entire series. I'm calling it the TBD Series, since I chose to honor the seven torpedo squadrons operating Douglas TBDs during the early World War 2 years. There's seven paints representing the carrier air groups active at the beginning of the war. Five are in the pre-war high visibility scheme. The remaining three wear variations of the blue gray scheme worn by Navy aircraft prior to 1943. So now I have a question.

I was planning to fiddle with these paint for my own enjoyment, but the whole project ran out of control. I've gotten enough community interest and help to to feel like I should upload the finished product. So the question is this: does everyone prefer one large download with all seven variants, or seven separate uploads? I suppose I'd prefer the single large download, but I'm open to more advice and guidance from the community!

Thanks again to everyone for their kindness and unwavering assistance. I really appreciate it!

 

[huub vink]

Nice paints nagpaw . You most likely noticed that its very addictive. Once you have painted the first one, you want to paint them all..................

Enjoy your new discovered hobby and skills, and try to accept the fact that you won't "fly" you sim anymore

Cheers,
Huub