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Thread: How to edit a plane image

  1. #1

    Default How to edit a plane image

    Here's a simplistic tutorial on how to edit a plane for a custom card or an avatar. There's many different editing software programs and I use Corel Draw, but the terms should be the same.
    First you need to download the photoshop file of the layered plane you need from the files section ( in this case the Albatros DIII) and find a top down image of the plane you are attempting to match. (in this case Franz Muller's Albatros).

    First we'll mask off the white tail section with a RECTANGLE MASK TOOL:

    Nearly all color changing is done with the HUE / SATURATION window so find that and take the saturation slider all the way down removing all the color:

    If a color is too dark or light you will need to adjust it with either BRIGHTNESS / CONTRAST window. The CONTRAST window works best as it retains more of the shading and highlights of the original image. Slide the Brightness till the tail is white:
    The reverse of this can be done by sliding the darkness slider up if you require a black tail.

    Next we mask off the rear fuselage section with the RECTANGLE MASK TOOL and use a BRUSH MASK TOOL to mask off the wing sections:

    Open the HUE / SATURATION window again and slide the HUE till it's green then slide the SATURATION to make it the right green:

    Most software has a REVERSE MASK button that will reverse your selected mask area which is the easiest way to mask the middle portion of the wing.
    Open the HUE / SATURATION window again and slide the HUE till it's purple then slide the SATURATION to make it the right purple:

    Lastly, mask out the remaining cockpit fuselage area and open the HUE / SATURATION window again and slide the HUE till it's tan then slide the SATURATION to make it the right tan:

    The nose was already red so it's done, but if you need it another color you simply follow the same steps above by masking out a section and adjusting the HUE / SATURATION.

    Hope this helps some of you and bear in mind this is simply a beginners intro and should get you started, but if anyone wants further tutorials I can work on some others for more complex editing including roundels and insignia etc.
    Max.

  2. #2

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    If thats simple I don't need to see complex. I bearly can turn comp on and off. Most words over 4 letters need a dictionary. I HAVE heard of something called spell check but old ways live on

  3. #3

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    That's really helpful. I'll have to use your tips to get a top down view of my avatar, Helmut Dilthey's Jasta 40s Albatros DV!

  4. #4

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    Kev Max has already done a card for Dilthey when I did my repaint. Have a look in Max album and you will see it

  5. #5

    Thumbs up

    Alan!

    You make it look so easy!

    Rich

  6. #6

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    Thanks for the tutorial; I have corel 3x, so I should be in good shape for this.
    Karl
    It is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he thinks he knows. -- Epictetus

  7. #7

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    I' m satisfied with Hautzmayers Albatros D.III.

    But thank you for the advice.

  8. #8

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    Can you make a tutuorial for photoshop?

  9. #9

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    I don't have Photoshop, but the terms should be near identical. Most of your color changes are done with the HUE adjustment. Even free graphic editors like GIMP have a hue adjustment.
    Yes Kev I'v already done Dithey's Albatros, but If you want to test your skills based on this tutorial, be my guest!
    Richard! It IS easy once you've had a little play around.

  10. #10

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    I'll give it a try! Thanks, Alan.

  11. #11

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    Really helpful I hope to see a guide for GIMP

    Attilio

  12. #12

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    Thanks for that Max. I may not need to call on your services as often now.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  13. #13

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    Here's a GIMP tutorial on how to edit a plane for a custom card or an avatar.
    When you open the photoshop file GIMP will as you to convert it to an RGB working image... Click CONVERT
    Following the previous tutorial we'll mask off the white tail section with a RECTANGLE SELECT TOOL... Holding the SHIFT Key, also select the thin stripe in the fuselage:


    Again, all color changing is done with the HUE / SATURATION window which is in the COLOR Tab, so find that and take the saturation slider all the way down removing all the color:


    Slide the BRIGHTNESS and CONTRAST up till the tail is white:

    The reverse of this can be done by sliding the BRIGHTNESS down if you require a black tail.

    Next we mask off the rear fuselage section with the RECTANGLE SELECT TOOL and using the FREE SELECT TOOL while holding down the SHIFT Key also select the wing sections...
    Open the HUE / SATURATION window again and slide the HUE till it's green then slide the LIGHNESS down and SATURATION to make it the right green:


    For all the next selections hold the SHIFT Key... Select the entire nose portion ahead of the wing and the entire rear section using RECTANGLE SELECT TOOL then the curved section containing the cockpit with the FREE SELECT TOOL and SHIFT. Now Click INVERT under the SELECT Tab to reverse the entire selected area (you won't see much happen).

    This is the easiest way to mask the middle portion of the wing.

    Open the HUE / SATURATION window again and slide the HUE till it's purple then slide the LIGHNESS and SATURATION to make it the right purple:


    Lastly, mask out the remaining cockpit fuselage area using the RECTANGLE SELECT TOOL and the FREE SELECT TOOL with the SHIFT Key and open the HUE / SATURATION window again and slide the HUE till it's tan:


    Hope this helps all you GIMP users... It's a pretty good package for something that's free!

  14. #14

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    [QUOTE=Max Headroom;93397]Here's a GIMP tutorial on how to edit a plane for a custom card or an avatar.
    QUOTE]

    Great! Well done, Alan! Thanks for it

    Attilio

  15. #15

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    Thanks Alan. I always feel a bit of a Gimp when I try to remember how to use it.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by Flying Officer Kyte View Post
    Thanks Alan. I always feel a bit of a Gimp when I try to remember how to use it.
    Rob.
    It may be the mask you insist on wearing
    Run for your life - there are stupid people everywhere!

  17. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by Guntruck View Post
    It may be the mask you insist on wearing
    Who is that masked stranger Gunners?
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  18. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by Max Headroom View Post
    Here's a GIMP tutorial on how to edit a plane for a custom card or an avatar.
    When you open the photoshop file GIMP will as you to convert it to an RGB working image... Click CONVERT
    Following the previous tutorial we'll mask off the white tail section with a RECTANGLE SELECT TOOL... Holding the SHIFT Key, also select the thin stripe in the fuselage:
    *******************************
    Hope this helps all you GIMP users... It's a pretty good package for something that's free!
    Thank you for the Gimp tutorial.
    I have been wanting to study Gimp and this should help a lot.

  19. #19

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    Is there a large proportion of Gimps out there? Maybe I need to work it out compared to Photoshop and do a few more how to's? Then again, what else do others wish to do graphically?

  20. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by Boney10 View Post
    Kev Max has already done a card for Dilthey when I did my repaint. Have a look in Max album and you will see it
    Nicely done, indeed!

    So should I just cut the plane off the card background in PS? That's what I did for my current avatar.

  21. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by Max Headroom View Post
    Then again, what else do others wish to do graphically?
    For myself, I'd like to make a signiture with the Goodyear blimp on it (Akron Ohio), maybe with a American SPAD escort.
    I haven't even started looking at on-line art inspiration yet, so this is a long term project. But the backrounds of your avatar and signiture are great.
    Karl
    It is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he thinks he knows. -- Epictetus

  22. #22

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    Kev... I could post it on white background for you, but it may be more fun if you had a go yourself first.

  23. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jager View Post
    For myself, I'd like to make a signiture with the Goodyear blimp on it (Akron Ohio), maybe with a American SPAD escort.
    I haven't even started looking at on-line art inspiration yet, so this is a long term project. But the backrounds of your avatar and signiture are great.
    Karl
    Avatar backgrounds and sig images are standardized here on the site. Alan has special ones as he is the Aerodromes official artist.

  24. #24

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    Thread Necromancy, but for a reason.

    Someone asked me about using Photoshop to do cards. This is where I started, thanks to Max Headroom!

    PS: This post may be missing all the images due to the Great Hacking in 2012.

    PPS: This may be the base file for the tutorial: Albatros D.III Base Plane
    Last edited by OldGuy59; 11-03-2019 at 12:00.
    Mike
    "Flying is learning to throw yourself at the ground and miss" Douglas Adams
    "Wings of Glory won't skin your elbows and knees while practicing." OldGuy59



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