Borys Vorobyov's Guide to the MiG-3 Template

[Danziger]

Hi, I'm Borys Vorobyov. You may know me from such threads as the MiG-3 skins thread and MiG-3 3d model fixes thread. As you may have guessed, I love MiG-3s. There are many great skins out there for the MiG-3. I downloaded all of them that I could find. However, I noticed that even with the old pro skinners that some things were missing in the user-made skins versus the default game skins. I finally took it upon myself to learn how to use Gimp and learn how to skin planes. Before this, I had never skinned anything and only doodled around in MS Paint. It took months of working and learning but I think I have now finally got the MiG-3 template figured out enough to make decent skins with it. Below I will post how I get the results that I do. 

 

 

1. First, I am sure the template was designed for Photoshop and not Gimp. There are several layers within the template that will not work as they are supposed to unless they are dragged to the very top of the list of layers. This applies to other aircraft as well. The rule I use is: If I turn a layer on and off and cannot see any difference (make it 100% opaque first), I drag it up top and then it will work properly. 

There are also several layers that aren't necessarily needed. I delete the Wing Joint Shadows layer (these shadows are supposed to mark the line between metal fuselage and wooden wing) as I find it a bit unrealistic when I look at photographs of real MiGs. The Wing Root Panel layer is not needed. The Rivet Block layer is also not needed.

 

2. These blue strips should be painted whatever color the top of your plane is. This was an early mistake as it creates an unusually high and crooked demarcation line under the nose. The devs have corrected the default skins but the template was not updated. After you color these you will notice some bright lines. These are located in the Chips and Scratches layer and can be erased. Also on the Underside Blue layer are these tabs that need to be colored the top color. They are located at the forward wing root in front of the air intakes.

 

3. This little grey rectangle is the cover that gets riveted over the middle nose gun port when your crew installs the twin 12.7mm or 20mm nose armaments. Just paint it in the Topside Green layer.

 

4. These are the wing-mounted gun pods. The tops of these should match the top color of the wing. Notice there are three parts for each one. The grey parts must be painted. There are two sides and a separate centre piece. These can also be painted in the Topside Green layer.

 

5. These are the insides of the wing root air intakes as well as the cover door when the landing gear are down. These can be painted in the Topside Green layer as well.

 

6. This is the starter tooth (on the tip of the spinner). The rectangular portion colors the outside while the round dot colors the inside. I usually leave the inside black and color the outside either grey or to match the spinner color. This can be colored in the Aircraft Parts layer. Items that are colored in this layer must be colored a few shades darker or they will appear lighter. 

 

7. These chin scoops were relocated in the last 3d fix and should be moved toward the top a bit. They can be accessed in the Essential Shadows layer.

 

8. These are the insides of the gun ports on top of the nose. Accessible in the Topside Green layer.

 

9. This is the edges of the ailerons visible in the gap between them. In reality, this gap was covered by fabric but the modern restored MiG-3s have not done this. This may be fixed in 2.004 as I have been told that the 3d artist has had some time to check out some fixes for the model. However, if you color this to match your wing color you won't get those ugly grey edges.

 

10. This is the wing edge that meets the aileron. I always paint this to match the wing color. Topside Green layer. 

 

11. This is the part of the wing under the forward slats. I paint it to match the wing as I think it looks much better than grey when the slats open up. Aircraft Parts layer.

 

12. This is called the Rivet Block. While you can delete that layer, you still need to paint this area (a few shades darker btw) or it will come out being very bright. This is that rectangular panel on the port-side wing root. Topside Green layer.

 

13. Exhaust pipes accessible in the Aircraft Parts layer. 

 

14. This is the little inert gas pipe on top of the port-side exhaust. Sometimes I paint this to match the plane with some black weathering on the ends. Aircraft Parts layer.

 

This is all I can really think of for now. If anyone has any other questions just let me know.

 

 

Here is one of my templates for comparison. Btw this was one of my originals. Now I would make the dark camo bands in a new layer instead of painting it on the green layer.

Edited October 6, 2016 by BorysVorobyov

[Danziger]

My alpha channel technique. As you can see the stock alpha channel leaves the planes really shiny or glossy. I find this is not very consistent with the heavy amount of weathering applied to the default game skins. It looks like a used and worn aircraft was highly polished like a racing plane only they didn't repaint it. There is already a good alpha channel tutorial available so I won't get into the basics and only describe my particular technique here. 

 

 

Basically, I create a new layer and fill it completely with a dark grey value of 5. This makes the paint appear matt like a military paint but not completely so that you cannot see any reflections at all. 

 

After this, all I do is copy and paste layers over the top of it. If you want the layers to line up correctly just go through them all and make them the same size as the image. This way you do not have to play around trying to get the layer to line up perfectly.

 

The first layer I would add ( I have not started doing this yet but it will soon come) would be the markings. I would make this just slightly brighter grey than the base paint.

 

Usually the next layer I add is the Bottom Chips layer. I copy this layer and paste it over the new alpha layer I made. Before I anchor it while it is hovering, I right click on it and colorize it. I set the hue and saturation to 0 and play with the lightness setting until I get it where I want it. For this particular layer I usually take it to -65 so they are slightly reflective and look like wet stains on the paint from lubricating fluids or whatever. I have seen this a lot on military vehicles. 

 

The next part is more complicated. The MiG-3 template has all of the chips and scratches combined into a single layer. This sucks. I copied it into two layers and in one erased all the chips and scratches from wood and fabric parts. In the other, I erased all chips and scratches from the metal parts. I then renamed the separate layers to Wood Chips and Metal Chips. this way I can apply them separately to the alpha as wood chips should be matt and metal chips should be shiny. Then you just copy and paste as mentioned before. For metal chips I take the lightness to -35 and for wood I take it to -85 or -90. 

 

For the bare metal propellers I want to say I used a value of 15. 

 

 

 

[216th_Lucas_From_Hell]

Brilliant guide, Borys

 

Two things: the wolf from Nu Pogodi on the fuselage of white 48 looks very cool, and now I'm tempted to redo some 12+ MiG-3 skins.

[Danziger]

Brilliant guide, Borys

 

Two things: the wolf from Nu Pogodi on the fuselage of white 48 looks very cool, and now I'm tempted to redo some 12+ MiG-3 skins.

Thanks haha I know it isn't period correct but I couldn't resist. However, I am thinking it's better as a bomber nose art.

[Zargos]

Great idea Borys !

If it could help, I have located some parts on my template.

Tell me if you're interrested.

Cheers.

[beepee]

Thank you Borys!

 

[Danziger]

Great idea Borys !

If it could help, I have located some parts on my template.

Tell me if you're interrested.

Cheers.

Of course Zargos  

More knowledge is better

[Danziger]

With the recent 3d model fixes in 2.004 there is are a couple of changes that should be made to your skins. It all has to do with the gap that was in the centre of the ailerons. Make sure you filled it with paint color in your Topside Green and Underside Blue layers. Then in the Chips and Scratches layer (my Wood Chips layer) delete the chipping along the edges of those gaps or else it will look weird when you save your skins.

[Zargos]

It all has to do with the gap that was in the centre of the ailerons. Make sure you filled it with paint color in your Topside Green and Underside Blue layers. Then in the Chips and Scratches layer (my Wood Chips layer) delete the chipping along the edges of those gaps or else it will look weird when you save your skins.

 

Sorry Boris,

I'm not sure to unterstand the whole thing. Could you show us on a picture ?

Thanks in advance.

 

By the way, do you know if the official template has been modified and uploaded ?

Edited October 23, 2016 by UF_Zargos

[Danziger]

The gaps in the ailerons are circled in red. You must fill them with color and then erase some of the chips and scratches from the edges of the gaps. 

 

[Zargos]

Ok. That's perfect !

I'm going to check my skins if thet need some correction.

Thanks Borys.

 

PS :

I believe that Mig3 ailerons were made from wood and fabric and thus not subject to paint chipping ... or at least not in the same way as painted metallic surfaces.

Edited October 23, 2016 by UF_Zargos

[Danziger]

Correct. I have separated my Chips and Scratches layer into two layers for wood and metal chips.

[Jade_Monkey]

Have the official templates been updated with this?

[Danziger]

No.