Adding kill markings?

[Tonester]

Hi can anyone recommend a tutorial, or give advice, on how to add kill markings to skins. i did a search but found nothing definitive...cheers

 

[Ram399]

I do kill markings on most of my career skins, generally on the decals layer.
They can be a pain to update every now and again but it doesn't take too long to copy and paste more tabs on and they do add a nice bit of customization for the pilots.

Usually I just use a vertical black or white bar on the left side of the rudder for German aircraft and occasionally specify the nationality of the kill with a roundel on or above the bar.
For the Allies I do either an iron cross for the RAF/USAAF or a miniature Soviet Star for the VVS all under the left side of the cockpit- or on the P-51 Mustang miniature Swastika flags lining the lower edge of the canopy.

In cases when a pilot exceeds 50 kills or so I generally like to add an emblem with that number beneath it and then additional tabs below that.
Usually this only applies to Luftwaffe pilots so I'll either do a miniature Knights Cross or sometimes a laurel wreath of sorts.

The skin for one of my higher scoring JG.52 Career mode wingmen with KC emblem and Soviet tabs:

Spoiler

 

[Tonester]

1 hour ago, Ram399 said:

I do kill markings on most of my career skins, generally on the decals layer.
They can be a pain to update every now and again but it doesn't take too long to copy and paste more tabs on and they do add a nice bit of customization for the pilots.

Usually I just use a vertical black or white bar on the left side of the rudder for German aircraft and occasionally specify the nationality of the kill with a roundel on or above the bar.
For the Allies I do either an iron cross for the RAF/USAAF or a miniature Soviet Star for the VVS all under the left side of the cockpit- or on the P-51 Mustang miniature Swastika flags lining the lower edge of the canopy.

In cases when a pilot exceeds 50 kills or so I generally like to add an emblem with that number beneath it and then additional tabs below that.
Usually this only applies to Luftwaffe pilots so I'll either do a miniature Knights Cross or sometimes a laurel wreath of sorts.

The skin for one of my higher scoring JG.52 Career mode wingmen with KC emblem and Soviet tabs:

  Hide contents

 

Thanks Ram..where do i find the decals layer and what software do you use? Where do you get the markings from or do you completely make them from scratch yourself?

[Sheriff88]

10 minutes ago, Tonester said:

Where do i find the decals layer and what software do you use? Where do you get the markings from or do you completely make them from scratch yourself?

When creating a new skin (using GIMP)

I add a “Score” layer. Insert either copied or scratch made kill markings and sometimes a KC with or without wreath enhancement. Lot of sources: dds skin files converted to paint or xcf files: aircraft profile art; images of decal sheets etc.

[Tonester]

Thanks sheriff...tried a couple of versions of Gimp...what a nightmare! Best i could manage was drag/dropping the kill marking onto the skin but it was stuck right in the middle of the skin and try as i might i could not figure out how to move it...my only experience with painting software is MS Paint and things are easy to move around in that when you past them onto an existing image...Gimp just seemed so unbelievably complicated and not the least bit intuitive. Am downloading photoshop at the moment and hoping it is easier to do in that software...UPDATE...yep i suck at photoshop too...*sigh* ... just cant seem to figure this out...havent even got to the saving to dds yet lol...

 

Edited November 17, 2020 by Tonester

[Sheriff88]

On 11/16/2020 at 8:48 PM, Tonester said:

 Best i could manage was drag/dropping the kill marking onto the skin but it was stuck right in the middle of the skin and try as i might i could not figure out how to move i. just cant seem to figure this out...havent even got to the saving to dds yet lol...

 

Tonester, perhaps I assumed too much! I've been using GIMP for years.

1.Before pasting in the kill marks / score artwork:

Create a newGIMP Image sized to accommodate the artwork you will be using to create Kill Marks/Score layer. When you create the new image - in the "Create A new Image "window open 'Advanced Options" and in the "Fill With" field select Transparency. Keep that blank 'image' open.

2.Open the image with the artwork you want to use with GIMP.

3.When that image  is open in GIMP go to the "Edit" Menu and choose :Copy Visible"

4.Then in the image created in step 1 open  the "Edit "pull down menu and select Paste. The artwork will now fill the space. If too big resize the image and paste in again.

Using the "magic  wand" /fuzzy select tool and "Clear" command to  delete unwanted background, leaving only the kill marks. To be safe keep it open but save it as an xcf file. You will be copying this image not the original artwork you started with.

You are now ready to use that score image as a decal on the skin you are making.

5.In the target skin image you are editing Go to the layer menu, create a new layer named whatever...score etc.  Under Windows/Dockable Dialogs / Layers you will se the new"Score " layer

6.In image you created in Step 4 once again go to the "Edit" Menu and choose :Copy Visible"

7. In the target skin image select the 'Score' layer and select Paste in the Edit Pull down menu.If the kill marks are to big, undo paste ,resize and repeat. Before fixing position of the score board on the layer you can move it around using that cross like tool in the toolbox.When sized and positioned correctly select  'Anchor Layer" in the Layers menu.. You can cut and re-paste the kill marks as needed.

Using the same steps you can create custom images for Squadron  markings, Codes, Insignia, Nose Art ,  adding them as new layers.

When complete save  the new layered image as an xcf file. Then FLATTEN the image and "EXPORT"  it don't SAVE with the dds as the file extension. The resulting skin as saved will be dull with no shine so you will have to edit Alpha Layer . I use DXT app for that.

Hope this helps.

 

 

Edited November 18, 2020 by Sheriff88

[Tonester]

5 hours ago, Sheriff88 said:

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

Thanks so much Sheriff i truly appreciate it. About to fly back to work for a week so will have to wait until end of next week to give it a try. Thanks again mate.

[Q_Walker]

Have you guys made custom kill markings or do you have a site where you can download images of them?

[Sheriff88]

1 hour ago, Q_Walker said:

Have you guys made custom kill markings or do you have a site where you can download images of them?

Several ways:

Copy and save unit badges, nose art, squadron codes, kill and mission markings from existing skins found on this site and others. 
Copy from on line profiles.

Copy from historical squadron web sites  that usually have unit badges illustrated.

Modeling sites often have images of decal sheets.

Image search on Bing 

You can go to other game sites such as CombatACE, download skins for aircraft of interest and copy markings from skin.

Create from scratch.

 

 

 

[HeerRitter]

@Tonester I know it's a bit late but I'm looking to do the same things and came across this YouTube tutorial for gimp thought it may help anyone else seeing this thread and like us are not gimp or Photoshop savvy ? 

 

 

Edited May 22, 2022 by HeerRitter

[IckyATLAS]

Thanks. I would love some detailed tutorial on skinning with Photoshop. Like how to do radical changes of the whole plane color for the wing, fuselage, propeller, but also scratches etc.

[HeerRitter]

On 6/15/2022 at 10:21 AM, IckyATLAS said:

Thanks. I would love some detailed tutorial on skinning with Photoshop. Like how to do radical changes of the whole plane color for the wing, fuselage, propeller, but also scratches etc.

I'm not to sure with photo shop, but i gave my self a crash course on gimp I'd suggest you give this video a watch for starters. it tells you how to select by image or colour and then change it to another colour if i remember right, and scratches are as simple as creating a new layer placing above the layer you want to add scratches or weathering too and then just use one of the paint tools to draw them on.. I've added kill marks (for my campaign career i change these as my kill total increases) a full staffel of 12 planes 109 f4's with stab markings and gruppe/JG emblems as well personal motifs.. Once you learn how it change the game entirely being able to add your kill markings as you get them and change ur gruppe emblems as you transfer to other units in career or change the weathering/winter camo ect. what you need to start is one of jasons Templates, my first attempts where little more than small little additions like kill marks and eventually i was doing my own weathering and camo spending hours tweaking little details1 but in truth i still don't know what i'm doing i just mess around until it looks close to what i wanted for me.

 

i hope some of that helps, i've added a couple of my attempts for you to have a look at.

 

 

I've added a couple of my attempts for you to have a look at BELOW..

 

Spoiler

 

Edited July 1, 2022 by HeerRitter