Steve Hatfield Posted October 2, 2011 Report Share Posted October 2, 2011 Today, I did some editing on the Curtis XP-3 Sport Windscreen in Gimp. (removed the 'panel' pixellating) Yesterday I didn't have the Gradient feature. Today I did; but, I couldn't rotate it so the gradient would go the correct way (no rotate feature, although it's in the instructions. Yesterday I rotated the plane in the work field, playing with it.). Yesterday I had to go back and forth between the General Aviation folder to check my progress and back to the X-Plane root directory to work the Gimp process. Today that wasn't a problem; It worked as good as Windows Paint did for me earlier. The function-screen on the right didn't power up today either. That was the first thing to malfunction on the second use after I downloaded this from gimp.com .Notice,I didn't refer to Gimp as wimpy-gimp today; Unreliable or unstable gimp is more descriptive while trying to remain open-minded about it. (frustrating)Tomorrow's another day.Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UltimateFlier Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 (edited) Ok, you do that gradient thing by selecting where/whatever you want to be graidentied (hm... i think theres a REAL word for that) and going from top to bottom if youre doing a horizontal line or from side-to-side if youre doing a vertical line... It will probably look like theres a sharp corner sitcking into the shine, you can get rid of that by blurring it with the blur tool (dont overdo it though-it could look weird...)If you want examples just ask hampster to post those examples that I made (sry i deleted them).... their detailed but their without words...Oh, Steve theres a free version of Fireworks by Adobe (I think)... I personally use the FULL version on Photoshop (kind of expensive for a 13 year old... i saved 4 years for it xD Edited October 3, 2011 by UltimateFlier Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kesomir Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 (edited) the application you get from getpaint.net is paint.net which is one of the apps that leen recommended. This has nothing to do with windows 'paint' which is the featureless app that comes with windows, it also is not GIMP which is a more feature advanced package than paint.net but that has a UI that if you are used to photoshop takes a long time to get used to. Edited October 3, 2011 by Kesomir Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hatfield Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 (edited) Hi Kesomir,I haven't done anything with Windows Paint since the first day I was serious and did my first Windscreen and fuselage color; the next days have been with the download from getpaint.net . It purports itself to be GIMP 2.6 - the same download as from gimp.com . I wish they still had the download that Leen recommended. I've never used a 'Paint program until a few days ago when Hampsters' Tutorial came out.Another thing I want to do is the light at the top, to darker gradient around the fuselage lower side like Dan Klaue did in his Tutorial #10 on the ERJ-140 with GIMP. That's why I haven't given up on what's purported to be GIMP 2.6 . Ultimate Flyer's post just above shows that I might not need to rotate the gradient tool - just define where I want to start the gradient with a horizontal line. Maybe I can check Dan's tutorial #10 again and get the answer this time. My problem is that I'm SOOO computer illiterate that I can't follow where everything's going on the screen. That's for tomorrow.Tonight before turning in, I think I'll Google the Adobe Fireworks that Ultimate mentioned - at least get it bookmarked and reconoiter it. A couple hours flying new planes, and repairing one of them, took some of the frustration out of the day. Wow! I've spent about three hours just repairing the Exocet Amphib - time flies when you're having fun.Edit Add:Adobe Fireworks is $150.00 to $400.00; out of my league. Edited October 3, 2011 by Steve Hatfield Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kesomir Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 There are a lot of ads on the paint.net page that look like the paint.net download but are not.You can grab paint.net from here: http://www.dotpdn.com/files/Paint.NET.3.5.9.Install.zipThe GIMP is a more powerful package, once you get past the ui. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hatfield Posted October 3, 2011 Report Share Posted October 3, 2011 Thank you Kesomir; GOT IT!!Everything is clearly within this window, and can be 'maximized/minimized/closed; The screen says:'Untitled (98%) -- Paint.NET v3.5.9Upper heading has 3 rows that extend about half way across.Tools below that in the upper left --- --- History in the upper right - "Waiting for:'New Images'"Colors in the lower left --- --- Layers in the lower rightLower line says: ? Paintbrush: Left click to draw with primary color, right click to draw with secondary color --- --- farther right (symbol)800x600; continuing right, (symbol) 396, 604'...looks like a Paint.NET Curtis XP-3 Sport is todays (probably tomorrow too), practice session. WOO-HOO; I'm like a child with a new toy -- Lizard on a new rock!!Thanks again,Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hatfield Posted October 4, 2011 Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 ...continuing; The good news is, I have another perfect windscreen on my plane. From here, the good news goes bad. I can get the Gradient tool to give me a gradient across the work-surface, or I can get the windscreen 'defined' (maybe) and not be able to get to the Gradient tool. Either way, I can't get the gradient to the plane's windscreen. I also can't get the copy and paste to work to copy the left side windscreen to the right side; I have to free-hand everything, and compare with the edges of the 4 things on the work-surface, instead of with the "Rulers". In the Dan Klaue tutorial, He switched back and forth between GIMP and PlaneMaker to check his progress. Somehow it was a simple one, or two-click process -- not so for me. I've watched that tutorial till my eyes bugged out. I just can't follow where everything is -- not to mention the differences between Paint.NET and GIMP. It's enough different that I really think it isn't doing me any good.When I want to do the stripes, I don't want to have to free-hand the (top) side; but, I'll do it if necessary for want of a more finished appearance.Another look at the directions (again, and again, and again......) can't answer how to define for copy and paste, or how to make the gradient tool function completely. I'm sure it's me, because this is known to work. I'm finding out, a lot of things are assumed that the user knows how to do all these simple functions by being born with these skills -- I wasn't. Oh well; simple paint's better than no paint.Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UltimateFlier Posted October 4, 2011 Report Share Posted October 4, 2011 ok, ok, I will make a tut video for this WHOLE XPPT series... plus 1 extra... background information... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hampster Posted October 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2011 Hold your horses! I'd rather do a vid tut as I am the creator, we are jumping too far ahead. Lets just stick with the XPPT pdf series first, please.@ steve, it sounds like you've got a bad system, it truly musn't be that hard to get a gradient.... and to copy and paste is the easiest thing, maybe take a few tutorials on how to run your system first as I did when I started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hatfield Posted October 5, 2011 Report Share Posted October 5, 2011 (edited) OK, I went to Paint.NET tutorials and found what looked exactly like I needed -- I thought things went bad earlier today. I wasn't prepared for this!!!While the 14MB file is downloading they suggest to check out a few things like the Help Files - 404, Not Found. I get to the end of the download and come to:how do you make the paint brush and shapes thicker?mine's really thin Answer:--Give a llama get a llama-----------------Avril Lavigne Fan! ^^&One Republic Fan! <3------------------Free Hugs! n Free Cookies!-------------i will poke u 2 death XDima ninja! ^This looks OK, I guess -- moving on; someone has my very question:"I don't understand how to use this. I tried to start the tutorial and can't seem to get past the first page. Suggestions/"Snow-Chen's answer took me to a Deviant Art AD. Nice.Then there's a Guide for offline use link; so I tried it. "Downloadable Version... view it here without a download" ...did you get that? It went right back to the Strange page.HAS THIS BUNCH GONE TOTALLY F#@%**)#G NUTS?!! It isn't Me, or my system! I wouldn't believe this if I didn't see it!Steve Edited October 5, 2011 by Steve Hatfield Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hatfield Posted October 5, 2011 Report Share Posted October 5, 2011 Hi Hampster,I know there are more people out there than just me with questions, who are looking for answers. Go ahead with your series as planned. After last night, I learned that, what I can't figure out, I don't need. I'm seriously considering not posting anymore, and deleting my previous posts in this thread, since I'm so computer-illiterate. I need to leave this alone for a few days. I'm sorry; I have no patience for the total absurdity I ran into last night. LORD, Now I want results, not patience!Some good came out of last night; I had to work off my p##s-off, and finished winterizing my house.Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hampster Posted October 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2011 Hi there steve!I think making the jump to a more sophisticated system (i.e. photoshop) would fix your problems staight away... but in the meantime, i appreciate your interest in this subject and do hope that you don't quit straight away. Keep up the good work with your aircraft revisions, my sea pencil I cannot put down!-- PROGRESS REPORT TUT No.2 IS UNDERWAY!I have also decided to create the XPPT Extreme detail package which will have small textures for you to add to your paints (i.e. 2D pitot textures and markings). I am not a fan of using paint kits, I think that is cheating, but small detail is something that I'd like to have as a pre-set utility. Development of that will commence soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kesomir Posted October 5, 2011 Report Share Posted October 5, 2011 I think making the jump to a more sophisticated system (i.e. photoshop) would fix your problems staight away...Walk before you run. If you can't use paint.net or the gimp, spending several hundred pounds/dollars is going to be a waste of money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hatfield Posted October 7, 2011 Report Share Posted October 7, 2011 I agree with Kesomir; and, I'm going to stay with Paint.NET. There's nothing wrong with my system; what I don't understand about it, -- like a friend says, "Don't sweat the small stuff... It's all small stuff - no big stuff."I spent the last relaxing couple days enjoying SeaPencil, Verticopter and some other vtols and worked on the description text for the Curtis XP-2 Sky Hawk update; I'm planning more realizm features for it. (different .acf) XP-2 will be completed to the limit of my PlaneMaker knowledge; and, will be a plane to really look forward too. It's my baby of over 40 years -- I want it right and looking nice. It will be. My plan was and still is: I'll finish learning paint on XP-3, paint XP-1 and then finish up my XP-2 Sky Hawk, hopefully before Christmas -- or not. The sky's the limit!!, so to speak....looking forward to number 2.Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaphias Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 Walk before you run. If you can't use paint.net or the gimp, spending several hundred pounds/dollars is going to be a waste of money.Right, why buy a $20 handsaw when you could spend $80 and get an electric saw that will do the job quicker and easier? Oh no wait, that doesn't make any sense... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hampster Posted October 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 (edited) It depends on wether you are going to put the software into good use, I use my painting software (fireworks) very often and so I think that it is good value for money. (Plus I can work easy with Better interface and well written tutorials as a bonus)But if you only use it to complete one paint, I would definitely suggest not going for that type of software. It all depends on personal preference, willingness and understanding of the factors that may make your painting programme either a waste of money, or worth the purchase.I am not forcing any of you to pay any money to do anything, I am just writing these tutorials in my spare time for fun and good practise with my painting software of course. It is entirely your choice!Happy painting everybody! No matter what system you may choose, I'm sure you'll get the desired result in the end! Edited October 8, 2011 by Hampster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kesomir Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 Right, why buy a $20 handsaw when you could spend $80 and get an electric saw that will do the job quicker and easier? Oh no wait, that doesn't make any sense...Poor analogy. Its more akin to having a cheap guitar you got for free and someone suggesting you go spend a lot of money on a top brand one to learn with.It makes more sense to learn the transferable skills on the free package and then if you like what you do and reach the limits of the software, consider paying more at that point.Additionally, most photoshop users don't use the vast majority of features in the software, myself included. For working on digital output, you can do everything you want in GIMP anyway, photoshop's real feature advantages come into play for print output.The rest is really down to which you are most used to (productivity), and it's better to develop a taste for something thats free if you can, than for something that is very expensive, especially when they both do the job you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amerrir Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 and it's better to develop a taste for something thats free if you can, than for something that is very expensive, especially when they both do the job you want.That makes perfect sense. I've been a Photoshop user since v2.5 in'93. The only updates I've missed were v4 & CS4. I hate to think how much I've handed over to Adobe in upgrade costs, especially as I pay European prices. Apart from once, when the UK price was almost 250% higher & I ended up ordering from a shop in NY... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Hatfield Posted October 8, 2011 Report Share Posted October 8, 2011 Then, there's the funny side to Kaphias's post if you listen to "Power Tools" by Ray Stevens.Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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