Help With TGA Editing

[+Piecemeal 450]

Can anybody give me a few basic tips on how to edit TGA files using GIMP 2? I'm trying to create an A-6 skin for VA-85's 1972 cruise aboard Forrestal. As you can see, the picture is almost perfect. I've used the stock tail finflash for VF-11, but I need to remove the crest symbol.

 

 

I thought I saw a guide to creating skins and decals in the forum some time back, but I can't seem to find it now. Any help or advice on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

Edited May 28, 2011 by Piecemeal

[comrad 680]

Can anybody give me a few basic tips on how to edit TGA files using GIMP 2? I'm trying to create an A-6 skin for VA-85's 1972 cruise aboard Forrestal. As you can see, the picture is almost perfect. I've used the stock tail finflash for VF-11, but I need to remove the crest symbol.

 

 

I thought I saw a guide to creating skins and decals in the forum some time back, but I can't seem to find it now. Any help or advice on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

http://combatace.com/forum/200-creating-decals-and-skins/ - look here.

[Guest Pfunk]

In the alpha channel (the black and white layer you made) black out anything you don't want seen.

[+Piecemeal 450]

I didn't make that decal. It's stock tail decal for the F-4. To be honest I haven't even got a clue what an alpha channel is!

 

Thanks for the earlier shortcut to the SFP1 KB (didn't even think of looking there, duh!), but that and other tutorials are for people who've got at least basic skills. I think I'll have to find the manual for GIMP 2 online.

[Wrench 9,733]

you just need to black eagle marking? s**t, that's a nothing bro!!

 

gimme 10 minutes...

 

wrench

kevin stein

[Wrench 9,733]

try this. see if it's the one you want

 

it's 256x265, adjust decal size accordingly.

[+Piecemeal 450]

That eagle decal will come in real handy for behind the cockpit; thanks Wrench.

The decal I'm reffering to though is the 'AA' tailcode with the red lightning bolt running through it. One of the stock tailcode decals for VF-11 is almost perfect for the task, apart from the 'blue crest' symbol. I've been trying (but on a VERY steep learning curve) to remove this crest symbol from the decal using GIMP2 without success. Up to yesterday I've never used Photoshop or GIMP and I've almost no idea how to use it.

Check out the screenshot at the top of the page and you'll have a better idea of what I'm talking about.

 

BTW, here's the nearest thing I could find to an illustrated picture of VA-85's A-6Es on Forrestal during 1972, which is what I'm going by :

 

My link

Edited May 29, 2011 by Piecemeal

[Wrench 9,733]

ah, the GVG code. Can you getme a better close up? OTH, once the color is established, it's a farily easy job to "paint under the layer" (the alpha) and change the AA colors What SQTail number is it?

[+Piecemeal 450]

The decal names are:

 

'F4_SQTAILL091' and 'F4_SQTAILR091'

 

Here's a close up of the left side decal in question:

 

Edited May 29, 2011 by Piecemeal

[Wrench 9,733]

this should do it...

 

positioning will be EXACTLY the same

 

here's how it was done

 

extract the decals.

 

open image manulipator program

in alpha channel paint Red Ripper crest black

in the RGB channel, paint Red Ripper crest black

 

save

[+Piecemeal 450]

Behold the Black Falcons!

 

 

Thanks for that Wrench. I might even release this to the masses, with a nod to your decalling expertise of course

 

Jeeeezuz, I really need to get my head around this s**t sometime soon ...........

[Wrench 9,733]

credit TK for the original CVW tag; I just painted stuff out!

 

LOOKING GOOD BABEEE!!!

 

wrench

kevin stein

[+Piecemeal 450]

credit TK for the original CVW tag; I just painted stuff out!

 

That's an affermative.

 

Now I'm off to the cot before my eyeballs burn holes through my head