Mr Manfranjansen Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Greetings, all! I've posted a few things here and there and everybody has been super helpful and encouraging. Without repeating myself too much I'll give a brief explanation of what I'm trying to do and where I'm having trouble: I'm making a Sci-Fi based boardgame with my daughter. I'm using Paint.NET for the artwork because even though I can't draw much other than stick figures, Paint.NET allows me to do cool things with existing images and I can create my own, original images without having to know how to draw anything! I've mocked up a couple prototype cards and I have a game board with planets, a spacescape, some space dust and an asteroid field. I put these in the Pictorium. Now for my problem: In the game, the players have several classes of ships they can move around. Each of these ships (depending on size) has a certain number of "hardpoints". These are just places where you can add things like guns, mining lasers, engine boosters...whatever I can come up with. I wanted a way for the players to keep track of their ship upgrades and I thoght I'd simply put an outline of the ship on a card (thick...like chipboard) and drill a hole into the hardpoint location so the player can purchase their upgrade and then mark their ship with a peg. (I hope this is clear) As I said, I can't draw, so I scanned one of the ships and used the outline tool to make the basic shape. I was going to stop there and simply add the hardpoint locations, but then I saw this: Thanks to the folks at Campaign Cartographer for making this. I think it's great and I wanted to do something similar. I think I've got the basic idea down...use layers and layer in each section of the floor, or rooms or whatever, but every time I do it , it looks like a horrible hack job and I get frustrated. I'm at work (at lunch) right now and I grabbed a ship off Google images and created an outline for it. Original Ouline I know the outline isn't clean or proportioned very well. I threw it together quickly so I'd have something to show you. I'd really like to see if I can make the "cutaway" look like you're looking down into the ship...give it a little 3D effect...like an edge to the sides (outline) of the ship. Drop shadow will probably do this (I just thought of that just now...I haven't had a chance to test it, though.) Is cutaway the right term for this? I searched around a bit and I found a few tutorials that were close, but not really what I wanted. Perhaps if I get the right term I can find an existing tut that'll help me hone my techniques. Thanks! -Mr. Man- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ventor1 Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 If I am reading your question correctly, the term (in engineering parlance) which you are looking for is a "cross section". In as far as giving the inside of the profile a 3D'ish effect, the easiest method in my opinion would be to apply a reflected linear gradient beginning from the centre of the profile and working outwards on a new layer. On another layer I would apply a radial gradient and change the layer properties to "additive" - which is a way of combining the effects of both layers. I would then merge that layer down, and apply metalize at a 'zero' setting, which will give the 'profile internals' a nice 3D'ish shadow to play with. Following this I would apply drop shadow to the inside of the profile. Much of what you are asking is really a personal thing, and thus no single tutorial will give you a definitive answer. Cheers, V Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Manfranjansen Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 (edited) If I am reading your question correctly, the term (in engineering parlance) which you are looking for is a "cross section". In as far as giving the inside of the profile a 3D'ish effect, the easiest method in my opinion would be to apply a reflected linear gradient beginning from the centre of the profile and working outwards on a new layer. On another layer I would apply a radial gradient and change the layer properties to "additive" - which is a way of combining the effects of both layers. I would then merge that layer down, and apply metalize at a 'zero' setting, which will give the 'profile internals' a nice 3D'ish shadow to play with. Following this I would apply drop shadow to the inside of the profile. Much of what you are asking is really a personal thing, and thus no single tutorial will give you a definitive answer. Cheers, V Hi Ventor, This is great! Thanks! I can't wait to get home and try this out. I have to say that your sig looks kinda how I want the inside of the ship to look. You've got a 3D-ish look to the edge of your frame where the cool insides are. Makes it look like you're going "inside" the metal frame...like a portal. Cross section sounds right. I realize that I'm being really specific about what I want to do. I wasn't really expecting to find a tutorial to do exactly what I wanted. I just need some tidbits here and there to build on it. If I get it right, I'll create my own tutorial! Seems like the steps you outlined for me are a good place to start. It is most appreciated! -Mr. Man- Edited May 11, 2011 by Mr Manfranjansen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadJik Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 Hi, Tips: 1.Draw only left (or right) side of your ship then duplicate the layer and flip it to have the other side 100% symetric! 2.Use a large canvas size (ex 1200x1600) and a brushwidth 4-6 so you could reduce later if needed with a good quality. 3.The 3D-ish from Ventor's sig could be created with the plugin Bevel Selection. 4.But I suggest to create the shape of the ship in a transparent layer, duplicate it and use Layer Rotate/zoom to zoom at 0.99 on the layer under. Repeat dup+zoom 6-8 times them merge. Quote My DeviantArt | My Pictorium | My Plugins | Donate via Paypal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Manfranjansen Posted May 12, 2011 Author Share Posted May 12, 2011 Hi, Tips: 1.Draw only left (or right) side of your ship then duplicate the layer and flip it to have the other side 100% symetric! 2.Use a large canvas size (ex 1200x1600) and a brushwidth 4-6 so you could reduce later if needed with a good quality. 3.The 3D-ish from Ventor's sig could be created with the plugin Bevel Selection. 4.But I suggest to create the shape of the ship in a transparent layer, duplicate it and use Layer Rotate/zoom to zoom at 0.99 on the layer under. Repeat dup+zoom 6-8 times them merge. Hmmm...thanks for the tips, Madjik. I already knew about the trick of drawing half an image and then duping the layer and flipping it. It's a great technique and it works well. I did that for the ship I posted. Now it's symmetrical. I tried Tip #4, but all I get are thicker lines. I know I'm doing something wrong, but I'm not sure what. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadJik Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 This is a test using #1,2,4 (and reduced at 50%) Quote My DeviantArt | My Pictorium | My Plugins | Donate via Paypal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ego Eram Reputo Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Hey, nice spaceship floorplan. Makes me want to play! Of course you're going to need more guns if you want to defeat the Space Nazi's with flame whips....., (thanks to Frontcannon: http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?/topic/21035-what-should-i-draw-in-pdn/ ) Quote  ebook: Mastering Paint.NET | resources: Plugin Index | Stereogram Tut | proud supporter of Codelab plugins: EER's Plugin Pack | Planetoid | StickMan | WhichSymbol+ | Dr Scott's Markup Renderer | CSV Filetype | dwarf horde plugins: Plugin Browser | ShapeMaker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadJik Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 ...Of course you're going to need more guns if you want to defeat the Space Nazi's with flame whips....., The quantity isn't as important as the quality... Quote My DeviantArt | My Pictorium | My Plugins | Donate via Paypal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Manfranjansen Posted May 13, 2011 Author Share Posted May 13, 2011 This is a test using #1,2,4 (and reduced at 50%) Oh - My - Gosh! That looks amazing! How long did it take you to do that, Madjik? I'm looking at it and I keep thinking, "Why did mine turn out so completely opposite of that?" I guess I need some more clarification of step 4 (even though I know it looks simple). "But I suggest to create the shape of the ship in a transparent layer, duplicate it and use Layer Rotate/zoom to zoom at 0.99 on the layer under. Repeat dup+zoom 6-8 times them merge." So...let's say I've got Layer 1. I duplicate Layer 1 and now I have Layer 2 on top of Layer 1. I Rotate/Zoom and set zoom to 0.99 on Layer 1? THEN do I merge? Which layer do I duplicate? Am I duplicating Layer 1 each time? Do I merge after each zoom, or do I build layer after layer and THEN merge all of 'em? This is really wonderful and I appreciate your time! I also want to try Ventor's technique. By the way, Ventor (I hope you're still watching this). I forgot to mention how much I LOVE the brushed metal finish in your sig! I think I might want to do something like that for the border around the board (with the spacescape board inside.) I think that would look fantastic! -Mr. Man- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadJik Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 (edited) Draw the line + 3D'ish took me about 1 hour. If you want to see the result in a "raw" mode you could do this with 0.95 zoom... As my image was large, I did dup+zoom between 10-20 times before I was happy with the result. 1.---------- Layer1: Transparent Layer0: Background 2.---------- Layer1: Draw the ship and duplicate the layer (Dupli1) Layer0: Background 3.---------- Dupli1: Duplicated layer (like original ship, must stay on top) Layer1: Original ship <--- apply the zoom 0.99 and duplicate the layer (Dupli2) Layer0: Background 3.---------- Dupli1: Duplicated layer (like original ship, must stay on top) Dupli2: Duplicated layer (like Zoom 1) Layer1: Zoom 1 <--- apply the zoom 0.99 and duplicate the layer (Dupli3) Layer0: Background 4.---------- Dupli1: Duplicated layer (like original ship, must stay on top) Dupli2: Duplicated layer (like Zoom 1) Dupli3: Duplicated layer (like Zoom 2) Layer1: Zoom 2 <--- apply the zoom 0.99 and duplicate the layer (DupliN) Layer0: Background etc. For the metal, you could test the gold metal (turn the result in B&W) I've used these abstracts for my sig: And this is a rusted metal plate tilable texture I made few weeks ago that could be usable: Edited May 13, 2011 by MadJik Quote My DeviantArt | My Pictorium | My Plugins | Donate via Paypal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Manfranjansen Posted May 16, 2011 Author Share Posted May 16, 2011 (edited) Hey! Just wanted to THANK YOU, Madjik! I've got my 3D-ish look down to how I like it. Your method worked like a charm! Now I just need to add all the colorful bits (floor, furniture, etc.) to make it look good. I'm gonna go searching for a tut on tiling. Seems I need some practice in this area. -Mr. Man- EDIT: GAH! Looks like there's a tile plug-in! Cool! I'll have to mess with it! Edited May 16, 2011 by Mr Manfranjansen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountnman Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 there are two tile effects, one, tile image, will take the area selected or the whole layer if nothing is selected, and shrink it down so it becomes a single tiel, them multiplies that tile according to the settings you choose the second, tile reflection, takes the selected image/layer places a tiled effect onto it, leaving your pixels pretty much as they were-tho you can distort them with the curvature setting both effects, once installed, will be found in the effects>distort menu Quote SARCASM- Just one of the many services I offer free to the public. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ego Eram Reputo Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 Also: Tile Fill Addin "Fills the current image with a tiled version of another image (held in the clipboard)." Quote  ebook: Mastering Paint.NET | resources: Plugin Index | Stereogram Tut | proud supporter of Codelab plugins: EER's Plugin Pack | Planetoid | StickMan | WhichSymbol+ | Dr Scott's Markup Renderer | CSV Filetype | dwarf horde plugins: Plugin Browser | ShapeMaker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountnman Posted May 16, 2011 Share Posted May 16, 2011 (edited) ahhh dont rememebr seeing that one--ill have to find it/download it where is it located in the menus? nvm downloaded and found it, thnx Edited May 16, 2011 by mountnman Quote SARCASM- Just one of the many services I offer free to the public. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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