This is a really basic skin I made ages ago. I have gotten back into LFS lately (will be getting S2 license and a wheel soon, probably after tyre physics and Scirocco update) and I've decided to get into skinning as well. This has so far been my only attempt at something serious. I realise its quite basic, but some feedback on where to go from here would be great. Skills to learn etc. Also on average how long does it take to make a decent skin with at least a bit of complexity?
Hey there! Something basic is perfectly okay. Many people overdo it quite fast. What is more important to me is quality.
When it comes to specific skills... being honest I have learned nearly everything by doing/trial and error.^^ The only tutorials I can really recommend are the ones regarding path tools.
The most useful yet easiest thing you need for skinning LFS models are the Pro-Kits by the Master Skinnerz.
I don't know which program you use but GIMP should satisfy all your needs. There's also Adobe Photoshop but it's not exactly free.^^
If you are a lazy guy, know most needed tools and tweaks of the program you use and have to worry mainly about design and aligning issues it shouldn't take you longer than a full day of work.^^
Note that remakes of real cars liveries take you a bit longer. You have to do much picture research, you have to interprete the livery in a way that fits the car to be skinned and you will always find a reason why your skin doesn't look like the original. Of course that does not apply if you are no perfectionist.
One last thing: One of many failures I detect about skinning is the brightness and saturation of colours. Have a precise eye!
Thanks for the tips. I have a feeling I did use the Pro-Kits last time. But it was a while ago so might be wrong.
Also I have been using an older version of Photoshop, so I may try GIMP as well and see how I like it. Thanks for the advice, but even as just a basic first attempt how does that skin rate? Is there anything you would improve on it?
That's good. Watch out for updates now and then. Lately I found out that the XFG mapping changed somewhere, probably patch 0.5Z.
I have never really tried GIMP but if you have something like Photoshop 7 that's probably allright.
That's not an easy question.
From that picture shown above it looks clean in terms of quality. On the other hand there is not much on that skin to screw up. As you say it's pretty basic and that's just what it looks like: kind of unfinished.
I'd not call it improving, I would just go on with it in case you had any further plans with it.
I'm not sure but I guess you try to follow the lines of the car. I work with the shape of cars too and I guess it makes things look a bit too simple.
I have seen many skins with logos and stripes going all over the place and they were looking very very good.
However what I'm trying to say is that you will face some of your personality in your skins, whether you like or not. ...which sounds quite sophisticated I admit.^^
Like many many people said practise makes perfect and that's how it is. If you do not have that much ideas for skins just look out in the request section where people want everything from very basic personal skins (quite a lot of helmets lately) to fully detailed remakes of real drift or race car liveries. Just pick requests that suit your abilities overall and maybe have little challenges hidden (like finding that god damn sponsor logo you cannot identify on the shitty 600 pixel shots of the car Google suggests you^^).
My two cents would have to be on your logo placement/composition.
Make your logos a little smaller so there's a bit more space around them. Almost all logo usage guidelines specify a minimum amount of clear space around the logo, and it differs from logo to logo.
As a (reeeaaally) rough guide, I use a formula of half height of the logo for rectangles, a quarter for square logos, and varying points on the curve for aspect ratios in between. When I say rectangle and square, by this I mean just the basic width/height ratio. ie, circles are square too!
Try not to get to close to edges with them either - unless that's part of the look.
Someone once said to me, "design is all about CRAP; composition, relationship, alignment, positioning."
Nice going so far - i look forward to seeing how it goes
...which sounds quite sophisticated I admit.^^