Skin - template difference - Printable Version

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+--- Thread: Skin - template difference (/showthread.php?tid=70242)

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Skin - template difference - Aleksander - 31.05.2010

What is the difference between a skin and a template of the same plane?

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- norm - 31.05.2010

a template is the panel lines to put over the colors.

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- KG64_Cnopicilin - 31.05.2010

Template has many layers and is easier to skin than starting from void where you have to make all of the weatherings and layers by yourself.

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- phasmid - 31.05.2010

Templates are created by generous talented digital artists and posted on the net for skinners to download and use to create skins. Saves time creating one every time. One template can produce many different skins for that one aircraft type.
Templates are files that are opened in photo editing software such as Photoshop and Gimp. They contain many layers which combined produce one image. There are layers for panel lines, rivets, tech layers (lines, wires, cockpit, landing gear), weathering (rust, paint chips, exhaust, grunge), markings (sqn codes, national, personal), 3D effects. Each layer is worked on separately by the skinner and may take many hours or even weeks to complete. More time and more detail determines the quality of skin and skinners strive for good reviews.
The layered image is flattened to one layer. That image then uses the photo editing program and a program like

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- Bearkiller72 - 31.05.2010

Yep. A Template is where you start. It can be altered in any way you desire.
A skin is the finished product, it can't be altered afterwards, only painted over.

A little explanation: take a look at the screenshot below (click). That's a template.



On the right side you can see part of the many layers used in that template.
The US insignia has been marked and could be altered now. You could simply delete it,
repaint it, replace with some other insignia, or create a new layer for new markings of your choice.

After you're finished (and saved your template to a format which supports layers, e.g. .psd, .psp., .cpt.),
you'd combine all the layers into one and save it to the skin's format, .bmp (and convert it to 8-bit format,
but that' another story...)
This is irreversible; once you saved the Bitmap, it becomes "one piece".
That's the main difference between skin and template.

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- Aleksander - 01.06.2010

Ok, many thanks for clarification

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