Old Skin Thread (merged)

[Diogo Silva]

I would like to learn how to work with alpha channels in photoshop! I know what they are for, but i dont know how to use them!

If someone explain to me how does it work, i appreciate!

Later i will post some of my designs.

 

[Marcel vd Aa]

Ok, here we go...
First you load the window template and add whatever you want to see on them to seperate layers. For example your name on a side window. Next you go to the layers panel on the right side of your screen and select the layer which contains the text. Then you need to select the pixels that are in that layer. You do this by right clicking on the layer's thumbnail (little square box) and click select pixels. For the next bit you need to switch to the channel list...same position as the layers list but you need to select channels on the top. Then select alpha channel. Depending on what you want to do with the text you will now paint the selected pixels... If you want the text to appear solid on the windows you'll need to paint the pixels of the text white. (This will not change the text in any way so no worries).
Then you can go back to RGB channel and start editing some more (make sure you switch back to layers instead of channels).
When you're done and you want to save it do the following: save it as psd first, then go to layers (top menu) -> flatten image and save it as dds (dxt5 with interpolated alpha and 6 mipmaps).

Always do the alpha last when you are sure that everything is in its right place...
Let me know if you have more questions.

 

[Willie Watt]

As a shortcut to making solid letters (opaque) ctrl+click on the thumnail of the layer that you have the text on (or any other logo's on the windows that you would like to have solid. If like me you have separate layers for each of the sets of text that you've placed on the windows then ****+ctrl+click will allow you to make a single selection from each of the layers by clicking on each of the thumbnails. You should now have the "marching ants" dotted lines around the text that you want. Follow Marcel's guide and select the alpha layer from the channels tab. once you've done that simply press delete. that will change what is the greyish colour of the alpha layer inside the marching ants to white (which is the background of the alpha layer). White is 100% opaque( or solid).

If you didn't want them to be fully solid, you can use the bucket fill to add shades of grey, the nearer to black that you go the more transparent and likewise the nearer to white you go, the less transparent) If you have everything that you want the same opacity seleted then you can bucket fill them the same shade of grey in one click)

The best way to check if you've done it right is leave the alpha layer turned on (little eye symbol just to the left of the thumbnail) and click back to the layers. The pieces that you want to have as olid should look like the colours that you have painted on, other parts should have a coloured tinge (on some window templates it's greenish, others it's reddish).

This is always the last thing that I do when I'm making windows as you can then use this process to do them all once rather than one at a time. has the added advantange of where you are making changes as you go along say a logo doesn't look quitr right, then you only do the "transparency" on your completed project rather than filling what you've made solid back in again a d repeating the process.

Say each one takes around a minute (faster when you are used to it) and if like me you have separate layer s for numbers (2 on each side), drivers names (2 on each side plus 1each on the winscreen and rear) and say 3 or 4 logo's on each of the windows. doing them individually would take around 15-mins or so. doing the multiple select and delet probably takes a little longer than for a single one, but you're likely to have saved yourself 10-15 minutes on each window set that you do.

When Marcel did all of the cars for the ATCC S4 Independants and the Synaptic cars he would easily have saved himself a a couple of hours work using this multi select method.

 

[Diogo Silva]

My question about alpha channels, is because i cant made my car metalic! My Skin stays totaly solid, and i want some diferences betwen car color, decals, sponsor and number or names.

I made a skin for BMW 320si WTCC 11 its cool but stays a bit unreal! In my template i dont have any alpha channel, i only have RGB RED BLUE and GREEN!

Someone try to explain this, dont forget that i am portuguese, dont use to complicated english!

THANKS to all!

 

[Marcel vd Aa]

My question about alpha channels, is because i cant made my car metalic! My Skin stays totaly solid, and i want some diferences betwen car color, decals, sponsor and number or names.

I made a skin for BMW 320si WTCC 11 its cool but stays a bit unreal! In my template i dont have any alpha channel, i only have RGB RED BLUE and GREEN!

Someone try to explain this, dont forget that i am portuguese, dont use to complicated english!

THANKS to all!

I think there is a bit of an error in your thinking. You talk about metallic paint but unlike rFactor metallic paint is not an option in Race07. I don't know how that is done in rFactor but in Race07 the Alpha layer/channel controls the transparency (see through) of the paint. That also might explain why you can't find an Alpha channel on the body template; there is no need for it. Alpha channels are only used in window templates. If you want i can take a look at your skin so far and see if you're doing it right. My email: mcaa666@hotmail.com
If you do sent them please send only the psd files.

Cheers...

 

[Alessio Fabbri]

Hi, i have a little question

Where would I find X-File for Vectra?

Thanks

 

[Marcel vd Aa]

I've uploaded it to my skydrive: https://skydrive.live.com/?cid=01d7...s#cid=01D7C7E24FD5BCB3&id=1D7C7E24FD5BCB3!344

 

[Alessio Fabbri]

Thanks so much!!!
I'm very happy for this!

 

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[Fergus O'Daly]

This might help you. This site has all the Helvetica font types, literally hundreds of Helvetica types, lol, and they are FREE. But download the actually font file, do not use their "easy font installer exe" program or it will want to install other garbage on your computer that will offer to change your default search engine and homepage if you don't uncheck the boxes.

The Type you want to use is called "Helvetica CondensedBlack Oblique":
http://www.ufonts.com/download/helvetica-condensedblack-oblique/154471.html
.
Here's some helpful tips for creating the exact RACEDEPARTMENT text across your windshield...
For creating the window RD window text for "Game Stock Car" I open my windshield template in Photoshop and I created a new layer and using the "Type" tool I typed "RACEDEPARTMENT" in white, then I changed the word RACE to be red # ec0000, then I set the font to 128 pt size, do not make it bold, italic or anything since the font already comes that way, then I chose to WARP the text and I selected "Arc" at -18%. That's all there is too it really. Then just set the the text alpha settings to whether you want the text to be translucent or solid.

 

[Willie Watt]

try here for an explanation

http://www.racedepartment.com/forum/threads/alpha-channels-photoshop.50213/

 

[Aaron Channer]

Excellent. Thank you.

 

[Mark Gormley]

Hi, I was hoping that anyone who has a bit of talent with photoshop would be able to have a go at creating the yellow swirl on the side/roof/bonnet of the late great Bertie Fisher's Impreza:

http://homepage.eircom.net/~smc/B_Fisher_C20_a.jpg
http://www.pjrallymodels.com/images/p_and_j/small/pj076.jpg
http://www.ephotozine.com/images/bbcode/173071/img-0484.jpg

I can probably manage the rest of the skin by myself, I just can't make that yellow thing.

 

[Yves Larose]

Mark on which car you want that design ?

 

[Mark Gormley]

The Lacetti if possible please, Yves. Thanks.

 

[UMC 22]

I'm having issues with the driver skin of the Aston Martin DBR9 (GT Pro). No matter what I do, it just doesn't show up and the driver defaults to a white suit with blue seatbelt.

I've tried using the provided template with zero modifications, I've tried renaming the texture file to various different things, I've made sure it's saved in the correct format, I've checked template.txt for the INI format, and I've ensured the INI file is set up correctly. The error log from the Custom Skin folder shows no issues at all, so it apparently sees that the textures exist.

I've not had this problem with any other car class I've skinned so far (Mini, WTCC 07, STCC 2, Retro), so I'm at a loss. Any ideas?