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Tutorial: Keep Your Masking Game Strong (Photoshop, GIMP, Paint.NET)


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#1
S K Y

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Preface: I've posted this kind of topic before, but I decide to post this again because I see that some people still need this kind of guide and I think it's good to have it in one post. I also hope Mod can pin this so that whoever need this can find it easily.

 

 

In making livery, masking is one important technique. Not only it will improve the quality of the livery, it can also make the whole process easier.

 

We all want to have our design with clean and sharp edges. That can be achieved with good masking technique. Compare these two samples without and with good masking:

 

kZ33zGU.png

 

You can see that the second picture shows a more desirable result. The edges are cleanly cut, no jagged lines, and overall, gives the livery an important improvement of the quality.

 

In this tutorial, I will try to show the way to get sharp, crisp edges for your livery, with three different programmes commonly used by AE user.

 

Here, we will try to make a livery for Boeing 737MAX8. Since I'm not currently having any project, I've made a quick design for the livery inspired by basketball shoes I'm currently wearing.

SxYs0RN.png

It may look abstract at the moment, but let's see how it will end after we apply a good masking technique to it.

 

Note: This tutorial is meant to be used by templates made by Medviation (AE's default templates) or templates modified from them. If you use different templates, you may need additional methods.

 

 

Photoshop

 

Photoshop is the easiest and most powerful programme that can be used to make livery. The tool we will use for this tutorial is clipping mask tool. Here are the steps.

 

First, open the template that we're going to use.

6KCGnrR.png

 

Next, create a new layer right above the fuselage layer. Copy the image that we're going to use there, or just create your own design there.

KTWc35O.png

 

After that, with selection still on that layer, click on layer tab then select create clipping mask.

You can also do this by pressing Ctrl-Alt+G.

9S4cutc.png

 

Voila! The layer will be clipped to the layer directly below it.

I2IFwRT.png

 

That's it! that's really just how easy it is to do masking with Photoshop.

 

 

GIMP

 

GIMP users need more steps to do masking, but the result is just as satisfactory as using Photoshop. GIMP supports ALPHA selection based on contrast and transparency, and that's what we're going to use to do the masking

 

First, open that lovely template from Medviation

ZLOYV8x.png

 

Go to the fuselage layer, then create a new layer above it. Copy or make your design there.

iLIpvof.png

 

Next, go back to the fuselage layer. Hide your design if necessary. ALPHA selection uses contrast and transparency, so the best result of the masking is if you have zero hue on the mask. Since Medviation's templates come in white, the easiest way is to invert the colour. Click on color tab and select invert.

9ZjURBW.png

 

Now, right-click on that layer tab, and choose Alpha to Selection. You will see the dotted selection line.

pp3045X.png

 

Next step, with selection still on, go to the layer where your design is.

Then, invert your selection by clicking Select tab, then Invert. (or just Ctrl-I)

QDGJvGb.png

 

After that, remove the selection with Cut, or simply press delete button on the keyboard.

JGDPfdL.png

 

And there you go, your design has been cleanly cut. You can copy it to the fuselage layer, or assign it as the new fuselage layer.

knBuHf8.png

 

Congratulations, you have successfully do the masking technique with GIMP.

 

 

Paint.NET

 

Now, Paint.NET is probably the least powerful programme of all three, but it doesn't mean it cannot do some complex task. It is light, easy, and fully customizable. 

 

Paint.NET doesn't carry any strong masking tool by default, but there are plenty plug-ins you can bring to it.

For this tutorial, we will use Alpha-Mask tool that you can download here, or you can download it from my dropbox here.

Just copy the .dll file to the folder Effect in your Paint.NET directory in your computer.

 

First, the template that we're going to use.

By standard Paint.NET cannot open .psd files whilst all Medviation's templates are in .psd. To do this, you need to download Photoshop.dll from this place, or from my dropbox here. (Notice I've been being very kind)

Copy that file to the folder File Types in Paint.NET directory.

f1VzNkF.png

 

Next, make a new layer above the fuselage layer, and put your design there.

oldy41N.png

 

Like in GIMP, Alpha works with contrast and transparency. So, go back to the fuselage layer that we will use as the mask, and lower the hue to zero, or simply invert the colour to black. (Adjustment ---> Invert Color)

Xw5l2oJ.png

 

Still on the fuselage layer, fully select the layer (or Ctrl+A) then copy it to clipboard (or Ctrl+C) to use it as the mask.

ytFMFhJ.png

 

Now, select the design layer and apply the Alpha mask (Effect--->Alpha Mask)

IPc57bV.png

 

A dialog box will appear. Make sure you tick the Invert Mask and Paste from Clipboard options.

PDY7nW6.png

 

And now you have your design nicely cut by the mask.

DbaCisE.png

 

And that's how you make a clean cut design with Paint.NET.

 

 

Result

 

This tutorial only shows the process of mask clipping the fuselage layer, but you can do this method to any layer you wish to. For this design, I have performed mask clipping to the tail layer, engine layer, and winglet layer. This is the end result:

Pu6DmMa.png

You can see that we have satisfactory result from the technique we are learning in this guide.

 

 

Exercise

 

This is not a school lesson, so you don't really have to do this. But if you want to, I have prepared a preset design for you to train masking technique. This design is to be used with Medviation's A320neo template.

 

f9rwDQS.png

 

It may look like nothing now, but try to apply the masking technique you've just learned and see if you can make it into something like this:

IbywdBB.png

 

That's all from me. I hope this tutorial can be helpful to anyone who needs it.

 

SKY out.


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#2
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#3
Denver.

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Good Resource. 


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Founder of National | Founder of Golden | Judge at National Awards 2016 | Member at SkyRoutes Alliance | Member of Universal Alliance | Member of The SkyWorld Alliance | 

 

 


#4
X-Wing @Aliciousness

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Should also point out in photoshop you can mask a layer to the layer below it by just holding ALT and clicking in between the two layers :P


UbxSbIt.png


#5
S K Y

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Should also point out in photoshop you can mask a layer to the layer below it by just holding ALT and clicking in between the two layers :P

 

I haven't reached that level of expertise yet :P

 

Might rather go down and write tutorial on making liveries with markers and sharpies :D


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msg-21998-0-01263700-1542637720.png


#6
kingoftheskies

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I haven't reached that level of expertise yet :P
 
Might rather go down and write tutorial on making liveries with markers and sharpies :D


gahahaha

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#7
DragonOfTheWest

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Thank you for this, this is an excellent tutorial. All this time I've been softening my edges by hand with the line tool...



#8
S K Y

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Thank you for this, this is an excellent tutorial. All this time I've been softening my edges by hand with the line tool...

Looking forward for you next livery!


msg-21998-0-02795400-1542637702.png

msg-21998-0-01263700-1542637720.png


#9
S K Y

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A casual bump to help others find this topic easier.


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#10
Blonde_Bird

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Thanks for the tutorial, I ended up fixing my WN canyon blue and heart liveries

Attached Files


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#11
S K Y

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You're welcome, happy to be helpful.
Looking forward for more liveries from you :)

msg-21998-0-02795400-1542637702.png

msg-21998-0-01263700-1542637720.png


#12
S K Y

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Hmmm. I wonder if this tutorial needs to be pinned.

msg-21998-0-02795400-1542637702.png

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#13
Blonde_Bird

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I got a bunch I made already that I need to fix now. >:[


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#14
ffxxmz

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Thank you

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#15
pinksnowbirdie

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I wanna bump this but also, how do you make those masks?



#16
S K Y

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I wanna bump this but also, how do you make those masks?

What do you mean?


msg-21998-0-02795400-1542637702.png

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#17
N664US

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This is my favourite thread on AE. Also the first one I visited.

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#18
pinksnowbirdie

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What do you mean?

I figured it out lol

I was a little confused at first how you made the layer stuff, I was a bit confused at first by the wording.



#19
S K Y

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I figured it out lol

I was a little confused at first how you made the layer stuff, I was a bit confused at first by the wording.

 

Yeah, English is not my mother tongue so I kinda expect that.


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#20
TNT88

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This is probably the best tutorial here. It's time for more difficult tutorial SKY.






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