Military AI Works

I am using MS Paint, but how do I make AI Repaints

Because of the nature of painting multiple schemes that are similar, i.e. with maybe just reg and/or sqn markings changes most people find that it is best to use a layered paint program, which as you know MS Paint is not.

What you need to do is download the paint kit for the model which is normally supplied at the time of release for a model or shortly after. That paint kit will be layered and usually they are in PhotoShop (.psd) or Paint Shop Pro (.psp) format. So that is the program(s) that you will need.
Whether you can load one format into another program I don't know but I am sure that the painters around here will be able to answer this.
When I say load into, what I mean specifically is load and keep the different layers. I do know that a few programs will load but compress the layers into 1 layer, which is no good.

So that is basic answer. Now as to which programs can actually be used to load those layered files I will have to let somebody else supply that info.

Photoshop is very expensive - around £20 per month, but with a discount for students that brings it to around £10 per month.

Paintshop Pro, which is what I use and some others here I know do too, can be bought for around £60 on Amazon. It will only open files produced in that application with a version at the same level or higher. What I do is to save the Paint to PhotoShop format for distribution in a paint kit, which can then be opened in any version of PaintShop Pro. Daft I know.

GIMP I believe is also a popular choice for a layered program and that's around £10 on Amazon, but I have no knowledge of it.

In addition to a layered paint program, you will also need a program to convert the RGB images to Dxt3 or DDS format for use in the sims. You can use Imagetool that is part of the SDKs, or as I do, DxtBmp by Martin Wright:

http://www.mwgfx.co.uk/programs/dxtbmp.htm

It is important that you understand the different texture formats and how alpha channels work.

Just shout if you need any help.

John

PaintshopPro is the the way to go. Also they offer massive discounts once you're a registered user on new versions.

PaintNet

I have done all my stuff using it.

It supports layers and can open most of the paint kits, if not all (you might have to install a plugin first for a specific file type first).
I found it more intuitive than GIMP when I started repainting.

I think for a beginner it might be less overwhelming than one of the other programs mentioned before.

You can later add additional plugins for further functions/effects/file types....

It's freeware. So you can try if repainting is something for you without investing money.

There are a few repainting tutorials available at the net, e.g

https://www.flightsim.com/vbfs/content. ... -Simulator

Also on youtube there a some tutorial videos

Simply google for flight simulation repainting tutorial and you will find a lot of information.

ConcordeBOAF, something that has eluded me for years due to really a lack of time to just sit down and learn layers. Recently with the help of Martin's AIAE program using Paint.net as my repaint program, I have been able to make very basic changes to things like tail codes/serials and not mess anything up! I also do stupid OCD things like paint all USN/USMC helmets white (there are alot of F-18s in MAIW packages).

GIMP is free. Open source software. Start with it and learn, no need to pay to repaint. Truth.

Although it's commercial, Photoshop is definitely the best.

It's full of functions.

I also work with Photoshop.