Im just wondering how to make ur skins. I downloaded Gimp. Do i need anything else to start. Also do i load up the default skin inmy skins folder or do i use a template. Any sites you have that give me insight on how to use gimp would be good if possible to coz im super noob with thanks
Hi there, the best place I found for help with gimp itself was the online manual explains what all the tools, menus, options etc do can be found here. other than that a quick google search of what your trying to do usually works or just post up in here and someone will help you .
A good place to get help and read some tutorials on skinning is master skinnerz, have a look round on there and you find pretty much everything you need to know about skinning including the pro kit skinning templates.
You should also download the cmx viewer from the main lfs site. This allows you to check on your skin as you make it, making it easier to spot mistakes and also line up things on the skin as they cross different body panels.
When you have made your skin you need to save it as a .jpg in your LFS\Data\Skins folder. You also need to upload a 1024 x 1024 version to LFS World so as other people online can see it.
Hope this helps, any other questions\problems just ask
Hi, and welcome to the LFS Forums. Making skins are easy, once you get the hang of it. It might take a while for you if you're new to image editing (photoshop/GIMP) and to making skins.
The LFS Manual is a start, though not very informative at the moment it does cover the basics. Link: http://en.lfsmanual.net/wiki/Skin_Tutorial (Do go through the rest of the LFS Manual in your own time; a lot you can learn).
The CMX Viewer is useful when the skin is WIP. You can easily preview your skins as you edit it (compared to loading it in-game). You can download the CMX Viewer from the LFS Additional Add-ons page.
The Master Skinnerz have released skin kits for all the cars in LFS. They're immensely useful. The files are usually in photoshop format (.psd), but they can be readily opened in GIMP. You can download the skin kits from http://www.barkingpig.org/msz/pages/kits.php
Few basics; LFS World will only accept skins upto 1024x1024 (the skins that you upload to LFS so that other racers will be able to download your skins - I presume you're aware of how the whole skins thing work online). Whilst 1024x1024 is (sort of) sufficient, its better to skin 2048x2048 (4x the quality) for your /LFS/Data/Skins folder and then simply resize it 1024x1024 to upload it to LFSW (mind you, some people work with 4096x4096, but 1024x or 2048x size is good enough to start).
IMO, its best to work with layers. This is made easier by the fact that the Master Skinnerz kits are layered. If you opened up one of the kits you'll see (CTRL+L to toggle on the layer toolbox in GIMP). When applying a colour select the relevant bit in the layer toolbox and then use the relevant tool; i.e. say you want to paint the roof red; select the "Roof" or "Top" layer from the layer toolbox, select the fill bucket tool, select a red colour and simply click on the roof part of the skin. Ta daa!
When it comes to adding decals to your skins its again best to do so with the use of layers. Say you want to add the LFS logo on to the roof; select the roof/top layer and then create a new layer (Keyboard shortcut is CTRL+Shift+N). The new layer will be created on top of the existing roof/top layer - you can copy the LFS logo and paste it on the new layer. Just to clarify, its better to use a new layer for the logos because if you simply paste the logo on the roof/top layer it too darn hard to make any changes at later stages (if you want to change the colour of roof from red to blue, the logo would be in the way - might have to re-do the whole roof again). Keep it simple, make a new layer for the logos - and for your own convenience rename the layer "Roof Logos" or something similar. Renaming your layers with "shgasdhkjg" or "owsiyt98whsld" won't make things easier!
More on layers;
The LFS Forum's Skin Help/tools/templates got a fair bit of stuff/advice that you can use. Have a look in there for tips and tricks to make life easier. http://www.lfsforum.net/forumdisplay.php?f=69
I can go on and on about stuff, but its time you start on your own skin. Start with something easier. Whilst the Master Skinnerz kits are very useful, you might find the whole thing confusing at first. So forget it for a bit and get used to GIMP. Download the LFS CMX Viewer - you can access the default skin files from the Viewer's data/skins folder. Work with the 1024x1024 skins to start off; change colour, add some logos (resize, rotate and move) till you're happy with it. Add some racing numbers, stripes or flames or whatever you fancy and you'll get used to GIMP and skinning in no time.
One last thing. Save your WIP! When you're working with skins with layers, save in the default GIMP formart .xcf. LFS will only accept skin files that are saved as ".jpg", so you'll have to "save as" a .jpg (in the Viewer's data/skins folder or the /LFS/data/skins folder) before you can preview it. If I'm working with a skin with many layers, I save it with different file names as I work on (i.e RAC_Silver 1.xcf, RAC_Silver 2.xcf, RAC_Silver 3.xcf) so that I could later revert back to an old(er) stage.
Note: When you try to save the .xfc file (or any file with layers) to .jpg, GIMP will say that you need to merge the layers. Select to merge and set the quality to 100%. Merging the layers will make it flat; if you reopen the .jpg image you won't be able to access the layers - that's why its important that you save as .xcf.
Just search the forums if you've got any questions. If you can't find anything, simply post in this thread (or in another relevant thread) and someone will help you out. I'll stop now Good luck
E: I've been typing for a long time and beaten by Gav
E: Have a look in the Viewer's map_info folder - the image files shows the skinnable areas for each of the cars.
Thanks, been thinking of adding to the skins bit in LFS manual and the non-dedi hosting as people seem to have most question on these topics. Too bad no one seem to search the forum/read the manual.
Ok thanks . Soory man. This is so frustrating at the start. I cant get the layers side task bar up now.... Its gone and i cant even find where to change paint colour. I had it once now gone. Is gimp just a hard program to use. should i be using something else
I personally found it easy; just go through some online tutorials on the features (i.e. google "gimp layers tutorial" etc) and find out how to use each of the functions. If you got few mins have a look at this layer tutorial in youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrVnI3l9fgE Mind you, I didn't watch it - just googled it and and skimmed through it. Seemed to cover the basics. If you need anything else just search (via google or the forum search function) or just ask.
Ok found added a skin skinnerz, Painted bits if it . adding it now to CMV to veiw it and YES found how to change colours. Moments like these i wish i listened at school 10 yr ago lol
Hehe, happy to help believe me, you'd feel much better using a skin that you skinned over something someone else made for you. Keep on trying; practise make perfect!
Ok i can change the skin on this template i got but they do look older an dnot as clean looking as the master skinnerz FZR_Pro_Kit. How ever with the Pro Kit i cant seem to paint nor do anything to it.... Is the way i open folder, Sure im missing something
Just to check, the MS pro kits are zipped (.rar files). You need unzip them first - you might have to the download the software from the rarlabs site - http://www.rarlab.com/download.htm. However, if you can open the Master skinnerz .psd file, no need to download additional software.
When you say you can't paint... maybe its because you're trying to paint on a layer that is currently not selected.
i.e. Say the layer named "Right" (corresponding to the right side of the car) is at the bottom of the layer toolbox. To paint on that layer, you need to click on the layer named "Right" from the layer toolbox...
Now, say that you try to paint on the area corresponding to the left side of car - the new paint wont show up as its under a different layer. To paint on that area - you have to select the "Left" layer from the layer toolbox.
I know its sounds a bit confusing, but once you get the hang of it its not biggie. However it does get a little bit worse; but I'll hold that bit off for now.
Just remember to only paint in the corresponding areas for the layer selected; for example, select the layer named "Front" to paint the area corresponding to the front of the car. You might be able to select layer called "Front" and still be able to paint on the sides - but try and avoid that.
This is pretty much your own help-me-skin thread; feel free to upload screenshots of your WIP skins from the viewer if you need any help on trying to sort out stuff. Shift+S in the CMX Viewer works just like in-game. The screenshot will be saved in the Viewer's data/shots folder. You can use the attachments feature to add the screenshots to a post.
E: Thanks for the comment about my skins; I usually just make skins for laughs and for personal use or just make them for requests. However, they're nothing compared to most of the skins that were made last year: Best Team Skins (2010) Poll or skins by the life4pixel crew and loads more talented skinners on this forum.
Im having probs with this one thing, Im using Gimp and when i push this certain button i can draw free hand a outline or use straight lines to make a shape. Then i fill it with paint to paint it. When im done i still have the outline/pattern from the tool i used. How can i get rid of that outline because its stopping me from doing futher things
Hope that makes sense if not i can post a pic of the prob
Right click anywhere on the image and then in the options that pop up click "select" and then click "None" (or use the keyboard shortcut CTRL+Shift+A). It can be also done via Select > None (next to File, Edit, Select, View...)
When i look at my skin thru CMX Veiwer, I see all the lines thru the skin which are there as a guide when u are making the skin. How do u get rid of these so u can veiw ur skin with out them ??
Im trying to post my WIP as i need u tell me if i can copy and paste this pattern i have done onto the other side of the car. However i went to this http://www.lfsforum.net/images/editor/attach.gif but it came up with a paperclip and i couldnt get it to do anything for me. Can u check its working or it just me.
That link is just an image of the attach icon If you hit reply you'll see that icon next to the undo/redo button - you can click there to upload any attachments to the post (something like an email attachments).
If you simply need to copy the one side and paste it on the other, this is what you can easily do; to explain better, lets say you've done the "left side" of the car, and need to copy it over to the "right side" of the car... Now obviously, this will work to copy over the basic paint scheme, but the logos/stickers/numbers you've used will appear inverted (*more below).
Make sure your current work is saved as a .xcf file (so that it'll keep the layers seperate).
Do a "save-as) of the skin, and save it as a .jpg (this will flatten all the layers into one). Don't close the current ".xcf" file it as we'll need it later.
Open up this new ".jpg" file and select the skinned "left side" bit that you need to copy over. Use the rectangle select tool, if its easier (don't worry about selecting other bits of the car, as you can easily get rid of them).
Go back to the ".xcf" file where you have access to the separate layers.
Select the relevant layer that you need (it might be called "right side" or simply "sides" - the layer which you've already did the left side).
Once you've clicked on the layer, paste (ctrl+v) it. Now you need to flip sides so that the pasted layer will be correctly aligned. Simply right click > Layer > Transform > Flip horizontally. Use the wireframe to properly align the skin. Once its correctly aligned, use the easer tool to get rid of bits of skin outside the "left side" that you've selected with the rectangle tool.
Now to see if all is well, do another save as - saving it as a ".jpg" file. Open up this file in the CMX viewer. If there is a need for any adjustment, go back to the ".xcf" file, click on the newly pasted layer and use the cursor keys (up/down/left/right arrow keys) to move the layer (one key press at a time). Save the skin (it'll update the ".jpg" file), reload it on the CMX and see if its well. If it is, all good - if not, repeat the above step.
*Now, obviously you can't complete one side at one go and simply paste it over on the other side, for the reasons mentioned above. You can do the copy paste of the base paint scheme and then once you're happy with that, move on to the logos, pasting them on both sides of the car...
Worked beautifully Thanking you. Ok gezz learning so much. I keep learning an easy way to do something after spending many hrs doing it a hard way lol. Oh well, Will post u shot for ur feed back
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feature to add the screenshots to a post.