You didn't mention which game you are creating textures for?
In any graphics editor, trying to align artwork on a model can be a trial and error process. Move the artwork a few pixels in the editor, and then see how close it matches in the game. Repeat until you get the desired results.
Professional skinners do have experience. Especially when they know the model well due to making many skins for it, they can judge from seeing the mismatch in the game how many pixeld they need to move it to make it match. Still it is trial and error and looking in the game what it looks like. That's why people so often asked for a model viewer without having to start the game.
But one trick is: get the first one aligned as you want it. Duplicate the layer and rotate it 180 degrees. Then Nudge the duplicate to the other fuselage side. Often the fuselage sides are aligned well, so you got the horizonal position the same.
Another trick is to look well at panellines. They are often a good guide to align your markings.
Well, as a pure novice, I was hoping there was an actual technique for such things. Last night, I was using the ruler coordinates to help line up the numbers I was placing on both sides of the fuselage.
However, I simply assumed that experienced skinners had a tried and true method for placing matched artwork on both sides of the fuselage. Of course, 'assuming' anything may be my downfall...LOL.
Well, when a model is UV mapped, my experience (certainly not a 'professional', I'm never knew anyone who earned a living from skinning IL2) the maps are often not a best case scenario for skin artists.
Sometimes there is mirroring, or flipping of parts so that the artist must continually work around these difficulties. Certainly the trial and error method does work, I used it extensively for several years. I created a popular 'panel finder tool' for times when trial and error was still not enough to help locate some areas of the UV map, you can get it here:
I don't know whether PSP has them (I assume so) but You can used guides and place them on your drawing. They aid you with drawing and placing things. The bluelines in the images of this tutorial are such guides: Gauges & Vectored Paths
And Like I said: nudging with the keys helps that your object only moves in one direction. Using the mouse often also results in a small movement in another direction.
I'm far from being and expert mate. But when putting numbers on aircraft I usually just eye ball it using an old Microsoft paint program. I open up the bmp file in two instances of the paint program and switch back and forth to see how close I am to where I want to be. I don't know if this will help you out any but it's worth a shot.
You can also check where the number is using the up-down, right left position numbers you'll find at the bottom right hand side of the paint program. Use some line or feature on the paint to measure from on one side then do the same on the other side.
I hope all of this makes sense to you mate. I've never been worth a damn at instructions. Sorry I couldn't make it clearer for you.
I'm a newbie at skinning myself, but all I do in CS3 is make a duplicate layer free transform it onto the other fuselage panel and by eyeball move it into position.
Linear Mode
