Template Color settings for IL-2 skin.

[joes1944]

This is for Paintshop pro X. I just want to make sure that I have this part right. I opened 'image infromation' and these are the settings I have my work under; 1024x1024 pixels. Pixels depth/colors RGB-16 bits/channel. Under 'image' the options I have are; Increase Color Depth RGB-16 bits/channel. Under Decrease Color Depth I have; 2 color palette, 16" ", 256 " ", 32K colors 8bits/channel, 64K6 bits/channel, X colors 4/6 bits/channel. Your tutorials states that I should to set the color depth at 16 million. I believe that is 16 bits/channel. But I'm not sure. In any case those are the options I have available to me.

[adlabs6]

The 16 million color depth is usually "24 bit" or "8 bits/channel" color. Check and see if that option is avaliable.

[Serval]

This is a confusing part.

I hope to make it clear.

You have three channels Red, Green and Blue. (sometimes Alpha for transparency and other effects)
Normal RGB images are 8 colors per channel (8+8+8 = 24 bit)

Now this 16 bit per channel add more possabilities. Those are added for photography for example.

Since in the end you need and 8 bit image (256 colors) It is useless to draw your image in 16 bit per channel. Since all the extras and many colorshades need to be removed.

So, there is no need to convert to 16 bit/channel
8 bit/channel is good enough.
With 16bit/channel your templates will only be larger then they allready are.

Remember this:
8 bit = 256 colors (standard image format as used in IL-2)
16 bit = 65536 colors (16 bit you will only find per layer)
24 bit = 1677216 colors (16million) (standard image format for BMP, TIF and TGA files for example)
32 bit (24 bit image + Alpha channel) = 4294 million colors (TGA files as often used for 3D software)

[Vigilante]

I think that you need to set color depth to at least 16 bits per channel in PSP in order to work with transparencies. I always work at 24 bits, then reduce the color depth of the saved image to 256 colors using the free Bright utility.

If you can't select the 24-bit color depth option, it may be that your graphic card will not support it. Check your color quality settings in the control panel (Control Panel - Display - Settings) and see what's available on your machine.

You sure are catching on quick!

[Serval]

Vigilante, you are confusing the 24 bit of the whole image with the 16 bit per channel which would mean 48 bit for the image. 24 bit per channel does not exist.

This is a new technique that is available in the latest versions of PSP and Photoshop for example.
That is what makes it a bit confusing.

[Vigilante]

Oh no I'm a retard!

Thanks for explaining that.

[joes1944]

I hope I'm not starting anything here between you two but thanks to the both of you for your help. Please understand that this is COMPLETELY ALL NEW to me. My aim is just make some skins for myself and when I think I'm good enough I will upload them for all to see. Instead of asking someone else time and time again to make me another skin. Again I have absolutely no training in this field of computer grafic arts and to be sure I will return with another inane question until I get the hang of all of this. Once that's accomplished I will be busy making skins.

[Serval]

Don't worry.
I know of this myself due to a newbe question. He saw the same options in Photoshop and started asking. I never really noticed it since I start new work with the basic settings I often use.

I did not really find the proof for it, but my best guess is that it is especially designed with the RAW files from photocamera's which enable you to adjust mistakes like lightning much better then you can in the oldfashion BMP, JPG etc. formats.

Still Vigilante's tips are usefull. You should work in 24 bit mode. Then you are able to use all options you need.

[Serval]

Here is some info on the subject for those interested

Optimizing Photoshop CS2 Performance