My attempt at bare Aluminum

Bulls_i_ · #1 (**permalink**) 10th September 2005, 00:45

This is my go at a bare metal Spitfire MkVc. Any suggestions or comments welcomed.

RogueSnake · #2 (**permalink**) 10th September 2005, 08:17

I like it.

Looks like you started with a white, or really light grey as a base.

I would try this, Make another layer above it/all medium gray, and set it to overlay or soft light, and adjust the opacity. This will add some grey to it, without have'n to edit the metal layer itself.

I have no dought, that at some angles, the metal would appear bright like that. The problem is, when its in game, and the sun hits it at different angles, it will be blinding. Has to do with the games built in sun reflections. Basicly, anything white, will be very, very white once in game.

Or something like that. I'm no metal master, still learning myself. Its something thats very had to pull off. And almost imposiable to please everyone. Everyone has their own opinion on what looks right, and what doesn't.

1.JaVA_Platypus · #3 (**permalink**) 11th September 2005, 01:46

That is always the problem. The skin artist has to make a choice. In real life, aircraft wheren't that shiny. Aluminium is dull by nature. Aluminium finish (paint) consisted of grey paint with alu particles in it (or something like that) So, to be historical accurate, you should make dull bare metal skins. But, people don't like dull metal. If you want your skin to be downloaded and used by others, you've got to make it really nice and shiny. At least, I want my skins downloaded and used. It is a way to show yourself and maybe receive some positive feedback.

On a little side note... I am building a B-25J Mitchell in scale 1:48 and one in 1:72. I want them both bare-metal. I wanted to try something diffrent and I bought bare-metal foil. It is a very thin layer of meta, with some glue at the back so you can stick it to your model. Details will show just fine. On the package it says "dull aluminium". Well, it is the most reflective and bright "dull" I've ever seen. I can see myself in it almost. Now I use tiny strips of it for the Oleo legs. It is the only thing reflective about the B-25.

But, goodluck with your spitfire skins. This one looks good!

RogueSnake · #4 (**permalink**) 16th September 2005, 03:30

I have that same stuff Platypus, called "Bare Metal" Its not cheap, but I decided to buy it, and try it out on a P-51D model I was building.

And your right, very shinny stuff. I even tried some dull coat on a scrap peace I had. It helped alittle.

If I can ever finish that dang model I'll post pics, I was ask'n questions about finding pics for the model back in the old IL2skins forum. Gives you an idea of how long I've been work'n on it, off and on. Its one that will have almost evey door off, showing engine, guns etc. Alot of work.

But for anyone else building a metal finish model, I highly recoment it. Its uber for shure.

You can get it at http://www.greatmodels.com/

Serval · #5 (**permalink**) 16th September 2005, 09:02

About the skin:
I think it is too bright. The dark areas on the wings look strange.

You can use pretty dark grey. IL-2 will make it shine anyway.

If you look at my metal skins, they are also too bright. Still I managed to make the look pretty dirty. But as soon as I find the time I will remake them with a better aluminium look. I tested that allready a couple of months ago and got positive feedback on that test.

Most aircraft (P-47's P-51's and P-40's especially) were simply stripped what looked much like this:

But sprayed aluminium doesn't look that different from a distance:

Like I suggested in the other aluminium thread: Try testing with different daytime settings and try to find air to air photos of aircraft (would be nice to have the same aircraft, but any will help in some way) and try to play the settings of that photo (sun position and viewing angle) and see how your skin works compared to that photo.
But I would start with darkening the aluminium a lot. You will see that it will be pretty reflective anyway. From there you can add a little bit of highlights to 'help' reflections a bit. Here is where the comparisation with photo's will help. Some more metal with very different reflections, ww2 photographs from World War 2 Pictures In Color