Aircraft Paint Scheme Design Software

DwayneSmithUSMC

Pre-Flight
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Jul 23, 2014
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DwayneSmithUSMC
Anyone know of a good aircraft paint scheme software that's useful and allows for multiple types of planes? I looked at the one for Sherwin Williams but the only single engine aircraft it allows for is a Bonanza, not a Cherokee or Cessna.

What are shops using?
 
Ran into the same problem. I decided to take a picture of the aircraft after it was totally painted White. Then used colored pencils to create the color scheme. Then played around with graphics software.
Cessna172White.jpg
The picture was taken as far back as the telephoto lens could handle in order to keep the perspective of the wing tips. Also in the shade so the shadows didn't interfere.
 
Get a good three view drawing and look up Inkscape?

For both the RV-6 and RV-10, I picked 2-3 sets of likely colors (white, silver, blue.... maroon, black, white.... yellow, black, white... etc), and went to the local art supply store and purchased the appropriate markers. Then I spent hours working with 3-views to create designs I liked.

I'd rather do that than purchase/install/learn a new piece of software.
 
For both the RV-6 and RV-10, I picked 2-3 sets of likely colors (white, silver, blue.... maroon, black, white.... yellow, black, white... etc), and went to the local art supply store and purchased the appropriate markers. Then I spent hours working with 3-views to create designs I liked.

I'd rather do that than purchase/install/learn a new piece of software.
Ah, yes. All tools are hard to learn and never useful.

www.inkscape.org

It's FREE, genuinely pretty easy to use, the fact that it's a vector software makes it easy to modify the lines you draw, and instantly swap colors. All for watching a few tutorial videos.
 
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I've been working with Inkscape for a few years for various marketing and logos for my business.

I've found it the opposite of "easy". I pretty much hate the program but it's the only one that can do some advanced graphic stuff without having to buy a program.

It is learnable but every time I go back to it I feel as if I have to learn it all over again. Youtube comes in handy.
 
I’ve used Inkscape before. When we were looking at different paint schemes for the plane we used 3-views and markers. Maybe it’s easy for some, but I find it to be a real PITA to try to use… I use it once a year to drive the Eggbot.
 
Ran into the same problem. I decided to take a picture of the aircraft after it was totally painted White. Then used colored pencils to create the color scheme. Then played around with graphics software.
View attachment 118689
The picture was taken as far back as the telephoto lens could handle in order to keep the perspective of the wing tips. Also in the shade so the shadows didn't interfere.
Don’t leave us hanging! How’d it come out?
 
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