G'day I create locomotive graphics.

Late last year I started creating locomotive graphics in Paintshop Pro. I trace around a locomotive in a photo, add grills, panels and then the livery.

I used to do a lot of reskins for a couple of rail sims so I was quite familiar with PSP.

I do keep my pics on a Facebook page, so please come and "Like" it.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/ColhadsTrainGraphix

Anyhow, since I can't post pics from Facebook I have to use Imageshack, I will post some of my work now.

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I will post more in the coming days as I complete more projects.

Welcome to TG TrainGraphix75 I removed the links and inserted your grapahics, What software did you use to create the images?

Welcome to TalkGraphics

First time users are not permitted to link. However since your links appear to be your own images and not to a for profit site, I am going to leave them unless our administrator moderator disagrees.

BTW You can upload your photos here. Copy the photos to your desktop then add them here in the Go Advanced > Manage Attachments area when you post.

Ok, thankyou. I've gone looking for where to post introductions but haven't fond them yet.

I can tell you that the pics are all my own work, I will do what you say in future.

I've been looking for forums where I can share my work as I am trying to get exposure. I have only bee doing it for a while but I feel I've found my niche.

I am just doing what gwpreister said. A good excuse to show the latest graphic I completed. :)

Thanks everyone.

Larry, one of the moderators posted your images for you in your first post.

We don't really have a Introduce yourself forum.

You sure you're not a proffessional and which version of Paintshop Pro do you use (X5 for me)?

PSP7, I only do it for recreation although I am looking to do some sort of course.

Thankyou Larry for sorting out my post, I will do that from now on.

You are welcome.

TrainGraphix -- hey, I like your pictures! Trains are from Australia, right? They look at lot like ours here in California... but a little different. Now look. Beg, borrow, or steal -- but get Xara Photo & Graphic Designer and give it a try. You will be AMAZED how much it will help you do your trains. And I'm not knocking PSP -- I've used it for years -- but you'll really, really get so much more done faster and better with Xara. End of commercial!

Not enough train art here. When you make more pictures, I'll be looking forward to seeing them!

Would try Xara if I could get it, I am happy with PSP7 for now, does the job.

One more DB class.

Would try Xara if I could get it

http://www.xara.com/us/products/designer/

There's a free trial. It's made for what you do.

Thanks Pauland, I think it will take me a while to learn Xara. I have installed the trial version and loaded one of my graphics into it. Don't know why but it looked kind of blurry for some reason.

I think I will stick with PSP for now, stick with what I know. :)

Well, if you get some time, it will be good.

It's huge advantage is that you would be able to produce your graphics at any size you choose without them becoming blurry. I bet you could make them quicker too once you'd got the hang of it.

Paul

Remember there is no application called 'Xara'. That's the name of the company who publish several applications ;)

Designer Pro X or Photo & Graphic Designer 2013 would, as Paul suggests, be perfect for your train art in many ways.
Of course, you are correct that it would take time to learn, but doesn't anything?
Biggest thing to get your head around is that neither application is like PSP, they are instead 'vector illustration applications', not pixel pushing or painting raster apps.
The accuracy, level of detail, the clean crisp lines and the resolution independent freedom you get with vector art is superior to bitmap (raster) applications like PSP.
Once mastered (and it doesn't take long) you'll wonder why you didn't discover Xara's software years ago :)

The latest addition to the DBs is this one, a livery they never actually received but quite easily could have in my opinion. Something I do with most of my locos is do them in a livery they never actually had.

You CAN get it... try the trial download of Xara Photo & Graphic Designer, that's the least expensive one, but it has EVERYTHING you need. Use it with PSP 7 and you're in heaven.

Looking at your engines made me think of my San Francisco cable cars... might try drawing one. Or one of our old streetcars. So many trains, so little time!

This livery was actually phased out by the time the DBs were introduced in 1982/83, it wouldn't look out of place on a DB though.

This will be the last DB for a while although I will do up the collection later on.

Hi Mr. Train,
if you have been banging out these locos over the cause of this thread then I would say that PSP is fast enough for you LOL. Laughter aside though you must have spent some time drawing these with a great passion for trains.
Great job. Tabian

G'day Tabian, I am a mad train nut. I will continue to pump out locomotive graphics, I am considering other ways to construct them ie 3/4 angle. Problem with 3/4 angles is that when it comes time to put text and lines on, because 3/4 angles have a lot of funny angles. It's easy to do when they are all side on as I only have one angle to work with and keep everything straight.

Hi "mad train nut" going to 3/4 view will require you to learn perspective if you don't know it already. Xara has a mould tool with which you could do all your lines and text straight and group them and then apply that group to the side of your train 3/4 view in the correct perspective. It might take a little practice to get the hang of but it's not difficult. We did something like that awhile back but I cannot remember or find the thread. Have a look at XaraXone both on the forum here and online at http://www.xaraxone.com/. There is a wealth of information there.

I think I found the thread.

http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthre...a-Shape/page14


Look on some of the previous pages on that thread.

EDIT: start on page 2 that thread.

I have begun reading those tutorials, I think it's always a good thing to improve and to use a program that will enable me to do so.

I have just completed the DB class collection. Once I have completed a project I then do a graphic displaying all the locos I have created in that class.

ok, this is Colhad's n00b Graphix. At least its a start, think of it as getting your feet wet. In 12 months time I'll look back at this and say look how far I've come with Xara, won't need PSP anymore.

I like it - a new genre for you!

Your locomotive looks fun. In terms of having fun it's a great start, when you wish to return to your precise and controlled graphic style, you'll find that really easy to do.

I find what you've just done ( a fluid, organic style ) harder to do than the precise stuff!

Keep those locomotives rolling - welcome aboard!

I will now show my latest graphic.

I sort of wonder if I overdid the border a bit as it probably takes a lot of focus off the loco itself. By and large I am relatively happy with it, I like to be satisfied with my efforts and not too critical as I like to think positive about them.

It's a Commonwealth Railways/Australian National Railways NJ Class locomotive.

Since it's a bigger graphic than the DB class I was able to put more detail on it, all my locos are dependant on the size of a locomotive in a photograph. Sometimes they come out smaller than I thought, it's only when I try to add text that I can struggle a bit if it's too small. All part of learning, but that is a good thing.

I try to add text that I can struggle a bit if it's too small. All part of learning

It will be a thing of the past when you get to know Xara! Size isn't an issue.

Try a different border.

I like it although I feel that the background and loco graphics compete for attention.

Great train work, thanks for sharing them

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TrainGraphix75

Late last year I started creating locomotive graphics in Paintshop Pro. I trace around a locomotive in a photo, add grills, panels and then the livery.

I used to do a lot of reskins for a couple of rail sims so I was quite familiar with PSP.

I do keep my pics on a Facebook page, so please come and "Like" it.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/ColhadsTrainGraphix

Anyhow, since I can't post pics from Facebook I have to use Imageshack, I will post some of my work now.

Attachment 94309Attachment 94306Attachment 94310Attachment 94307Attachment 94311Attachment 94308


I will post more in the coming days as I complete more projects.

Welcome to TG TrainGraphix75 I removed the links and inserted your grapahics, What software did you use to create the images?

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They are terrific and wondered what you plan to do with them?

Just thinking as I enjoy creating greeting cards and this is something that could be used on the cards as too many are female orientated stuff and there is a distinct lack of male orientated stuff. Maybe you should contact a greeting card manufacturer to see if they would be interested in them.

Just a thought. but they look great.

I am considering my options with how I can use my graphics. I think something may develop in the future.

I've just completed the NJ class and will post the collection.

really nice graphics:) thx for posting :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by picalo28

They are terrific and wondered what you plan to do with them?

Just thinking as I enjoy creating greeting cards and this is something that could be used on the cards as too many are female orientated stuff and there is a distinct lack of male orientated stuff. Maybe you should contact a greeting card manufacturer to see if they would be interested in them.

Just a thought. but they look great.

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Not sure what to do with them at the moment, I think I'll just do it for recreation for the time being. I am actually planning to do some sort of graphics course, exploring my options in that department.

Cool stuff, I like your style, its kind of old skool in away. Good way :D

Can't use Xara anymore, 30 day trial has expired. Guess I'll have to stick to tried and tested.

I have begun creating photoframes for my graphics and I think they suit them, you could hang these on the wall. :)

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