How to line up multiple textures for aircraft?

[DSplayer]

I would like to make a skin on the Flanker series of aircraft that requires putting an emblem on the spine/top of the aircraft that stretches out to the wings but I am finding it pretty difficult to line up the textures in order to make it look like 1 decal. Is there a simpler way to do this than cutting out the textures from the various files and trying to line them up?

[gabuzomeu]

Hello, 

you can try adding a layer with a grid like the one here, so you can find precisely where texture ends etc.

In some skins psd, you have the model « skeleton » in one layer so you see precisely the limits and it gives you the necessary references. 

And when cutting you emblem , make sure to have the parts overlap the limits of the texture, so they will not leave a gap when viewed in game.

Good luck!

[aaronwhite]

I would second that advice on the panel finder.

I've done something similar on mine when trying to find parts. I'll essentially just grab the pen tool in photoshop and roughly outline entire panels on the template, then fill them with a set color. Usually I'm just working on one chunk of the model, so I'll use a handful of colors. When working on the Ka-50, it ended up looking like this: 

Then in terms of lining things up between two different parts of the template, one thing I would do was to draw a line on a separate layer to be deleted later. Then I would adjust the corresponding line on the other template until they matched up, and edit the camo patterns or lines after I knew where to cut things off. Another useful trick is to zoom in real close in the Model Viewer and see where you're at and where you want to be on the model using whatever visual references like rivets. 
I've lined up plenty of camo lines on the first try by going "Okay, I'm 4 rivets from the bottom line and need to actually be at the 6th rivet". 

It can be a painful process, but I always enjoy the work. I might get a little too obsessive about lining up things, but I guess as the skin creator, my eyes are drawn to any imperfections that I'm sure the average person flying with your skin won't even notice.