Kaiser Wilhelm's Emporium

Vehicle Models ✓ | Vehicle Textures ✓ | Scripts ✓ | EUP Reskins ✓ | Post is WIP? ✓

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In the future, I'll be aiming to treat this more as a development blog, maybe include some tutorials or guides. For now, some pretty pictures.

 

Contents

• Getting Started with Liveries - A beginners guide to creating liveries for GTA 4/5.
• Black Textures Appearing Green: How to make black look black - A quick fix for black textures appearing that awful green.

 

Useful Files

• License Plates PSD - Contains a number of license plate designs free for use on your liveries.

Getting Started with Liveries

I've been making vehicle liveries since about 2012. I made liveries for GTA 4 vehicles before I even bought the game, never mind having a PC that wasn't running on Intel Graphics. Those texture releases, which I've since hidden, are genuinely horrific. But that's how most people start off. I by no means claim to be any kind of pro livery creator, but I enjoy it and think I do a decent job, so here goes. And to be clear, this is just the process that I use and might not work for everyone!

 

Throughout this project, I'll be making reference to my current project that I'm working on at the time of writing. I'm creating a fleet of vehicles styled around Fresno Police Department in California. They operate a black-and-white fleet with a star on the door and a couple of bits of text. I'm also looking to create a range of EUP options to match the department.

 

 

 

Step One: Choosing Your Tools

When creating liveries, I would argue that the most important factor is your choice of image editing/creating software. There is a range of options out there, all of which operate in slightly different ways and have their own pros and cons. I'm going to attempt to address some of these below, and provide my opinion and guiding hand, but at the end of the day its your choice.

• Paint.NET
  • This software is completely free, and a great place to start off from. If you're new to the world of image editing and adjusting, it can be a great place to get started for no cost. Here, you'll be able to learn about layering, using masks, applying effects, and so on.
  • For the first year or two, I used Paint.NET to create all my liveries, but to be frank it can become frustrating. I recall that (when I used to use it) once you'd typed text into a text layer, it was then impossible to change the value of the text shown.
  • I also recall that Paint.NET's ability to scale bitmaps (don't worry if you don't know what this is) was absolute trash. 
  • If you're just getting started, I highly recommend getting to grips with Paint.NET and playing around with it. Get Paint.NET here.
• GIMP 
  • I used GIMP2 very briefly. I found that it was a step up from Paint.NET, if used correctly. There was a lot more going on with this software and provided a higher level of complexity when it comes to using the tools and manipulating your livery's components.
  • I don't feel I can pass too much judgement on this option as I've not used it for more than a few weeks. I found it difficult to get used to the different interface and ended up reverting back to Paint.NET for a while.
  • Give it a go and let me know. If you're versed in GIMP, it have just started out with it, feel free to tag me and tell me what your experiences are. Try GIMP here.
• Adobe Photoshop CC
  • Photoshop CC (Creative Cloud) is my current editor of choice. This software is incredible. I cannot put into words how far ahead of Paint.NET and GIMP this is. The deep complexity of the tools interfaced with the simplicity of the working environment. Once you've gotten used to Photoshop you'll wonder how you ever managed to survive.
  • Be warned of the steep learning curve. Photoshop is a professional grade tool used by industry professionals, it is not the playground that Paint.NET is. The way you work is completely different, even right down to your layering style, colour choice, and more. Don't feel that you need to master all of Photoshop's vast array of tools before commencing. In all honesty, I've probably only tapped into a quarter of what Photoshop can do.
  • Photoshop doesn't come free. Consider the various packages that Adobe offer and choose the one that's right for you. I currently use the Photography package for ~£10/mo. With that you get Photoshop CC and Lightroom. Its cheaper to get this package than Photoshop on its own.
  • You might not necessarily have access to the capital to purchase this software, and that's okay. But don't think that by creating liveries you'll recover the cost of Photoshop. In the 8 years I've been doing this I've made £0.00 from liveries.
  • Remember, always search around for any legitimate discount codes, student offers (their student deal is actually really good value), etc.

Overall, before making the leap into paid software, I'd consider using some of the free options to get to grips with the various concepts and working practices of creating liveries first. Its better off to get an idea of what livery designing involves and whether you actually enjoy it. Of course there are a range of other options not covered by this guide, and I implore you to explore and do your own research. Who knows, you might find something even better to work with?

 

From here on out, I'll be using Photoshop in my screenshots and guides. But, most of the tools I'll be using today will have an equivalent in the other two covered above.

 

Step Two: Choosing Your Design

So before we begin, you're going to need to have an idea of what you're working towards. It is going to be pretty difficult to just make one on-the-fly. At this point, its worth noting where you're at in your livery-learning-life. If you're right at the beginning then I would suggest that you're going to struggle to jump straight into something particularly complicated. While you can do whatever you want, I'd like to suggest that you keep it simple until you've at least grasped the basics.

 

When looking for a design to create, you want to look for something that: interests you, challenges you, is possible for you, and fits an existing model. There is no point creating a livery that you don't like, is too easy or too hard, and doesn't fit a template that already exists.

 

To find designs that interest me, I tend to browse Pinterest for "police cars usa" or "sheriff cruiser". Play around with your search terms here to find what you're looking for. I also use Google Image searches, which tend to throw up some interesting options. And if you're looking to replicate to learn, there's always the GTA 5 Gallery here at LCPDFR.com.

 

Collect a handful of images that you can save or bookmark. Get all angles of one particular vehicle (Ford CVPI, for example). And consider the differences in liveries between sedans and SUVs, as well as different generations of liveries. Once you've found something, its time to move onto the next step.

 

Step Three: Choosing Your Models

At this point, you may not be versed in vehicle modelling. And that's completely understandable. A large collection of modders create liveries for existing model packs. For example, I made this Zancudo Valley Sheriff livery pack for another author's models. Its important to note that if you're going to do this that you do not upload the models with your liveries unless you have permission from the original author. This is a pretty common mistake and likely won't get you in any bother, but just try to avoid it eh?

 

When choosing your models, consider the reference images that you've collected. If all your reference images are of Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptors, then consider finding a model pack that contains a Ford CVPI. Making the first livery is always the most time consuming, from there you can re-use components across different templates.

 

Also consider how you want your liveries to look with different lighting setups. Do you want your liveries to be accurate? Do you want them to be loosely based around another department? If you're choosing a department which is particularly well known (NYPD, LAPD, CHP, etc), then you may find that some users offer fierce criticism over the accuracy of liveries and models.

 

For example, in the Fresno-based pack I'm creating, I've chosen to loosely base it around the real department, but not commit to full accuracy. Fresno Police tend to use the Federal Signal Arjent, whereas in my Fresno-based pack, I've opted to use the Whelen Legacy.

 

For your first project, consider using one of the following packs. They offer a range of different vehicles, each have a unique lighting configuration, and all include templates. But of course, if you find something you'd prefer, use that instead!

• Los Santos Police Department Mega Pack [ELS] by @t0y
• LSPD Pack [ELS] by @thegreathah
• Los Santos Police Service Mega-Pack [ELS] by @Jedahdiah
• [ELS] New York Police Department Pack by @Walters
• Blaine County Sheriff Department [ELS] by @Jedahdiah

Step Four: Preparing Your Canvas

Alright, its finally time to start working on your livery. Head into your downloaded models and find the templates. Some authors will include this in the main download, some will have a separate download, and some won't provide them at all. Once you've found your base template, which in my case is @0taku's Ford CVPI dev model, open it up. Before you do anything else, you want to go to save as, and save it to a folder somewhere. I tend to name my files in the following convention: "packname_model_livery". This would equate to "fresno_cvpi_livery".

 

If you're using Photoshop, save this as a .psd. If you're using anything else, save it using their editable format, don't save to a .png/.jpeg/etc yet. All my modding content is on my desktop, in a folder called "Mods", and split into folders based on packs.

 

View of a Ford CVPI template in Photoshop CC.

 

Now you've saved your template separately, we're going to consider the dimensions of the template. Some modders will make their templates into 4K (4096x4096 pixels). However, others will leave it at the default 2K (2046x2046). Its up to you what resolution you choose, but 4K textures look tonnes better than 2K. So we want to change the size of the image before we start adding anything.

 

Image resize dialog

 

In Photoshop, go to the top bar and select "Image", then "Image Size...". This should open up a dialog box showing you the dimensions of your image. Because @0taku is a beast, his template is already in 4K. If yours isn't, simply change the "Width" and "Height" options and make sure the units are set to pixels. Click "OK" and watch your image grow. In Photoshop, you likely won't notice much difference in the quality of the image, as the re-sampling process is fantastic.

 

However, I know for a fact that Paint.NET users will notice that the base template has become blurry. Not to worry, as this layer will never be visible to the user. This is why we're upscaling before we add our content, rather than doing it after and making a mess of our livery (trust me, I learned the hard way).

 

Before we start throwing some shapes up in there, we need to make sure that things are going to be nice and organised. We're going to do this by creating some folders in out layer heirarchy. If this isn't possible in your editor, I used to use empty layers with titles such as "--- LEFT SIDE ---". And everything below that and the next empty layer would be whats on the left.

 

Layer Hierarchy, found in the bottom-right corner of the main view.

 

I tend to create one folder to contain everything that we want to be visible when we export the livery. I call this folder "Livery". This way, you can use the same file to create variations (such as different base colours, a DUI-Taxi livery, etc), and to keep any reference images you want to bring in separate. Within the livery folder, I create four more folders and a layer. I name the folders (from the bottom-up) "Left", "Right", "Front/Back", "Top". These folders will contain the various components on the livery. Breaking it down like this will help you to organise things better and you'll be able to work much smoother.

 

Layer hierarchy, with the base colour filled in black and hidden.

 

Underneath the four folders, but inside the "Livery" folder, the layer I create I call "Base Colour" (or "Base Color" for you damn yanks). Here, I take the majority colour of the livery, which would be black in the case of my Fresno example, and fill the entire layer. I would then hide that layer and leave it disabled until we come to export.

 

Step Five: Adding Content to the Livery

Now here's the bit that is difficult to teach. This section very much relies on a mixture of creativity and technical skill. It involves identifying the features of the livery that you want to make and creating them digitally. I usually begin with the left side of the body of the vehicle and work up through the folder hierarchy that we created.

• Left Side
  • The first side of the vehicle that you create is often the toughest. You need to create and layout the features of the livery for the first time. Whether that is sourcing the badge, laying out some text, or creating a black-and-white- base. One thing thats important to note with the sides is the angle at which the template is laid. You can usually use the bottom of the driver window, or some trim to work this out. For the template I'm using, its about ±1.3° depending on the side. Don't just expect the template to be straight.
  • Any badge or logo can usually be sourced from Google Images. Sometimes, the logo can be a really nice, high definition, image. Sometimes it can be about 150x150, which is useful to nobody. If you're not comfortable creating your own badges and logos at this point (which I'll create a tutorial for another time), then this might be a bit of a deal breaker for you. For my Fresno pack, I found that the most suitable image I could find was about 220x220, which is way too low resolution. I created my own version of the logo from scratch in beautiful 1K resolution for this pack. Feel free to use it for whatever.
  • Laying out text can sometimes be a little tricky. The best method, I find is to type the text you want out, then cycle through the fonts to find the most appropriate, then work on moving it around, angling it, etc. Start big and scale down. To find the best fonts, you might need to consider looking around for different ones online. For example, for my Fresno liveries, the text on the front wings is in Goffik. I used 1001FreeFonts, but alternatives are available such as DaFont, FontSquirrel, and urbanfonts. You might also want to adjust the layer styles, such as adding a stroke effect, which can provide an outline. 
  • Creating a black and white base daunted me for years, especially in Paint.NET. I always feared trying to work out exactly where I needed to colour, and recall my first attempt where I used the pencil tool and coloured pixel-by-pixel. But actually, this process is really easy, and once you've done it a couple of times, you'll be able to do it really quickly.
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    • Using the pen tool, select the colour of the "fill" that you want. For the GIF above, it'd be white. Click your first position, I usually go for the bottom corner of the front door. Then, in sequence, click the points where the horizontal lines on the template meet the edge of the door. In the GIF above, you can see that I trace up the hinge, then go a little wider across the top and then trace down the middle of the front and back door. When you've placed your last point, clicking on the first point will complete the shape and close it. A good practice for this sort of thing.
    • This would result in the front left door being coloured in white. If you wanted to have the front and back door coloured, then you can easily do this by continuing past the B-pillar and to the back of the car. 
    • This process for me took less than a minute. It may well take you longer, and it might be easier to zoom in to get the right points that you want. After making the black and whtie base, I usually throw it onto the model in OpenIV to make sure the white doesn't spill onto bits that I don't want it to.
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• Right Side
  • When creating the rightside, the beauty is that a majority of the components of your livery have already been created. Your text, logos, and other shapes, have already been created on the left. All you need to do is copy them all and move them into position. For shapes which don't feature text, you can simply select the layer, go to "Edit" in the top bar, and select "Transform Path" and then "Flip Horizontal". For layers containing text, such as the Fresno police logo, or text layers, you can simply move them into position and rotate to fit.
  • When it comes to rotating layers, I try to make a note of how many degrees I've rotated layers on the left side in the folder name, see below the layer hierarchy of this livery by the end.
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• Front and Back
  • I find that the front and back of the livery tend to contain little information. Usually just some text to identify as "POLICE" or "SHERIFF", etc. A logo, sometimes a phone number or website. But this will vary depending on what you've chosen. My livery has just text across the rear.
  • When choosing the position of your text, have a look at the model, consider where things are. Where's the manufacturers emblem, if any? Where's the trim and lights? Is there any curve to the section you're trying to place text?
  • For Ford CVPIs, I place a section of dark-grey (#111111) over the mid section of the trunk. But others may make this another colour.
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• Top
  • The top of the vehicle includes the roof, the lid of the trunk, and the bonnet. You might choose to colour these differently, such as having the roof white to match the black-and-white aesthetic. You may also choose to place some roof numbers. If you do this think about where any roof-mounted lighting equipment is place. Think about where aerials are.
  • You might choose to include logos on the trunk lid, or writing on the hood. Think about the scale of these, how they'll show up, etc.
  • Generally speaking, the roof of a livery tends to be quite bare.
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• Miscellaneous
  • There are other sections of templates when making liveries. You may need to consider the design of your license plates, the colour of various bits of trim, and other things. Your options here vary depending on the base model used by the author.
    • Plates can be a bit tricky to make, so I've included a PSD that I use. It has a collection of license plate options. You may need to play around to find the right font substitutes however. Alternatively, you can create your own. Templates often have a front and rear template for plates, so you could consider having a vanity plate at the front of your vehicle. You can get the plates PSD from the link in the main post.
    • Trim elements vary from template to template. On the one I'm using, you can see it has options for the door sill and door sill body. Next to these options is a black square, which I imagine is a "keep black" section. Keep an eye out for these on templates as filling them with a different colour may make your livery look strange.
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Step Six: Exporting your Livery

Now you've created your livery, you should save it as a .png file. This will preserve any transparent elements you have used, such as where you want to set the colour in-game. You'll find this will unmarked liveries where the author only includes the plates on the livery. This process is fairly self-explanatory, and if you've replaced liveries before then you'll know where you need to put this file.

 

Step Seven: Testing your Livery

Its important to get your livery in-game and play around with it. View it at all times of day and in different weathers. Look closely in first person or with a sniper rifle. Is anything out of place, or need adjusting? Add it to your notes and make the changes when you're done.

 

Step Eight: More Vehicles

Open your next template, save it as detailed in step four, then begin to copy your layer groups over. In Photoshop, simply right-click on the folder, select "Duplicate Group", and in the drop-down, choose your next vehicle's template document. Readjust the components to the new vehicle and repeat.

 

 

That's it.

Once you've completed these steps for the templates you want to use, you'll have created a full pack of liveries. Make sure you test your liveries out and take screenshots of them. Build up an archive file containing the .png files, maybe some screenshots, and whatnot, and upload them to the site. You're officially a texture developer. Any questions? Feel free to ask!

Black Textures Appearing Green: How to make black look black.

When modelling recently, it was pointed out to me that the tyres of my Ford Crown Victoria appeared to have a somewhat green tinge. I've also noticed this when playing around with black uniforms in EUP. I was a little puzzled as to why this happened, and didn't seem to effect some shades of grey. Regardless of the reasoning, a friend, @Jedahdiah, suggested a solution.

 

 

This fix, which takes less than thirty seconds, is a game changer. Open up OpenIV and find the YTD of the textures experiencing the issue. Find the specific texture, for me this is "Wheels". Simply click properties and change the "Pixel Format" to "A8R8G8B8". Then, re-import the texture. Its really that simple. This works for vehicles, EUP textures, and I've even tried it on weapons.

 

This is great. I used to make liveries for GTA IV like 9 years ago, but haven't used photoshop since then so this is a perfect refresher for me.

Also looking forward to you releasing those Fresno based liveries, they look awesome!

Edited April 28, 20206 yr by l3ubba

Hey there - just wanted to let you know.......this is frickin' AWESOME!!  Thank you so much for putting this written tutorial together.  I only wish I had found it about 4 or 5 months ago, when I first started stumbling around in the world of livery-making........instead of just today.  Honestly, it is good to see/read that eventually, I've ended up following the same processes more or less (I use GIMP) - might try your way of organizing the layers better.  I guess you ultimately figure out whatever works best for you!

 

I have posted up a couple of liveries so far, bot a few more in the works.  Check them out, if you are interested.  Always appreciate feedback!

So I'm getting into livery devving, and this tutorial is SUPER helpful. 1 question I want to ask and I'm not sure if you covered this (maybe I'm blind), but when posting a livery do you need permission from the model's dev? Or can you just post it with the link to the car in the description? Any info is much appreciated.

You can upload the liveries you made on your own. The model you cannot. Best to put a link to the car your livery was made for in the file description. That way, users won't have to try tons of cars to see if the livery fits its base.