PANZER CORPS TOOLKIT
UNIT PAINT STUDIO
USER MANUAL

Manual Version 1.0

For Panzer Corps Toolkit
Unit Paint Studio

This manual covers:
- Paint Unit
- Create Skin from Picture
- Create Skin from Thumbnail
- Create Thumbnail from Skin
- Manage Skins

The Create Unit Mask / mask-creation workflow is intentionally not included in this manual.

Prepared for users of the Panzer Corps Toolkit
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction
2. What the Unit Paint Studio Does
3. Supported Unit Types and Current Limitations
4. File and Folder Locations
5. Skin, Thumbnail, Icon, and Mask File Basics
6. Opening the Unit Paint Studio

PART I — PAINT UNIT
7. Paint Unit Overview
8. Loading a Unit Icon
9. The Required Mask File
10. Loading and Browsing Skins
11. Original and Painted Preview Windows
12. Zooming, Panning, and Preview Backgrounds
13. Applying a Skin
14. Using Solid Colours Instead of a Skin
15. Secondary and Tertiary Colour Areas
16. Pattern Scale and Pattern Position
17. Brightness, Contrast, and Sharpness
18. Insignia Replacement
19. Saving a Painted Unit
20. Unsaved-Project Warning
21. Recommended Paint Unit Workflow
22. Paint Unit Troubleshooting

PART II — CREATE SKIN FROM PICTURE
23. Create Skin from Picture Overview
24. Supported Source Pictures
25. Step 1 — Select Picture
26. Step 2 — Choose Source Area
27. Step 3 — Prepare Picture
28. Step 4 — Choose Generation Mode
29. Tile Mode
30. Stretch Mode
31. Fit and Repeat Mode
32. Pattern Scale, Offsets, and Rotation
33. Small-View Orientation
34. Step 4 Live Previews
35. Step 5 — Generate Skin
36. Step 6 — Generate Thumbnail
37. Step 7 — Name and Save
38. Step 8 — Finished
39. Using the New Skin Immediately
40. Recommended Picture-to-Skin Workflow
41. Create Skin from Picture Troubleshooting

PART III — CREATE SKIN FROM THUMBNAIL
42. Create Skin from Thumbnail Overview
43. Thumbnail Requirements
44. Converting a Thumbnail into a Skin
45. Output Naming and Saving
46. Thumbnail-to-Skin Troubleshooting

PART IV — CREATE THUMBNAIL FROM SKIN
47. Create Thumbnail from Skin Overview
48. Skin Requirements
49. Thumbnail Size and Opacity
50. Creating and Saving the Thumbnail
51. Skin-to-Thumbnail Troubleshooting

PART V — MANAGE SKINS
52. Manage Skins Overview
53. Preset and User Skin Libraries
54. Refreshing the Skin Library
55. Matching Skins and Thumbnails
56. Duplicate Names and File Conflicts
57. Organising a Personal Skin Collection
58. Backing Up User-Created Skins
59. Manage Skins Troubleshooting

PART VI — REFERENCE
60. Default Folder Structure
61. Filename Rules
62. Recommended Quality Standards
63. Frequently Asked Questions
64. Quick-Start Checklists
65. Final Notes

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1. INTRODUCTION

The Unit Paint Studio is a collection of tools inside the Panzer Corps Toolkit for applying camouflage skins and colours to Panzer Corps unit icons and for creating compatible skin and thumbnail files.

Open it through:

Tools
  > Unit Paint Studio

The Unit Paint Studio is designed to keep the original unit artwork, shading, rivets, panel lines, highlights, shadows, and other visual details while changing the painted appearance of the unit.

The tools are intended for users who want to:

- repaint an existing ground-unit icon;
- apply a prepared camouflage skin;
- use a solid primary, secondary, or tertiary colour;
- create a new skin from a photograph or illustration;
- convert a skin into a browser thumbnail;
- convert a compatible thumbnail into a full skin;
- organise preset and user-created skins.

This manual explains all current Unit Paint Studio submenus except the mask-creation tool.

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2. WHAT THE UNIT PAINT STUDIO DOES

The Unit Paint Studio separates the visual appearance of a unit into several controlled regions.

Depending on the unit mask, these may include:

- the primary painted body;
- a secondary area, such as tracks or interior sections;
- a tertiary area, such as guns or armament;
- ignored areas that retain the original appearance;
- an insignia area used for optional nation-insignia replacement.

A skin is not a finished unit icon. It is a pattern sheet used by Paint Unit. The program combines:

1. the original unit icon;
2. the matching mask;
3. the selected skin or colours;
4. the selected adjustment settings.

The result is shown in the Painted Unit preview and can then be saved as a new PNG image.

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3. SUPPORTED UNIT TYPES AND CURRENT LIMITATIONS

The current Unit Paint Studio foundation is intended for ground units.

Examples include:

- tanks;
- assault guns;
- armoured cars;
- half-tracks;
- artillery;
- anti-aircraft vehicles;
- trucks;
- tractors;
- other ground vehicles;
- ground equipment whose icon has a compatible mask.

Aircraft support is planned for a later build and should not be assumed to work correctly in the present release.

The Create Skin from Picture workflow is considered suitable for the release candidate. Future refinements to that workflow may be based on community feedback.

Insignia replacement is available in Paint Unit when the mask contains the required insignia regions.

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4. FILE AND FOLDER LOCATIONS

The installed program directory is normally protected by Windows and should not be used as the default destination for user-generated files.

The Toolkit therefore uses writable folders under the user's Documents folder.

A typical structure is:

Documents
  \Panzer Corps Toolkit
    \Unit Paint Studio
      \Skins
      \Thumbnails
      \Masks
      \Skinned Units

Some installations or earlier builds may use a similarly named Panzer Corps Viewer folder. The program should remember the last successfully used folder for each output type.

Preset skins supplied with the Toolkit remain inside the installed program.

Paint Unit reads skins from both:

- the preset skin folder inside the installed Toolkit;
- the user skin folder under Documents.

The two collections are merged in the skin browser.

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5. SKIN, THUMBNAIL, ICON, AND MASK FILE BASICS

UNIT ICON

A unit icon is the original Panzer Corps PNG image that will be repainted.

MASK

The mask tells Paint Unit which pixels belong to the primary, secondary, tertiary, ignored, and insignia areas.

The mask must:

- be located in the same folder as the unit icon;
- use the expected matching filename.

Example:

German_Tank.png
German_Tank_Mask.png

If the icon is moved, its mask must be moved with it.

SKIN

A compatible Unit Paint Studio skin is a 296 x 296 PNG image.

A skin contains the pattern information used for the different unit-view regions.

THUMBNAIL

A thumbnail is the small preview shown in the skin browser.

Supported thumbnail dimensions are:

- 74 x 54 pixels; or
- 74 x 48 pixels.

A thumbnail used by the conversion workflow should be fully opaque and should not contain transparent pixels.

MATCHING FILENAMES

A skin and its thumbnail should share the same base name.

Example:

Romanian_Olive.png
Romanian_Olive_Thumb.png

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6. OPENING THE UNIT PAINT STUDIO

Open the main Tools menu and select Unit Paint Studio.

The available submenus covered by this manual are:

- Paint Unit...
- Create Skin from Picture...
- Create Skin from Thumbnail...
- Create Thumbnail from Skin...
- Manage Skins...

The Create Unit Mask submenu is not covered here.

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PART I — PAINT UNIT
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7. PAINT UNIT OVERVIEW

Paint Unit is the main working window for repainting a unit icon.

Open it through:

Tools
  > Unit Paint Studio
    > Paint Unit...

The window is arranged around two principal previews:

- Original Unit on the left;
- Painted Unit on the right.

The original preview shows the source icon without paint changes.

The painted preview shows the current result produced by the selected skin, colours, mask regions, and image adjustments.

The result updates as the user changes available controls.

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8. LOADING A UNIT ICON

Use the icon-selection control to browse to a Panzer Corps unit icon.

The selected file should normally be a PNG image with transparency.

After loading the icon, Paint Unit attempts to locate the matching mask in the same directory.

For the best results:

- use an unmodified original icon;
- keep the icon's original dimensions;
- do not flatten the transparent background;
- avoid JPEG files;
- ensure the matching mask has the correct name.

Once loaded, the icon appears in the Original Unit preview.

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9. THE REQUIRED MASK FILE

Paint Unit cannot correctly identify paintable regions without a compatible mask.

The mask must be stored beside the icon.

Example:

Soviet_T34.png
Soviet_T34_Mask.png

The mask filename is formed by adding:

_Mask

before the .png extension.

If the mask is missing, Paint Unit should warn the user that the mask must be placed in the same directory as the icon.

A missing, incorrectly named, or incompatible mask may cause:

- no paint to appear;
- the wrong areas to be painted;
- tracks or weapons to receive the wrong colour;
- ignored areas to be repainted;
- visual artefacts.

This manual does not explain how to create a mask.

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10. LOADING AND BROWSING SKINS

The skin browser combines:

- preset skins installed with the Toolkit;
- user-created skins saved under Documents.

Each skin may appear with a matching thumbnail.

Selecting a skin applies it to the current icon preview.

The browser should remain populated with the full skin collection when a newly created skin is opened through Use this skin immediately.

The new skin should be selected automatically, while all existing skins remain available.

If a newly saved skin does not appear:

- refresh or reopen the browser;
- confirm it was saved in the user Skins folder;
- confirm it is a 296 x 296 PNG;
- check for duplicate filenames;
- confirm the file is not damaged.

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11. ORIGINAL AND PAINTED PREVIEW WINDOWS

ORIGINAL UNIT

The left preview is a reference view. It allows the user to compare the repaint against the original artwork.

PAINTED UNIT

The right preview shows the live result.

Use the two previews to check:

- whether the camouflage scale is suitable;
- whether panel detail remains visible;
- whether tracks and armament are coloured correctly;
- whether the unit has become too dark or too bright;
- whether the skin alignment looks natural;
- whether the transparent background remains intact.

The previews should normally remain linked for zooming so both can be compared at the same scale.

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12. ZOOMING, PANNING, AND PREVIEW BACKGROUNDS

ZOOM CONTROLS

Typical preview controls include:

- Zoom In;
- Zoom Out;
- Fit;
- Actual Size;
- a percentage display.

Fit scales the icon so the complete image fits in the preview panel.

Actual Size displays the icon at 100%.

Ctrl + mouse wheel may be used for zooming where supported.

PANNING

When an image is larger than the preview panel, use the available pan interaction to move around it.

PREVIEW BACKGROUND

The preview background affects only the on-screen view. It is not added to the saved icon.

Available backgrounds may include:

- dark neutral;
- light grey;
- white;
- black;
- checkerboard;
- custom.

Checkerboard is useful for inspecting transparency.

A dark or light solid background is useful for finding pale or dark edge artefacts.

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13. APPLYING A SKIN

To apply a skin:

1. Load a unit icon.
2. Confirm that its matching mask is found.
3. Select a skin in the browser.
4. Review the Painted Unit preview.
5. Adjust scale, position, brightness, contrast, or sharpness as needed.
6. Save the painted unit when satisfied.

The skin is applied only to mask regions intended to receive it.

Details from the original unit should remain visible through the painted result.

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14. USING SOLID COLOURS INSTEAD OF A SKIN

Paint Unit can use a selected colour instead of a camouflage skin for supported mask regions.

This is useful for:

- plain military paint;
- nation-specific olive, brown, grey, sand, or winter colours;
- support vehicles;
- artillery pieces;
- simple recolouring;
- testing a mask.

The primary area can use a solid colour instead of the selected skin.

Where supported, the secondary and tertiary regions can also use separate colours.

The painted result should preserve the source icon's brightness variation and surface detail rather than covering the unit with a completely flat block of colour.

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15. SECONDARY AND TERTIARY COLOUR AREAS

SECONDARY AREA

The secondary mask region is commonly used for parts such as:

- tracks;
- wheels;
- exposed mechanical areas;
- interior areas;
- other separately controlled components.

TERTIARY AREA

The tertiary mask region is commonly used for:

- guns;
- barrels;
- armament;
- selected metal components.

The exact result depends on how the unit's mask was prepared.

Use the checkboxes and colour selectors to enable or disable colour replacement for these regions.

If changing a secondary or tertiary colour appears to do nothing, the selected icon mask may not contain that region.

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16. PATTERN SCALE AND PATTERN POSITION

PATTERN SCALE

Pattern scale changes the visual size of the camouflage pattern on the unit.

Lower values:

- make the pattern smaller;
- create denser camouflage;
- show more pattern repetitions.

Higher values:

- make the pattern larger;
- create broader colour areas;
- show fewer pattern repetitions.

Pattern scale does not resize the unit icon. It changes only the skin pattern applied through the mask.

PATTERN OFFSET

Horizontal and vertical offsets move the skin pattern across the unit.

Use them to:

- place a preferred part of the camouflage on the hull;
- avoid an awkward seam;
- move a large colour patch away from an important detail;
- improve the relationship between different unit views.

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17. BRIGHTNESS, CONTRAST, AND SHARPNESS

BRIGHTNESS

Brightness makes the painted result lighter or darker.

Use small changes. Excessive darkening can hide rivets, wheels, hatches, and shading.

CONTRAST

Contrast increases or decreases the difference between light and dark areas.

Higher contrast may make camouflage stronger but can also produce harsh shadows.

Lower contrast gives a softer result but may make the unit appear washed out.

SHARPNESS

Sharpness strengthens fine edges and details.

Use it carefully. Too much sharpness can create halos, jagged edges, or noisy textures.

RECOMMENDED ORDER

1. Choose the skin or colours.
2. Set pattern scale.
3. Set offsets.
4. Adjust brightness.
5. Adjust contrast.
6. Apply only a small amount of sharpness if necessary.

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18. INSIGNIA REPLACEMENT

Replace insignia is enabled in this release.

The checkbox and related controls remain visible to preserve the planned layout and future functionality.

This includes controls such as:

- insignia selection;
- nationality selection;
- insignia opacity.

Select a nation for automatic insignia loading or browse for a custom PNG.

Do not rely on these controls for current production work.

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19. SAVING A PAINTED UNIT

Use the Save Painted Unit command when the result is ready.

The default save location should be a writable user folder, typically:

Documents
  \Panzer Corps Toolkit
    \Unit Paint Studio
      \Skinned Units

The program may remember the last successful save location.

When choosing a filename:

- use a descriptive name;
- retain the .png extension;
- avoid overwriting the original icon unless deliberately intended;
- preserve transparency;
- do not use invalid Windows filename characters.

A recommended naming style is:

OriginalName_CustomDescription.png

Example:

German_PanzerIV_RomanianPaint.png

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20. UNSAVED-PROJECT WARNING

Paint Unit tracks whether the current painted result has unsaved changes.

If the user selects Close or uses the window X while unsaved changes exist, the program should display:

"Your paint project has not been saved. Do you want to save it before closing?"

The available choices are:

SAVE

Opens the normal save workflow. The window closes only after the save succeeds.

DON'T SAVE

Closes Paint Unit without saving the current result.

CANCEL

Returns to Paint Unit without closing.

No warning is required when:

- no changes were made; or
- the latest painted result has already been saved.

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21. RECOMMENDED PAINT UNIT WORKFLOW

1. Open Paint Unit.
2. Load the original unit icon.
3. Confirm that the matching mask is found.
4. Choose a suitable preview background.
5. Select a preset or user skin.
6. Compare the Original Unit and Painted Unit previews.
7. Adjust pattern scale.
8. Adjust horizontal and vertical offsets.
9. Select optional primary, secondary, or tertiary colours.
10. Fine-tune brightness and contrast.
11. Apply sharpness only if needed.
12. Inspect the icon at Fit and Actual Size.
13. Check transparency against checkerboard, white, and black backgrounds.
14. Save the result to the Skinned Units folder.
15. Close Paint Unit.

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22. PAINT UNIT TROUBLESHOOTING

PROBLEM: No painted result appears.

Check:

- whether a mask exists;
- whether it is in the same folder as the icon;
- whether the filename uses _Mask;
- whether the selected skin is valid;
- whether the mask contains paintable regions.

PROBLEM: Only the newly created skin appears.

The browser may be using the new skin's folder as its only source. In the corrected workflow, preset and user skin libraries should remain merged.

PROBLEM: The unit is too dark.

Reduce negative brightness, reduce contrast, or choose a lighter skin.

PROBLEM: Tracks or weapons have the wrong colour.

Check the secondary and tertiary settings. The result also depends on the mask.

PROBLEM: The output has a solid background.

Confirm that the original icon is a transparent PNG and that the save operation preserves alpha transparency.

PROBLEM: Close does not warn about unsaved work.

The unsaved-project state may not have been triggered. Make a visible paint adjustment and test again.

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PART II — CREATE SKIN FROM PICTURE
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23. CREATE SKIN FROM PICTURE OVERVIEW

Create Skin from Picture converts a photograph, illustration, painted surface, camouflage sample, or other image into a Unit Paint Studio skin.

Open it through:

Tools
  > Unit Paint Studio
    > Create Skin from Picture...

The wizard contains eight steps:

1. Select Picture
2. Choose Source Area
3. Prepare Picture
4. Choose Generation Mode
5. Generate Skin
6. Generate Thumbnail
7. Name and Save
8. Finished

The wizard uses a fixed bottom navigation bar with Back, Next, Save, Cancel, or finish actions as appropriate.

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24. SUPPORTED SOURCE PICTURES

Supported input formats include:

- PNG;
- JPG;
- JPEG;
- BMP.

For best results, choose an image with:

- enough resolution for cropping;
- clear texture or colour variation;
- even lighting;
- limited compression artefacts;
- no large unwanted text;
- no unwanted borders;
- no excessive transparency;
- a paint or camouflage area suitable for repetition.

A complete vehicle photograph can be used, but it is usually better to crop a clean section of painted armour rather than the entire vehicle.

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25. STEP 1 — SELECT PICTURE

Use Browse or the equivalent command to select the source image.

After a valid image is loaded, Step 1 should display:

- the selected image preview;
- filename;
- dimensions;
- file type or other basic information.

Next remains disabled until a valid picture is loaded.

Use a source image that you are legally permitted to use.

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26. STEP 2 — CHOOSE SOURCE AREA

Step 2 selects the part of the picture that will become the skin pattern.

The main source preview contains a crop rectangle.

MOVING THE CROP

Drag inside the crop rectangle to move it.

RESIZING THE CROP

Drag the visible resize handle, normally at the lower-right corner.

ZOOM

Use:

- Zoom In;
- Zoom Out;
- Fit;
- Actual Size;
- Ctrl + mouse wheel where supported.

PAN

When zoomed in, use:

- Pan mode;
- click and drag while Pan is active;
- middle mouse drag where supported;
- Spacebar + drag as a temporary pan action.

Panning moves the view, not the crop's image coordinates.

USE WHOLE IMAGE

Sets the crop to the full source image.

RESET CROP

Returns the crop to its default selection.

MAGNIFIED SAMPLE

This preview displays the selected crop enlarged to fit its panel.

LIVE TILED PREVIEW

This preview repeats the selected crop so the user can inspect seams, repeated objects, and unwanted edges.

Both previews should update immediately when the crop is moved or resized.

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27. STEP 3 — PREPARE PICTURE

Step 3 adjusts the selected source area before skin generation.

Available controls may include:

- Brightness;
- Contrast;
- Saturation;
- Sharpness;
- Mirror Horizontally;
- Mirror Vertically;
- Rotate Left;
- Rotate Right;
- Reset;
- optional Auto Enhance.

BRIGHTNESS

Corrects a source that is too dark or too light.

CONTRAST

Strengthens or softens differences between light and dark regions.

SATURATION

Controls colour intensity.

Lower saturation can produce subdued military colours.

Higher saturation produces stronger colours but may look unrealistic.

SHARPNESS

Can recover some detail but should be used carefully.

MIRROR

Useful for changing the flow of stripes or irregular patterns.

ROTATION

Useful for diagonal camouflage or correcting a tilted source.

RESET

Returns the Step 3 adjustments to their defaults.

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28. STEP 4 — CHOOSE GENERATION MODE

Step 4 controls how the prepared crop is placed into the generated 296 x 296 skin.

The three principal generation modes are:

- Tile;
- Stretch;
- Fit and Repeat.

The step also includes controls such as:

- Pattern scale;
- Horizontal offset;
- Vertical offset;
- Rotation;
- optional Mirror alternate small views.

The live previews update as settings change.

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29. TILE MODE

Tile repeats the selected source area across the target skin regions.

Use Tile for:

- seamless camouflage textures;
- paint chips;
- mottled surfaces;
- repeating stripes;
- small-scale camouflage;
- patterns intended to repeat naturally.

Pattern scale has a strong effect in Tile mode.

A lower scale creates more repetitions.

A higher scale creates fewer, larger repetitions.

Use the tiled preview to check for obvious seams or repeated vehicle details.

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30. STRETCH MODE

Stretch scales the selected visible crop to fill the target region.

The complete target area should be filled.

Transparent padding from the source should not create an unwanted transparent strip in the stretched output.

Stretch is useful for:

- gradients;
- broad two-colour divisions;
- large directional patterns;
- images that should cover the full region once rather than repeat.

Because Stretch fills the target, Pattern scale may have little or no practical effect compared with Tile or Fit and Repeat.

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31. FIT AND REPEAT MODE

Fit and Repeat scales the source to fit according to the current settings and then repeats it where needed.

It is useful when:

- the source should retain its proportions;
- stretching would distort the pattern;
- a limited number of repeated copies is preferred;
- the source contains a large motif.

Use the live previews to judge repetition and seams.

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32. PATTERN SCALE, OFFSETS, AND ROTATION

PATTERN SCALE

Controls the size of the generated pattern.

HORIZONTAL OFFSET

Moves the pattern left or right.

VERTICAL OFFSET

Moves the pattern up or down.

ROTATION

Rotates the generated pattern.

These controls should update the live previews immediately.

The Vertical offset label and value control should appear on the same row for a clean layout.

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33. SMALL-VIEW ORIENTATION

A Unit Paint Studio skin contains regions used by large and small icon views.

By default:

- the small-view regions use the same orientation as the main pattern;
- they are not automatically mirrored;
- each small view corresponds to its matching large view;
- the small views should not be assembled from unrelated left and right fragments.

MIRROR ALTERNATE SMALL VIEWS

Enable this optional setting only when a mirrored alternate view is desired.

When disabled, all views retain consistent orientation.

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34. STEP 4 LIVE PREVIEWS

Step 4 should provide live previews of:

- the generated pattern area;
- the complete 296 x 296 skin layout;
- optionally, a neutral sample ground unit.

The previews should update immediately when the user changes:

- generation mode;
- pattern scale;
- horizontal offset;
- vertical offset;
- rotation;
- small-view mirroring.

The skin-layout preview must match the final saved skin.

The optional unit preview helps judge whether the camouflage is too large, too small, too dense, or visibly repetitive.

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35. STEP 5 — GENERATE SKIN

Step 5 creates the 296 x 296 skin using the prepared picture and Step 4 settings.

The generated skin preview should display the current result.

REGENERATE

Use Regenerate after returning to earlier steps or after settings have changed.

Regenerate should:

- rebuild the skin;
- use the current crop;
- use the current Step 3 adjustments;
- use the current Step 4 generation settings;
- refresh the preview;
- preserve the wizard state.

If generation fails, a clear localized error should be displayed.

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36. STEP 6 — GENERATE THUMBNAIL

Step 6 creates a browser thumbnail from the generated skin.

The thumbnail should be:

- 74 x 54 pixels or 74 x 48 pixels;
- fully opaque;
- representative of the skin;
- suitable for display in the skin browser.

REGENERATE THUMBNAIL

This command rebuilds the thumbnail from the current generated skin and active thumbnail settings.

The preview should update immediately.

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37. STEP 7 — NAME AND SAVE

Enter a filename for the new skin.

The filename is not required to begin with 001 or any other sequence number.

The user may choose any valid Windows filename.

The program should reject:

- an empty name;
- invalid Windows filename characters;
- reserved Windows names;
- unresolved duplicate names.

If a duplicate exists, the program should request overwrite confirmation or require a different name.

The matching thumbnail should use the same base name automatically.

Example:

Desert_Sand_Green.png
Desert_Sand_Green_Thumb.png

The default save location should be the writable user skin folder under Documents.

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38. STEP 8 — FINISHED

After the skin and thumbnail are saved, Step 8 confirms completion.

Available actions may include:

- Use This Skin Now;
- Create Another Skin;
- Open Skin Folder;
- Close.

USE THIS SKIN NOW

Opens Paint Unit with the new skin selected.

CREATE ANOTHER SKIN

Restarts the wizard for a new project.

OPEN SKIN FOLDER

Opens the user skin folder in Windows Explorer.

CLOSE

Closes the wizard.

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39. USING THE NEW SKIN IMMEDIATELY

When Use This Skin Now is selected:

- Paint Unit opens;
- the full preset and user skin library remains visible;
- the newly created skin is added to the browser;
- the new skin is selected and highlighted automatically.

The browser should not switch to a temporary folder containing only the new skin.

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40. RECOMMENDED PICTURE-TO-SKIN WORKFLOW

1. Select a clear image.
2. Crop a clean painted or camouflage region.
3. Use the magnified preview to inspect detail.
4. Use the tiled preview to inspect seams.
5. Adjust brightness, contrast, and saturation.
6. Choose Tile, Stretch, or Fit and Repeat.
7. Adjust pattern scale and offsets.
8. Inspect the live pattern and 296 x 296 layout previews.
9. Inspect the optional sample-unit preview.
10. Generate the skin.
11. Generate the thumbnail.
12. Enter a descriptive filename.
13. Save to the user Skins folder.
14. Use the skin immediately or close the wizard.
15. Test the skin on more than one compatible ground-unit icon.

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41. CREATE SKIN FROM PICTURE TROUBLESHOOTING

PROBLEM: Next is disabled in Step 1.

The selected file may not be a supported or valid image.

PROBLEM: The crop cannot be moved.

Ensure Pan mode is not active. Drag inside the crop rectangle.

PROBLEM: The image moves instead of the crop.

Pan mode, middle-mouse panning, or Spacebar + drag may be active.

PROBLEM: Magnified Sample does not change.

The preview should be tied to the crop. Move or resize the crop and verify that it refreshes.

PROBLEM: Tiled Preview does not change.

Confirm that the crop changed and that the preview refresh is functioning.

PROBLEM: Stretch creates transparency.

The corrected Stretch mode should crop transparent padding and fill the complete generated region.

PROBLEM: Small views look mirrored or mismatched.

Disable Mirror alternate small views and regenerate. The small views should match their corresponding large views.

PROBLEM: The saved skin is not in Paint Unit.

Confirm it was saved in the user Skins folder and refresh the library.

PROBLEM: Only the new skin appears in Paint Unit.

The corrected immediate-use workflow should keep the full merged skin library visible.

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PART III — CREATE SKIN FROM THUMBNAIL
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42. CREATE SKIN FROM THUMBNAIL OVERVIEW

Create Skin from Thumbnail converts a compatible thumbnail into a full 296 x 296 skin.

Open it through:

Tools
  > Unit Paint Studio
    > Create Skin from Thumbnail...

This tool is useful when a thumbnail exists but the matching full skin is missing.

Because a thumbnail contains much less information than a full skin, the generated result is an approximation.

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43. THUMBNAIL REQUIREMENTS

The source thumbnail must normally be:

- a PNG image;
- exactly 74 x 54 pixels or 74 x 48 pixels;
- fully opaque;
- free from transparent pixels.

DPI metadata should not be used as a rejection criterion.

The important requirements are pixel dimensions, valid image data, and opacity.

If the thumbnail contains transparency, the conversion should be rejected with a clear explanation.

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44. CONVERTING A THUMBNAIL INTO A SKIN

General workflow:

1. Open Create Skin from Thumbnail.
2. Browse to a compatible thumbnail.
3. Confirm that its dimensions are accepted.
4. Review the preview.
5. Start the conversion.
6. Review the generated 296 x 296 skin.
7. Enter or confirm the output name.
8. Save the skin in the user Skins folder.

The program expands and maps the thumbnail into the required skin regions.

Because the source is small, fine texture cannot be recovered.

The result is best suited to broad colours and simple camouflage.

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45. OUTPUT NAMING AND SAVING

The generated skin should use the thumbnail's base name where appropriate.

Example:

Italian_Temperate_Thumb.png

may produce:

Italian_Temperate.png

Do not force a numeric prefix unless the user explicitly chooses one.

The default destination should be:

Documents
  \Panzer Corps Toolkit
    \Unit Paint Studio
      \Skins

The program should warn before overwriting an existing skin.

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46. THUMBNAIL-TO-SKIN TROUBLESHOOTING

PROBLEM: Thumbnail rejected.

Check whether it is exactly 74 x 54 or 74 x 48 pixels.

PROBLEM: Transparency error.

The source thumbnail must be fully opaque.

PROBLEM: Generated skin is soft or blurred.

This is expected to some degree because a small thumbnail is being enlarged.

PROBLEM: Skin looks too simple.

A thumbnail cannot preserve all original skin detail. Use Create Skin from Picture for higher-quality new skins.

PROBLEM: Output name conflicts.

Choose a different name or confirm overwrite when appropriate.

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PART IV — CREATE THUMBNAIL FROM SKIN
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47. CREATE THUMBNAIL FROM SKIN OVERVIEW

Create Thumbnail from Skin produces a browser thumbnail from a compatible 296 x 296 skin.

Open it through:

Tools
  > Unit Paint Studio
    > Create Thumbnail from Skin...

This is useful when:

- a skin exists without a thumbnail;
- a thumbnail was lost;
- a replacement thumbnail is needed;
- a user-created skin needs to appear properly in the visual browser.

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48. SKIN REQUIREMENTS

The source should be:

- a valid PNG;
- exactly 296 x 296 pixels;
- compatible with the Unit Paint Studio skin layout.

The converter should reject incorrect dimensions rather than silently resizing them.

Silent resizing can damage the expected layout.

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49. THUMBNAIL SIZE AND OPACITY

The output thumbnail should be one of the supported sizes:

- 74 x 54 pixels; or
- 74 x 48 pixels.

The thumbnail must be fully opaque.

The converter should sample a populated and representative part of the skin rather than a transparent or empty layout region.

The resulting thumbnail should show useful camouflage colours and texture.

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50. CREATING AND SAVING THE THUMBNAIL

General workflow:

1. Open Create Thumbnail from Skin.
2. Browse to the 296 x 296 skin.
3. Select the supported thumbnail size if the tool offers a choice.
4. Generate the thumbnail.
5. Inspect the preview.
6. Regenerate if needed.
7. Save the thumbnail.

The thumbnail should use the same base name as the skin, followed by:

_Thumb

Example:

Winter_Disruptive.png
Winter_Disruptive_Thumb.png

The default destination should be the user Thumbnails folder or the folder used by the current skin library, according to the Toolkit's configuration.

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51. SKIN-TO-THUMBNAIL TROUBLESHOOTING

PROBLEM: Thumbnail is blank or transparent.

The converter may have sampled an empty region. Regenerate using the corrected populated-region logic.

PROBLEM: Skin rejected.

Confirm that it is exactly 296 x 296 pixels.

PROBLEM: Thumbnail does not appear in the browser.

Confirm the base filename matches the skin and the file is saved in a scanned thumbnail location.

PROBLEM: Thumbnail looks cropped incorrectly.

Regenerate and verify that the converter uses the populated upper skin area.

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PART V — MANAGE SKINS
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52. MANAGE SKINS OVERVIEW

Manage Skins provides access to the skin folders and skin-library organisation tools.

Open it through:

Tools
  > Unit Paint Studio
    > Manage Skins...

Depending on the current build, this area may provide folder selection, refresh, library inspection, or related management commands.

Its main purpose is to keep preset and user-created skins available to Paint Unit.

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53. PRESET AND USER SKIN LIBRARIES

PRESET SKINS

Preset skins are supplied with the Toolkit and stored inside the installed program.

They should normally be treated as read-only.

USER SKINS

User-created skins are stored under Documents.

This avoids Windows permission problems and keeps personal content separate from installed files.

MERGED BROWSER

Paint Unit should display both libraries together.

The program should:

- preserve preset skins;
- include user skins;
- avoid duplicate entries;
- prefer a clear and predictable duplicate-handling rule;
- refresh after a new skin is saved.

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54. REFRESHING THE SKIN LIBRARY

Use the available refresh or reload command after:

- copying skins into the user folder;
- adding thumbnails;
- renaming files;
- removing files;
- completing a conversion;
- restoring a backup.

If no refresh command is visible, close and reopen Paint Unit.

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55. MATCHING SKINS AND THUMBNAILS

For the cleanest browser display, use matching names.

Example:

Belgian_1939_Green.png
Belgian_1939_Green_Thumb.png

A skin without a thumbnail may still be usable but may not display an ideal preview.

A thumbnail without a skin cannot paint a unit by itself.

Use Create Thumbnail from Skin to complete a missing pair.

Use Create Skin from Thumbnail only when the original full skin is unavailable and an approximation is acceptable.

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56. DUPLICATE NAMES AND FILE CONFLICTS

Avoid storing two different skins with the same filename.

When preset and user libraries contain identical names, the browser should avoid showing confusing duplicates.

Use descriptive names that identify:

- nation;
- theatre;
- season;
- colour;
- pattern;
- creator or source where appropriate.

Examples:

Romania_1941_BrownGreen.png
Soviet_Winter_Whitewash.png
Desert_Sand_Olive_Mottle.png

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57. ORGANISING A PERSONAL SKIN COLLECTION

Recommended practices:

- keep skins and thumbnails as matching pairs;
- use descriptive filenames;
- avoid unexplained numeric-only names;
- keep experimental skins in a separate working folder until finished;
- copy only finished skins into the active user library;
- remove duplicate or obsolete versions;
- keep a text file describing unusual sources or settings.

A large collection is easier to manage when names are consistent.

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58. BACKING UP USER-CREATED SKINS

Back up the complete Unit Paint Studio user folder under Documents.

Important subfolders include:

- Skins;
- Thumbnails;
- Masks;
- Skinned Units.

A backup protects:

- created skins;
- matching thumbnails;
- custom masks;
- finished painted unit icons.

Do not rely on the installed program folder as a backup location.

Program updates may replace installed files, while the Documents folder is intended for user data.

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59. MANAGE SKINS TROUBLESHOOTING

PROBLEM: User skins are not detected.

Check the configured Documents folder and confirm the skin is a 296 x 296 PNG.

PROBLEM: Preset skins disappeared.

Confirm Paint Unit is still scanning the installed preset skin directory.

PROBLEM: Duplicate browser entries.

Check for duplicate filenames across preset and user folders.

PROBLEM: Thumbnail does not match skin.

Rename both files to the same base name or regenerate the thumbnail.

PROBLEM: New skin appears only after restarting.

Use Refresh or Reload if available. The browser should refresh automatically after new skins are saved.

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PART VI — REFERENCE
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60. DEFAULT FOLDER STRUCTURE

Recommended writable user structure:

Documents
  \Panzer Corps Toolkit
    \Unit Paint Studio
      \Skins
      \Thumbnails
      \Masks
      \Skinned Units

Purpose of each folder:

SKINS

Stores user-created 296 x 296 skin PNG files.

THUMBNAILS

Stores 74 x 54 or 74 x 48 thumbnail PNG files.

MASKS

Stores user-created or copied masks when not kept directly beside working icons. Remember that Paint Unit expects the active mask beside the icon.

SKINNED UNITS

Stores finished painted unit PNG images.

The program should create missing folders automatically and remember the last successful save location.

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61. FILENAME RULES

Valid filenames must not be empty.

Avoid these Windows-invalid characters:

\ / : * ? " < > |

Avoid reserved Windows names such as:

CON
PRN
AUX
NUL
COM1 through COM9
LPT1 through LPT9

Use descriptive names.

Do not force a 001 prefix.

Keep skin and thumbnail base names synchronized.

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62. RECOMMENDED QUALITY STANDARDS

SKINS

- 296 x 296 pixels;
- PNG format;
- correct layout;
- no accidental transparency in populated regions;
- consistent large- and small-view orientation;
- no unintended seams;
- balanced brightness and contrast.

THUMBNAILS

- 74 x 54 or 74 x 48 pixels;
- PNG format;
- fully opaque;
- representative of the skin;
- matching base filename.

PAINTED UNITS

- PNG format;
- transparent background preserved;
- original dimensions preserved;
- no accidental cropping;
- details still visible;
- no colour spill into ignored regions.

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63. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Why does Paint Unit need a mask?

A: The mask tells the program which parts of the icon may be repainted and which areas must remain unchanged.

Q: Where must the mask be stored?

A: In the same folder as the icon, using the matching _Mask filename.

Q: Can I paint aircraft?

A: The current foundation is intended for ground units. Aircraft support is planned for a later build.

Q: Can I choose my own skin filename?

A: Yes. A numeric 001 prefix is not required.

Q: Where are my new skins saved?

A: By default, in a writable Unit Paint Studio folder under Documents.

Q: Why are preset skins and my own skins shown together?

A: Paint Unit merges the installed preset library with the user library under Documents.

Q: What does Pattern scale do?

A: It changes the visual size of the camouflage pattern without resizing the unit icon.

Q: How does Replace insignia work?

A: Select a nation to load its numbered PNG from the Insignia folder, or browse for another PNG.

Q: What is the best generation mode?

A: Tile is best for repeating textures, Stretch for a single full-area image, and Fit and Repeat when proportions should be preserved.

Q: Why does my thumbnail fail validation?

A: It may have the wrong pixel dimensions or contain transparency.

Q: Will closing Paint Unit warn me about unsaved work?

A: Yes, when the current painted result has unsaved changes.

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64. QUICK-START CHECKLISTS

PAINT A UNIT

[ ] Open Paint Unit.
[ ] Load a ground-unit PNG.
[ ] Confirm the matching _Mask PNG is beside it.
[ ] Select a skin.
[ ] Adjust scale and offsets.
[ ] Adjust colours and image settings.
[ ] Inspect transparency.
[ ] Save the painted unit.

CREATE A SKIN FROM A PICTURE

[ ] Load a PNG, JPG, JPEG, or BMP.
[ ] Select a clean crop.
[ ] Inspect magnified and tiled previews.
[ ] Adjust the picture.
[ ] Choose Tile, Stretch, or Fit and Repeat.
[ ] Inspect the live skin-layout preview.
[ ] Generate the skin.
[ ] Generate the thumbnail.
[ ] Enter a valid custom filename.
[ ] Save under Documents.
[ ] Test with Use This Skin Now.

CREATE A SKIN FROM A THUMBNAIL

[ ] Confirm 74 x 54 or 74 x 48 pixels.
[ ] Confirm full opacity.
[ ] Load the thumbnail.
[ ] Generate the 296 x 296 skin.
[ ] Save with a descriptive name.

CREATE A THUMBNAIL FROM A SKIN

[ ] Confirm the skin is 296 x 296 pixels.
[ ] Load the skin.
[ ] Generate the thumbnail.
[ ] Confirm it is fully opaque.
[ ] Save it with the matching _Thumb name.

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65. FINAL NOTES

The Unit Paint Studio is designed to make Panzer Corps unit recolouring accessible without requiring a separate graphics program for ordinary skin application and conversion work.

The quality of the final painted icon depends on:

- the original unit artwork;
- the accuracy of the matching mask;
- the quality of the selected skin;
- suitable scale and offset settings;
- careful brightness and contrast adjustment;
- correct file dimensions and naming.

For the current release candidate:

- Create Skin from Picture is accepted as working as intended;
- Paint Unit is intended for ground units;
- insignia replacement is enabled for masks with blue insignia regions;
- aircraft support is planned for a later build;
- user-generated files should be stored under Documents rather than the installed program directory.

End of Unit Paint Studio User Manual
Manual Version 1.0


V1.9.7.18 INSIGNIA REPLACEMENT
Replace insignia is enabled. Select a nation to load Insignia\<nation ID + 1>.png automatically, or use Browse insignia to choose another PNG. The mask must contain a separate blue insignia area (RGB 72,0,255) for each of the four icon views and should mark the original insignia pixels with RGB 33,0,127.

CREATING A CUSTOM INSIGNIA

Create the insignia in an external image-editing program as a 128 × 128 pixel PNG with a fully transparent background. The visible symbol should occupy approximately 96 × 96 pixels, be centered on the canvas, and leave a small transparent margin around it.
