Orion Pobursky Wrote:On a side note, is there a free equivilant of Illustrator? I'd like to keep the barriers to parts authoring fairly low and having to buy into Adobe isn't cheap.
Anything that allows output of a bitmap is going to work for texture mapping; but I do recommend a tool chain that supports vector graphics for greatest flexibility and value to the work that's done (it's so much easier to make adjustments later on). I'm sure there are all levels of tools that allow for vector graphics to be created, and a bitmap to be output based on it. The tools that were used to generate the SVG for that work are a good place to look..?
Though, to me, the value of the project lies in the fact that I can turn to my professional artist friends and talk to them in the language they understand, and they can do workflow like they understand, and there's no slowdown to the work, fewer barriers to overcome. This fits in with what Allen said here, basically that texture mapping allows those who aren't part modelers to work in a much different way, but still meaningfully contribute. I guess what I'm saying here is that this wouldn't be a barrier to "parts authoring," but rather texture generation, and that it could just as easily be looked upon as an advantage, rather than a barrier -- that professional and useful tools can be used to make low complication contributions to the cause. Adobe tools aren't cheap (nor is Corel Draw, for that matter), but I own both and do they EVER make this job so much easier and quicker to accomplish than any other existing method for LDRAW patterns!
I suggest thinking more in the mindset of how many artistic types (who are already going to know, understand, and likely own, Adobe tools) you can encourage to the cause because you've brought the mountain to them, than how many parts authors you're going to convince to work on textures using yet another open source application to learn (another mountain to climb).