Anyway, here’s how I tackle a car, from start to finish. First, I want to give you the general idea, that way when you look at ALL the steps (which are listed below) it won't blow you away so much.

1. Paint the underscheme and check it in the game.
2. Paint the logos/sponsors and check it in the game if necessary.
3. Paint the numbers and check it in the game if necessary.
4. Using decals and a little font work, put on the finishing touches (headlights, door decals, etc.) and check them in the game.
5. In Nascar3, make any slight changes or adjustments that may be needed; Paint underbody and firesuits.
6. Export car and save it in the game

That’s it in a nutshell. That’s really all there is to it. Because I swap back and forth between Paint Shop Pro and the game so much, I have to repeat the palette loading and resizing several times, and that’s where a lot of the steps you'll see below come from. Now that you get the gist of my approach, let's take a deep breath and check out each step, which is laid out right here:

• Load the .PCX file I want to work on
• Resize it by 200%
• Increase the colors to 16 million
• Create the underscheme
• Create at least 10 new layers
• I use as many layers as needed to develop my base paint scheme. Sometimes I use all 10, sometimes I only need 2 or 3.
• Once the underscheme is done, I want to check it in the game to make sure everything lines up right and looks good.
• Save a backup copy in .PSP format.
• Merge All (flatten) the Layers.
• I resize the car, load the palette, and copy and paste the car area onto the original PCX file
• Now I import into the game, and do any editing that’s needed. I DON’T close Nascar3. I can swap back and forth using ALT-TAB. If you can do that, Keep N3 open, it’ll save you from having to load it up each time you want to go back into the game to check or edit something.
• Once it’s how I like it, I export the file, swap back to PSP, and open it up again.
• Now I resize by 200% and increase the colors again.

• Work on the sponsors/logos
• I again create at least 10 new layers. I like to have plenty to work with.
• By now, I’ve already hunted around for, or created, a logo or logos for my car.
• I do whatever editing is necessary to get the logos on the hood, ¼-panels, rear panel, and rear decklid.
• Save another backup copy in .PSP format. (same name as the first backup copy, but with a ‘2’ after it.)
• Merge All (flatten) the Layers.
• Now I resize by 50%, and load the palette. I don’t usually need to go into the game for this, but sometimes I do (I’ll save you from reading all those steps again <G>). I save the file if I like how it looks (remember, you always have to cut out the car area EVERY time you save.)

• Work on the numbers
• Create at least 10 layers
• Construct my numbers in the 6 or 7 top layers. Merge as necessary, then place them on the various spots on the car (each door, roof, corner of back panel, etc.) in the 2 or 3 layers above the background layer.
• Save a backup copy in .PSP format (this time with a 3 after it.)
• Merge All (flatten) the Layers.
• Prepare the car for import and import if necessary, but I usually don’t need to. I do resize and load the palette here just to make sure everything will turn out OK. >). I save the file if I like how it looks

• Add the extras
• Create 3 or 4 layers.
• Place the following ‘extras’:
• Headlights (Decals)
• Goodyear logos over front wheel wells (Decal that I can adjust the color on, if needed)
• Front brake ducting (openings across front bumper, have decals)
• Car make on the front bumper (no decals, just use a font that looks right)
• Add small door and front bumper decals (decals)
• Any other associate sponsor decals (behind doors, C-support, sides of rear bumper, etc., usually snake them off an image of the real car.)
• Darken a section in the lower center of the rear bumper for the license plate indentation
• Place ‘PONTIAC’, Ford blue oval, or Chevy Bowtie above front air intake, and inside rear license plate area.
• Place driver’s name above the window opening
• Add running boards along bottom of the car sides, and sometimes along front bumper. (decals, with exhaust pipes only on the rear portion of the left side)
• Any other small detail that may need to be added.

• Now I save a .PSP backup
• Merge All (flatten) the Layers.
• Resize by 50%, load the palette, and cut and copy car to the original file.
• Swap back to N3, and make any changes necessary.
• Paint the Underbody and Firesuits (in the suit shop)
• Export the car.
• SAVE the car in Nascar3.

Wow. And you thought I was kidding all those times I said my process was complicated. <G>

I know it seems daunting, lookin’ at all those steps. However, having read the two tutorials previous to this one, you should understand the reason why all the resizing, palette loading, and cutting and pasting are necessary. I wish there was a better way to get around it, but there really isn’t. You can complain and whine and cry about having to do all that each time you want to edit the car in the game. That would be one approach; one that won’t get you anywhere. You can also get over it and realize that those few steps open up so many options and capabilities that you’ll NEVER get in the Nascar3 Paint Shop.

I timed myself just now, and it takes me 7 seconds to load a .PCX, resize it, and up the colors to 16 million. It took me 25 seconds to drop it back down to half the size, load the palette, cut out the car and paste it on the old one, then save it out. I think I can even do it faster than that (and often do. It’s usually automatic, and I was thinking about it while I was timing myself <G>). That’s a whopping 32 additional seconds each time you want to check something in the game. It’s more than worth it considering all the avenues and abilities that Paint Shop Pro offers car painters. ;)