How to make blueprints / Translated

Simple guide for people who want make blueprints.
It requires minimal skills in photoshop and a little (when you know what to do) time.

Beginning

Original guide (in russian):
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=724345126
Greetings, ladies and gentelmen! I'm glad to see you reading this guide. Here i'll try to explain in detail, how to make blueprint and what you need for it.

Required software:

• Adobe Photoshop
  
• Kerbal Space Program (obviously)
  
• Kronal Vessel Viewer (mod for KSP)

Okay, let's start!

KSP part

Firstly, we need to install Kronal Vessel Viewer mod. The installation is pretty simple. Just download the mod, unzip it and drop to Gamedata folder (in KSP game folder). After the mod has been installed, open Kerbal Space Program.
Start the game and enter VAB. Look at bottom right.












Do you see new “KVV” icon? If the answer is yes, you're doing all correctly. Now load/build any craft. For example, I’ll use standard lander. Open the KVV menu by clicking it icon.


Let's talk about buttons:

• Buttons with arrows and near allow you to move your craft.
  
• Offset View – allows to see your craft in stages.
  
• Revert – as its name suggests, reverts craft from Offset View to normal.
  
• Screenshot – obviously, allows you to make picture of craft.
  
• Orthographic – transfer craft from 3D into 2D.
  
• Shadow slider – allows you to make shadows.
  
• File Quality slider – allows you to change picture resolution.
  
• Color Adjust – allows you to make your craft brighter or darker.
  
• Edge Detect – idk what is this...
  
• Blue Print – background settings. We don’t need it because we’ll cut background later.
  
• FXAA– anti-aliasing settings.
  
• Part Config – allows you to configure parts in Offset View.

Okay! Now you know what all of them do. But how to make blueprints? It's not hard. For a start we need to make several screenshots of the craft. Just follow this steps:

1. Configue Color Adjust or simply turn it off.
   
2. Make 3-4 (or how much you need) screenshots of your craft from different angles.
   
3. Optional: click Offset View, and hallelujah, now you see your craft in stages. If you displeased with parts distance – open Part Config and change it.
   
4. Make screenshots!

Your screenshots will be in KSP folder. After you made as much screenshots as, you need you can go over to the Photoshop part.

Photoshop part

You have a lot (or not) of screenshots, but what to do now? Find empty blueprint background and open it in Adobe Photoshop (I use CC). Also open your screenshots. Let’s start working:

1. Open first screenshot. Take the “Magic Wand” tool and click on the background. You must select it totally (use Shift key to add to the already existing selection), we don't need any part of background. Use zoom (Z) for difficult places.
   
2. Then inverse selection and copy craft to empty blueprint background. With “Free Transform” (CTRL + T) instrument change craft picture to needed size. Place pictures where you want.
   
3. Do it with all screenshots. Optional: you can make stroke in “Blending Options” (right click on a layer).
   
4. Now take the “Line” tool and draw small lines from details.
   
5. After you complete it, take “Type” tool and write whatever you want. Name of craft, names of parts, resources, etc. Open KSP Wiki[wiki.kerbalspaceprogram.com] or KSP if you don’t know parts names.

Finally, you’ll see something like that:












Click File -> Save As… Name the picture and save it in .psd and .png.
Attentively inspect what you made. Congratulations, you did it!

Conclusion

I hope this guide will help you make your first blueprint. If you have any questions, write it in comments. I'll try to help you.

P.S. English is not my main language, so i use Google Translate. If you see any grammar mistake, please tell me.

P.S. 2: I can't give link to Kronal Vessel Viewer because Steam will delete link :(

[Sparky]

I use the same method, but the thing is, the planes are a pain to get right, since you will have to adjust the zoom each time you rotate them. Still happy with the outcomes though.

[CMDR Quillon]

That's the thing though. CKAN has more and more mods every day, with classics such as B9 Aerospace and Discontinued Parts plus it will only let you install the mod you want if it is compatible with your KSP. It also in the 'versions' column tells you the max version said mod is compatible with, telling how far back to take your game.

[qvazzar]

CKAN has many mods that don't support it. And why you say "only compatible"? People don't notice what written in mod topic? I mean, right in the title you can see on which KSP verison this mod will work.

[CMDR Quillon]

Will it? Pity. Tell everyone to get CKAN - it is a mod manager for KSP and will only install compatible mods to your version of KSP. Last thing. Don't use google translate. Use www.translate.com and have a great day!


Best guide I've seen so far lol

[GaryOwens]

Wonderful guide!