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 Post subject: Text and Gradient Painting along a Path
PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 1:35 am  (#1) 
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  1. Start with a new blank image and make it large enough for the text you plan plus some extra room. I've cropped the screenshots in here so they are not a good indication of space. Fill the background layer with white.

  2. Make a curved path. :pathtool Click the Paths tab :pathtab in the Layers window. Turn on the eye next to the curved path so that it shows.


    Image

  3. Click the Layers tab :layertab so that you can see the layers again.

  4. Click the Text tool :text and type your text. Move it well below the curved path.


    Image

  5. Click Text along Path in the text dialog. You will see a purple path the shape of the text and curving along your curved path.


    Image

  6. Make a new transparent layer and name it text.

  7. Click the Paths tab again and click the eyes next to the paths so they are off.

  8. In the image window, click Select > From Path. You will see a moving selection around the shape of the text along the path.

    Image

  9. Click the Blend tool :blend and choose the gradient you want to use. Drag the cursor from the left side of the moving selection of the text to the right side of it. If you don't like what you see, try dragging from different directions.

    Image

  10. When you have it colored like you want delete the bottom two layers so all you have left is the text layer.

  11. Click Select > None.

  12. Click the Layers tab. Image > Autocrop. Save your colored text image. I saved mine as a png image so that it has a transparent background.

    Image

Be sure to post back if something's not clear.

Now I'm looking forward to mahvin's method of making a gradient follow along a path. Sounds cool.

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 Post subject: Re: Creating gradient text along a path GIMP version 2.6
PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 2:09 am  (#2) 
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This is for getting a gradient to follow along your text on a path. if your wanting special types of gradients to follow in repeat mode, for a general gradient across your text, you don't need a path to accomplish this, just use the gradient tool:

1. Open your image and determine the path you want the text to take, perhaps text on rolling hills. If working on an existing photograph or current drawing, create a new transparent layer first, before laying out your path.

Image

2. Lay out your text, which will automatically create its own layer (we won't need this layer after we have the text follow a path).

Image

In the text toolbox, select Text Along Path:

Image

The result:

Image

3. Turn on both path layers in your Path Dialogs, but highlight the path layer and NOT the text path layer.

Image

You want to be able to see both paths, but work only with the path line, using the Path tool.

Select the Path tool and move the path line so that it runs centered down text path:

Image

4. Select your Airbrush tool and use the following settings:

Image

Change the spacing of the brush (19) to 1:

Image

Make sure the brush is wider than the text path:

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5. Select (highlight) the text path, and click Path to Selection:

Image

Select (highlight) the Path line layer (remember, your text path is now selected and has marching ants, but now we are going to use the path line to stroke that gradient)

Right click the path line layer and select, "Stroke Path"

Image

Now make the correct selection (earlier you set up your airbrush for this):

Image

Turn off your path layers (click the little eyes) and turn off your selection (Select - None).

View the results:

Image

Stroke the text path with a thin line of black (or any color of your choosing):

Image

This was accomplished by right clicking the text path layer and choosing Stroke Path, only this time instead of stroking with a brush, you stroke with a 2px line:

Image

That's it. You're done! Enjoy...

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 Post subject: Re: Creating gradient text along a path GIMP version 2.6
PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 2:48 am  (#3) 
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That is really very nice, mahvin.

Image

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 Post subject: Re: Creating gradient text along a path GIMP version 2.6
PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 3:13 am  (#4) 
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Thanks O. Sometimes, you never know how involved your steps will get until you sit down to create a tutorial for something. You did a nice job, yourself. :)

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 Post subject: Re: Text and Gradient Painting along a Path
PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 10:20 am  (#5) 
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Thank you.

mahvin wrote:
Sometimes, you never know how involved your steps will get until you sit down to create a tutorial for something.
Oh, do I hear you there. It's hard to write tutorials because I keep wondering if it's going to be clear and understandable and/or if I'm leaving out something that I know but perhaps the other person doesn't. It's hard to stand in another's knowledge shoes.

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 Post subject: Re: Text and Gradient Painting along a Path
PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 10:21 am  (#6) 
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This is nice. It turned into a co-authored tutorial.

I love your new sig, mahvin. A combo of text along a path and the Pseudo 3D text.
Image

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 Post subject: Re: Text and Gradient Painting along a Path
PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 10:22 am  (#7) 
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I love your new sig Mahvin, very nice...

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 Post subject: Re: Text and Gradient Painting along a Path
PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 11:42 am  (#8) 
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my post from 0's tute.......
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 Post subject: Re: Text and Gradient Painting along a Path
PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 11:56 am  (#9) 
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Excellent molly. I love the greeny colors in your gradient; LOOKS like hills and meadows.

Another note here: Patterns and solid colors can be used to color the text path.

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 Post subject: Re: Text and Gradient Painting along a Path
PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 12:41 pm  (#10) 
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Here is mine from Mahvin's tute.
Image
Thank you very much "0" and mav for the great tutes...

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 Post subject: Re: Text and Gradient Painting along a Path
PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 12:49 pm  (#11) 
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Love the arrow and the "gradiented" text, molly. Very nice. :paint :gimp

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 Post subject: Re: Text and Gradient Painting along a Path
PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 2:23 pm  (#12) 
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OH WOW !!!! You people are the very best !! Thank you thank you thank you !! I am going to try these, and hopefully I will prevail ! lol :hehe

I will get back here when I've tried them, and let you all know.....wow, I am hopeful....but, all your tutorials are outstanding !!
:gimp and YOU ALL ROCK TOO !! :)))))

~diane (I'm going to have to make up a signature that's gradient text on a curve!! lol ;) )


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 Post subject: Re: Text and Gradient Painting along a Path
PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 10:22 pm  (#13) 
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Ahhhh.....back again....I managed to accomplish Oregonian's tutorial :)))

sadly, I failed at Mahvin's ....boo....I got stuck at the "stroke path" part...I set up my airbrush just fine, but for some reason, it just would not allow me to color that text with the airbrush.....grrrrr......I will try it again tomorrow....

I downloaded some GIMP themes, dying to try those on my little GIMP page....
I am going to try to do that filmstrip tutorial I saw here too...that was great....hoping I can manage that one.

I think i get stuck with whether to add another layer or what, whether to make it transparent or not, and right clicking the selection in the toolbox....when I try to click on the square red icon in the paths toolbox, nothing happens, nor the icon next to it.....I can only access those commands using the right click on the selection in the paths box.....

I just have to keep trying and practicing (I need a workbook! lol )........thank you so much for your patience and all the wonderful help here....I am grateful.

~diane


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 Post subject: Re: Text and Gradient Painting along a Path
PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 10:26 pm  (#14) 
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P.S.

I was also a wee bit confused when I went to save the piece, saving it as PNG. I got that "need to export" box, and the following was a bit confusing....

Doing a Save as PNG (during the export function)

not sure about compression levels ? or the other things like layer offset, interlacing, .....yikes !
I left it with the default values of "save bkgd. color" "save resolution, creation time, comment, color values from transparent pixels"

thanks :)


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 Post subject: Re: Text and Gradient Painting along a Path
PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 11:38 pm  (#15) 
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You could always just set the text path to a selection and manually airbrush or paintbrush the stroke across the text following the text.

Using path lines just makes it more "accurate". Sorry you couldn't finish it.

Quote:
not sure about compression levels ? or the other things like layer offset, interlacing, .....yikes !
I left it with the default values of "save bkgd. color" "save resolution, creation time, comment, color values from transparent pixels"


The higher the compression, the faster it can be viewed online, but works in reverse being opened. It's a moot point anyway, because most computers are well capable of opening png files relatively quickly.

Interlacing and other information described here: http://www.mywebsite.force9.co.uk/png/

If your png image has an intended transparency, you want to leave the background color option unticked. Otherwise it will be filled with a solid color (usually white).

Save the resolution of the original image - yes.
Creation time is usually saved with the file onto the hard drive, but I think this puts it into the file's information, as well as with any comments you make upon the creation of the image. So yes for those.

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 Post subject: Re: Text and Gradient Painting along a Path
PostPosted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 12:10 pm  (#16) 
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Great job everyone. :) The tutorials were very helpful in learning. Thanks!
Here are mine. :)


Attachments:
File comment: From Mahvin's tut
sunsetwords.png
sunsetwords.png [ 271.58 KiB | Viewed 2551 times ]
File comment: From O's tut
gimp chat.png
gimp chat.png [ 21.05 KiB | Viewed 2551 times ]
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 Post subject: Re: Text and Gradient Painting along a Path
PostPosted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 3:39 pm  (#17) 
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Oh, Liana, those are superb. Excellent work. Keep on gimping. You're gonna go far. :gimp

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 Post subject: Re: Text and Gradient Painting along a Path
PostPosted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 6:03 pm  (#18) 
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Excellence made simple! Very well done!


Attachments:
Gimptastic Also.jpg
Gimptastic Also.jpg [ 212.89 KiB | Viewed 2545 times ]

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 Post subject: Re: Text and Gradient Painting along a Path
PostPosted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 6:09 pm  (#19) 
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Thanks O and photomaster. :tyspin I like that photomaster. :coolthup


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 Post subject: Re: Text and Gradient Painting along a Path
PostPosted: Tue Feb 15, 2011 9:17 pm  (#20) 
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Greg's been playing in the spray paint again. That is great, Greg!

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