Simple quick tutorial to create imprint/press icon.
It utilizes only the Layerfx.py plug-in. Basic knowledge of Gimp and its tools required.

The result should look something like the button below, naturally you can use different colour for the gradient on the icon button
and any silhouette, initial etc.

The zip attachment includes the tutorial in .odt and .pdf format, and the icon sample in .xcf.
Made with Gimp 2.8 because 15 year-old HP workhorse finally bit the dust and I had Mint with 2.8 on another machine.

This is a good tutorial. I feel the lighting of the icon is opposite to the lighting on the imprint.
For me that makes it hard to guess if the imprint is lower or higher than than the icon surface.

Thank you Tas_mania. Hmm, I think you're right, the ghost might be little too dark. You can hide the layer or use lower opacity 15-20%.
There was a request in another thread, I tried to make something similar to the icon pack icon in the deviantart link image.

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=17716

Thank you so much for your tutorial. I'll do it.

A very nice great tutorial. Easy to follow and I-ve enjoyed it a lot. Thank you so much, Nidhogg.
Here my result.

Glad you enjoyed trying it out Issabella, thank you for the compliments.
Your result came out perfect. It's a bucket? Or a cupcake yummmmm!

Happy for your appreciation o my result. It's a bucket
Thanks again.

Lots of people have had a go at the 'imprinted' effect with Gimp over the years.
The effect maybe an optical illusion but it seems harder to do than a 'raised' or 'embossed'effect





The imprint effect is also called 'debossed' or 'engraved'. Maybe somebody out there knows how to do it well?
I used this method

One of my 'disagreements' with using pre-made scripts. Useful for many things but get to know the built-in Gimp tools first.
Might not be as good-as but it will be your own work

Suggestion.

1. The background can be a rectangular selection with rounded corners. Select -> Rounded Rectangle Fill with color / pattern / gradient (whatever you want) and apply Filters -> Decor -> Apply Bevel https://i.imgur.com/LlCuPyJ.jpg

2. Now you can add the image, and this can be color or desaturated. Whichever type duplicate and if necessary desaturate and give it a small blur Filters -> Blur -> Gaussian Blur That is the bump map. https://i.imgur.com/Dlyl3yG.jpg

3. Back to the original image layer, Apply Filters -> Map -> Bump Map using the blurred layer (now with visibility off) as the Aux Input. Play around with the parameters. https://i.imgur.com/8Xhc1Wd.jpg

4. A small point but consider direction of light. If necessary flip that beveled rectangle. https://i.imgur.com/yUdFs24.jpg

5. Need it all one colour. Layer -> New from Visible. Apply Colors -> Colorize to that layer. (plenty other ways as well) https://i.imgur.com/nojGXAx.jpg

Easy, but bump-mapping is used in so many processes, when you have a spare 5 minutes, practice using it.

Depends on material and tool that is used to create the imprint.
If you for example used old traditional engraving machine or computer-guided engraver with a blade, the tip thickness and shape (angle) of the blade makes the difference how the edge turns out. Mostly you will be using flat-tipped blade (thin plastic or metal name signs) which means the edge is straight 90 degree angle. If you're engraving a motif for some other material, like rubber you have to use angle. The facet anyway will be totally sharp on plastic and metal, without softness or roundness like in the tutorial. But I wasn't trying it to make look like that. I was just looking at the deviantart button image to get a similar look fast, and wasn't thinking if it was plastic button and what would have been the tool.
Using laser engraver at work, they are bit different.

Will make another tut asap.

Nidhogg - I'm glad you did the tutorial because it reminded me I don't know how to get the effect.
I think laser engraving and vinyl cutting uses 'vector graphics'. It's different from normal printing which essentially places blobs of ink onto a surface.

Rod did a tutorial here on GC that used the bump map method.
I couldn't quite follow it

Thanks rich2005 for your instructions. I think it would be good to have a Gimp script that did a vector imprinting effect. I've used the effect by using a Gimp logo and deleting most of the layers except shading. (only works with text and I've forgotten which logo)

Yes that's how it's done. You export the vector graphics (and cutting lines if you want to cut) to the engraver machine and let it do its job. I meant how the engraving result looks, it depends so much on the material you engrave.

I went through the rod tutorial, you can do it with 2.10 but you can't follow the tutorial meticulously. You have to use different figures and settings with the GEGL filters.
Use "layer to image size" on the plate layer and the text layer before applying bump map, and you don't need to play with offset.

I like to make the text just a bit darker than the plate surface, used the black text layer at 10% opacity.



Darken only opacity 40%.

When you say, add your motif in your instructions in step 3, I think you should have explained how you got to that point instead of just jumping to open it and saying add it as a new layer. To me, that is what is missing in this tutorial.

Okay. I thought it was the simplest thing, that's why I only mentioned it needs to be any black transparent silhouette image.
Anything you want to make or use like:

https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiedosto: ... ouette.png

Or just type a letter, use dingbat font etc.

Oh, okay. I think I get it now. I will try the tutorial later.