I admit it's not a complete tut, but it will help. Check this thread for more info mainly from others too.



OK PM; a partial tut (partly because I'm lazy, but also because it is really still time consuming). The asy part is the frame work.

Things needed:

Voronoi Path: http://registry.gimp.org/node/20041

Shape Paths: http://registry.gimp.org/node/59
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First make a simple (but centered) Flower Spike (don't stroke yet; using this one to make the framework).



Now rightclick on the path (inside paths dialogue) and run paths to Voronoi and stroke for the frame.



Now you need to run Flower Spike again (on new transparent layer), but you will need to rotate to align to the Frame (only need to do one time; elaborate later). Stroke this time.



Now, run Inverse Polar.



Now duplicate the result but don't go all the way to the top.



Now scale each result (time consuming; I did this by eye. Any Script-fu writers can help me out here; lol)



Merge your result (but not the framework) and run Polar on it. Might have to do Layer to Image Size.



Now add the inner loops using Flowerspike again (not doing or showing)

Also, should have lightened the outer loops more (did so on the one posted). I also did some additional things to make the result more threadlike (fill layer with noise set to color and also had a rough texture that I blended with the inverted (didn't do this step; black background and white threads) to make it look real. I also ran AAA Good Vibrations filter to warp it a little on my last version (tricks of the trade). Hope you like the semi (lazy man's) tut.

Thank you, Lyle. That looks complicated but well worth the effort.

Maybe you all would be interested in how to make water droplets on the web too. See my reply to Tyeise's challenge to me.

Wouldn't it be easier to just run your inverse polars (systematically make the next layer wider) then run the flower spike and voronoi, and just move the path novas to suit the inverses? If you're using the same flower spike, just increase it's path size each time. I'm going to try it and see...

Thanks for sharing, Lyle.

Update:

My suggestion wasn't any faster, about the same.

I'm a filter guy Mahvin. I deviate when I have too. lol

@Lyle: Everyone has their own way of doing things, and that's cool with me, because we learn more that way.

I don't see an Inverse Polar anywhere (must be something else I missed?) but I did inverse the Polar coordinates and got the same effect.

I also used your first few steps (very brilliant, btw) adding flower spike then using Voronoi to get the main web strands. But I went a different path after creating the 2nd flower spike. I curved the lines inward on the flower spike, then duplicated the path, scaled, repeat. After lining up the first flower spike, its pretty much in line with the outer strands from that point on.

I thought of you the entire time I worked on this, and decided to honor your contribution in helping us with spider webs... If I spoke French, I'd give it a cool French title, like "Le Lyle de Feast la Spider"

Google translate: Notre Lyle, fête de l'Araignée

lol; now that's cool Mahvin. Like your result too. Will try to dicipher what you did after I eat my steak (just got back from a concert that the band I belong to had; hungry I am).

edit:

OK; see what you are doing. Not sure how you scale a path, but do understand the curve bending (lots of work; lol). I do like the result though by the way; much more even the the scale technique that I did.

I need to figure what you did when I am more awake. That is sweet! Here's mine. (not nearly as nice)

@Lyle: I only curved one flower spike path, duplicated that path 3 or 4 times, scaled each flower spike path (just set mode to path on scale tool properties) larger than the first. No further bending necessary. Ratio remains the same throughout, so they always line up with the nova strands.

@PM: I assumed you were talking to Lyle and not me.

Sorry Mahvin; don't see scale path as an option in my Windows version of GIMP.

edit; found it. Never even noticed the paths option in the scales dialogue before. Learn something new every day. lol

Inverse polar? Is that a separate filter?

No; clicking the box gives you the inverse polar so you did it right Mahvin.