Themes to suit joined-up text

[Skinnyhouse]

Still working on script and font for joined-up text and feeling that I am getting somewhere at last. Latest font revision has as little overlap as I can manage.
Two images to illustrate the sort of uses that I originally had in mind for the script.


[thumbnail=0]Around the World.jpg[/thumbnail]

[Graechan]

Hoping to see the new version of 'joined-up text' soon

[PhotoMaster]

This would be awesome! I've been using the text circle scripts and had to keep manually adjusting font size, spacing, etc. to try and get the ends to properly meet without overlapping. This will be awesome!!

[Skinnyhouse]

Graechan and Photomaster:

I'm not getting too excited about the successful outcome here - the problem I have is with overlapping regions between letters. If the control points that form the curves/straight lines of adjoining letters are apart then, obviously, you expect a gap to be visible. If the control points overlap then this shows up when creating a path from the text and touching up is required. Also when the control points between adjoining letters are as tight as possible/just touchin/on top of each other (I've tried them all), the outcome is still not quite right. It seems that the font engine needs some overlap in order to display a gapless font on screen which is then, quite logically, faithfully reproduced in the text to path option.

When a line of text is then made to follow a circular path the letters are deformed to fit the path of the circle and the paths of individual letters can be forced closer or further apart from their neighbours. Until someone comes up with a script to force the paths of all the letters in a word into one continuous path it appears that we are stuck with touching up the joins - either by editing the paths manually or by editing a selection taken from the text path.

I was just trying to find a way to speed up this touching up process by reducing unwanted gaps/overlaps within a font.

To gap or not to gap that is the question. I'm off for a glass of wine to stop my head from hurting.

[Skinnyhouse]

Almost there. Have decided on best compromise - small as possible overlap. Just need to fine tune one or two letter glyphs.

Ocean Waves.jpg (705.59 KiB) Viewed 20593 times

[sallyanne]

Waiting with baited breath for the script! Looks like you are persevering and getting there.

[Issabella]

Thank you so much for your effort. I agree with Sallyanne and I'm sure you are going to get it.

[PhotoMaster]

Your demo images are excellent! I am so looking forward to this script!!

[RJKD]

Your efforts will be so rewarding Skinnyhouse, well done you

[Skinnyhouse]

I have finished (hopefully) the new version of the Joined-up script and accompanying font and uploaded it to Gimp Scripts and Plugins. Follow this link:

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=15272

The basic stages involved in making circular text are (other ways always exist in Gimp):

Type some text at 140 size (probably between 40 and 60 characters to go around a 1500 x 1500 circle) into the Joined-up Text Filter.

Create a circle selection and then use this to make a path.

Add the text to the path to create a new text path.

Make a selection from this new text path.

Add a new layer and fill the selection with colour.

Dismiss the selection and hide the path to see your new text.

I have uploaded some pdf help sheets to try and guide people through the steps involved in placing text around a circle. There is no actual finished image involved but you should be able to use these skills in your own creations. It is probably not a suitable task for a Gimp novice.

JoiningToCircleHelp.zip

(598.29 KiB) Downloaded 601 times

The lyrics to 'The Windmills of your Mind' - the title song from the 1968 film 'The Thomas Crown Affair' - has a lot of inspirational ideas for circular themes.

Circles of your Mind.jpg (799.8 KiB) Viewed 20487 times

[PhotoMaster]

This is one of my first attempts. I love the way it works and will have to try it more seriously.
(The image is a VERY old one of me with a few of my antique cameras)

CircleText Experiment4.png (4.25 MiB) Viewed 2916 times

[oldmangrumpy]

Skinnyhouse - terrific and will prove very useful.

[Skinnyhouse]

OMG and PM:
Wow guys... you're so much quicker than me... takes me ages to be creative... such great images. What a cool collection PM!

[RJKD]

Great script thank you Skinnyhouse

[Skinnyhouse]

RJKD:
Great one - this could be the future - Never mind bitcoins on the tinty - let's incorporate these into the site as payment for favours done - the first gimpcoins!

[Skinnyhouse]

Spiral form seems to fit well too...

WheelsInWheel.jpg (1010.49 KiB) Viewed 2868 times

[Pat625]

Wow! That is all I can say right now. Superb!!!! I must study your instructions before I try as I confused early on. Your really did a wonderful job on this one!

[Skinnyhouse]

Thank you Pat. I will take that as a huge compliment since you are always so very creative in your postings.

If you haven't used the Text to Path option before it really is quite straight-forward. I think the thing that catches most people out (certainly still does me at times) is to remember to add a new layer to stroke the path (or fill a selection of the path) into. If you forget this will be directed to the text layer that you used earlier, as it will still be the active layer, and nothing will appear to happen.

Best of luck.

[Skinnyhouse]

TimeOut.jpg (1.14 MiB) Viewed 2793 times

Working on an italic joined-up font - almost there - but seems to be working quite well.

[RJKD]

Great work skinnyhouse, your a good man