Yah thanks I knew that but I want to do another one with some texture or something different.

Good idea. Actually I'm the one who needs to learn to keep my layers.

You are doing fine, you are on a roll with all your new animations and stuff.

Wow, the results are amazing and the colours are awesome.

The best way to keep layers, or I find is, when I have got the design I like I'll go edit>copy visible then edit>paste as new layer. this way I still have the layers to play with but also a layer with my original design on it.

Just thought I'd add this photo-manipulation I done using the glossy balls.

I like that. Might have a go at something like that myself.

Nice, and very reminiscent of what we were doing a couple of months ago using POVRay: viewtopic.php?f=22&t=4480

Kevin

Interesting thread and some great looking results.

I'm starting to really like this!

Personally I would not use all those layer masks. Just Give all the layers an alpha channel, Alpha select say the Lighten layer, Select>Invert>Hit Delete for each layer.
Not trying to nitpick.

I would aslo suggest that the Directional light setting be adjusted to match the glow from the Polar Coordinates filter if you are going to use a pattern and then the Map to Object>Sphere step. It really showed up badly in the red one below. Not trying to nitpick.

Great tutorial!

To be honest I've never fully understood the alpha channel or channels dialogoue window.
Not quite sure what you mean in the second part, the map to sphere is just a lazy way to get shadow on the ball.
If I where to use a pattern via the map object filter, I would turn off the light. also just as a quick note when mapping a pattern via the map object filter, scale the layer width to half of your original size as the sphere filter distorts it and this scaling will help correct that distortion.

Loving the images Drac.

Just reread your post, why all the layer masks, I have found that when I add an alpha channel and delete a selection I always end up with pixelated edges, using the layer masks gives a smoother edge. hope that explains my thinking.

I understand now why you chose to use the masks now and thank you for the comments on my patterns. Just following your lead. When I spoke about the alpha channel I wasn't talking about Channels, just keeping the transparency. Using Alpha to Selection. Maybe Selection to Path is a better way to go.

Using paths is an excellent way to avoid the antialiasing effects and is pretty easy to do if you haven't already become well versed in it's use. I have to say I did learn a few things from the tut for which I am grateful. With all my metallic gradients I could spend days and weeks making patterns and become another addict like PC with all his beautiful patterns. Whadda ya bet he weighs in on this thread soon?

Thanks for the tip regarding the distortion using the Map to Sphere. I'll keep that in mind.

Keep 'em coming!

This is why I joined the forums, seeing all the wonderful designs has made me revist my original xcf file to have a play.

I wondered how it would work as a glass ball, so I turned of all the layers except lighten,addition and shadow then copied visable and pasted as new layer, then went Layer>transparency>colour to alpha and set colour to black, it was a little bit light so I duplicated layer and set layer mode to screen. Then added a background and reflection.

That is so funny because I did the same thing fooling around with it before I posted my patterns. To me it looks more like a bubble than a glass ball. You would need some refracted glow on the surface to the bottom and right of the globe to really make it look like a hollow glass ball. Also just a hint of white opaqueness to give it more substance and perhaps some distortion of the suface behind the area where the ball is. If it were solid, things would be inverted or mirrored as someone pointed out to me previously.

I tried my hand at that a while back and just can't remember where the thread is.

Thanks for the comments Drac, really do need to try and understand light and shadow better.

so did mine turn out ok?...i am not sure mine looks as good as the others..

i changed mine to make it my own...i think it turned out ok.....

I love it rdgracer71 good job

rdgracer71

Loving both, really like the rings.

Wow rdgracer71, beautiful job!

Finally got this done! I thought I was messing up, but it all worked perfectly in the end! This was a very easy to follow tutorial the way it was written and with the screen shots.