I'm compiling the videos with mencoder as I type this. There are 3:
1. making the metal ball
2. making the necklace
3. making the dogtag

I'll add them to my blog on the same tutorial page, check back in a few minutes.

UPDATE: Ok, that was more than a few minutes, but the videos are now up on the blog. Enjoy!

I don't know what caused that. Here is the image before I put a drop shadow on it and the balls look fine.

very nice Rod... I am waiting too.
What color did you use while making the font? Looks the same color as the gradient.

Here is what happens when I use a gradient versus not using one.
The bevel and emboss looks indented in the bare metal tag, in the gradient one, it looks 3D..... I tried all the modes, didn't make any difference.

The top one indented actually looks more realistic too me Molly.
I think my spheres are too light. =\

I didn't go by the tutorial though, just threw it together with gimp 2.6.11 portable...ARGHHH!
no extra toys (scripts). I wanted to see if i could accomplish the same effects without the bloated Gimp.

Not too shabby. I think ill keep my un-bloated Gimp portable the way it is...toy less LOL!

thanks Rod. Yes the top one looks indented. this is the message I am trying to get across. If I use a gradient, the script doesn't indent. As soon as I add the gradient the txt doesn't indent. strange huh...

My last stab.

Written in stone i like it.
I forgot to answer your text question about text color, i actually used a bump map.

Maybe its my eyes, but in both of your examples, Molly, the indent (at least to me) looks the same. Exactly the same. In fact, PM was commenting before about seeing both inverted and raised text. I have the ability to see it either way. I have no idea why that is (it's been said that people who can view both methods use both sides of their brain - whether it's true or not, no idea) and I can even view animations going counter-clockwise, or clockwise. Perhaps, it's all a bunch of hokey. But it is interesting.

You are correct mahvin... The thing that bugs me is that yours is a real obvious indentation. It looks like a crevice with the text sitting inside. Mine looks raised to me... There are other things that just aren't working either, My pc needs a doctor......

Molly:

You might want to increase the width of the chisel and see if that helps with the indent.

I was going to suggest just that, otherwise it looks highlighted not indented. =)

Ok you guys and "o".......

I started over again. The Chisel script does not work on my pc. It is the same way after I run the script as it is before I run it. I then went to "O's" way. I used the Bevel and Emboss. I increased the depth from 8 to 12 and the size from 8 to 10, dropped the highlight opacity from 75 to 70. I then ran the script. After that I changed the opacity in every layer until it looked near what I want.


BTW, thanx for all the help........

Looks awesome Molly! =)
I love the small edge around the tag, looks real authentic that way.