very nice job 2-ton. You can almost see through it.

Lovely work 2-Ton. It was a very easy tutorial and well written.

Nice work 2-ton.

for those still playing with the tutorial can I just add that the layers Lighten, Addition and shadow can all have the opacity sliders adjusted so you can change the amount of gloss anf shadow on the ball.

Had to try another one.

That is very cool with the two colors. Is that a gradient?

hee hee, just swirl the colors, O, and it's a bowling ball or marble. I should try to make a reflection, I've actually forgotten how...eek. I first learned to do reflections using a gradient color to transparent, but I think there is a layer mask way that is better.

Yes, it's a radial gradient.

thanks for sharing the tutorial, he4rty! i agree with what everyone says, it was well written and easy to follow - even a half-idiot like me could do it, hehe

my ball looks a little like a bowling ball, but i was trying to recreate a bead i never bought while we still had a bead store in town and still dream of. if i could figure out how to add a nice semi-transparent effect to this, i'd be close. any tips, people?

I guess a person can get carried away with this. Just too many colors and textures to try. The blue one didn't take on enough shine. I would like to correct that if anyone has any ideas. (either to make it more transparent or shinier)

Hi Molly,

With regards to the blue ball the only thing I can suggest is I suspect you created it from scratch making all the layers again, therefore I think that when you have added the lens flare it was in the wrong position hence why the ball doesn't look as shiny.

Other than that the colours are really nice.

i have been working on this picture for some time today...i took my time and tried to do my best work...i had to re-do it because i got in a hurry and i stopped myself for the first time ever..lol... and went back and did it right....i think the artist talent i have, helped me with the shadow... i really like the way this picture turned out...i used other things i have learned over the past few months to help me make this picture...but thanks to the person who posted this thread....i always wanted to make a picture like this....let me know what you guys think...i am proud of what i have just made....i know there's room for improvement, but i do believe this is the best work i have done with gimp...well here is my picture...hope you like it....



well i'm gone to start my next picture ...but first, i am so hungry,,gotta get a snack first...

rdgracer71,

Wow, that is really good, like the shadow and the reflection both really well done.

thanks...hey can you tell me of a good snow globe Tutorial...could i just use this one and make a good snow globe effect with it....if anyone knows how to do this i hope you respond soon ....lol..i got a friend who wants me to do a snow globe for them....i will check back in a few...

thought id give this a try

very good tutorial !

i had a problem with step 2 - that didnt work at first, because the white layer had no alpha channel

I know there are snow globe tutorials out there somewhere, because I saw one years ago. It had animation added so it was snowing inside the globe

i re did the Glossy Ball Tutorial and changed a few things and here is what i came up with...this is a work in progress for me. just wanted to share...my first attempt at a snow globe....

You're doing some fantastic stuff there rdgracer71. I like your pool ball too Esper.

thanks .....i just tried a animation of my snow globe..it didn't work. so back to the drawing board on that one....

Apart from the background layer, all new layers have an alpha channel by default. Did you accidently remove it?

Very nice job, rdgracer71, here it is with snow.
To make this, use your scissor tool to make a selection around the globe, then run Fence Posts animated snow. The settings I used are below.