ANALOG CLOCK
a GIMP tutorial by dietmar
Please notice:
I also recommend activating "View -> Snap to grid" for better selection
management.
I used GIMP 2.8.14 on Win7 64Bit for this, so I am not sure whether it will
work on older versions of GIMP.
And remember: Save often, perhaps with different filenames for the different
steps, to make reproducing or changing afterwards easier!
Here we go...
* Create a new image, 500x500px, with a white background.
* New layer "shape".
* Create a circle selection and fill it with grey (#777777) -> to shape
"shape".
* Create a inner circle selection to create a border -> to shape "inner
ring". Hit "Del" to create a hoop.
* Script-Fu: Apply standard drop shadow.
* Select "shape" layer again.
* Script-Fu: Apply outer glow, color black (#000000), opacity 50%, spread 0,
size 5.
* Select "shape" layer again.
* Script-Fu: Apply bevel and emboss, inner bevel, up.
* This is what it could look like:
* Make selection from "shape" path.
* Select -> Shrink, 4px, to shape "border".
* Make selection from "shape" path, subtract path "hightlight" from
selection.
* Drag a vertical gradient FG (white, #ffffff) to transparent from the top of
your ring down below half of the ring.
* Select -> None.
* This is what it could look like:
* New layer "clock". I place it between shape-dropshadow and shape-outerglow
layer.
* Path "inner ring" to selection.
* Fill with blue (#0088aa).
* Script-Fu: Apply inner shadow, mode multiply, opacity 50%, size 40,
distance 20.
* This is what it could look like:
* New layer "date". I place it between clock and clock-innershadow layer.
* Draw a vertical centered rectangle with FG white (#ffffff) in the left of
your clock. Remember to leave space on the left for the 9 o'clock marker
(later). This will be the basis of the date display.
* Select -> To Path "date".
* Script-Fu: Apply inner shadow, black (#000000), size mode multiply, opacity
50%, size 8, distance 8.
* Select "date" layer again.
* Stroke selection with FG white (#ffffff), 4px.
* Write your date into the date field. I used Arial, 50, color dark grey
(#2f2f2f).
* This is what it could look like:
* New layer "center" above the text layer.
* Create a small circle in the center (this will be the knob for the clock
hands) and fill it with dark grey (#2f2f2f).
* Script-Fu: Apply small drop shadow (with "layer knocks out drop shadow").
* Select "center" layer again.
* Script-Fu: Apply bevel and emboss, inner bevel, up, size about 10.
* Select "date" layer again.
* Stroke selection with FG dark grey (#2f2f2f), 4px.
* This is what it could look like:
* New layer "minute" below the "center-dropshadow" layer.
* Draw a rectangular vertical selection (to represent the minute hand
pointing to 12 o'clock) and fill with dark grey (#2f2f2f).
* Use the free select tool to select and cut out (hit "Del") so that you get
a sharp point on top. You may increase the zoom view to do this.
* Rotate layer freely (I used 45 degrees).
* Script-Fu: Apply small drop shadow (like above).
* Select "minute" layer again.
* Script-Fu: Apply bevel and emboss, inner bevel, up, like above.
* Move the "center" layer on top of all minute* layers.
* This is what it could look like:
* New layer "hour" below the "center" layer.
* Draw a rectangular vertical selection (to represent the hour hand
pointing to 6 o'clock) and fill with dark grey (#2f2f2f).
* Use the free select tool to select and cut out (hit "Del") so that you get
a sharp point on top. You may increase the zoom view to do this.
* Rotate layer freely (I used 15 degrees).
* Script-Fu: Apply small drop shadow (like above).
* Select "hour" layer again.
* Script-Fu: Apply bevel and emboss, inner bevel, up, like above. (Hint: If
the effects look other than on the minute hand, undo all actions until
before the layer rotate, then rotate the same amount as the hour layer,
re-apply drop shadow and inner bevel, merge all hour* layers into one
single layer and then move it into position.)
* BTW: You can merge down some other layer effects down to their layers, e.g.
on the minute layer, center layer and shape layer (except the
"shape-dropshadow" which should stay on bottom!) for clarity.
* This is what it could look like:
* New layer "marks" above the "clock" layer.
* Draw a rectangular vertical selection (to represent the 12 o'clock mark)
and fill with dark grey (#2f2f2f).
* Duplicate layer, rotate 180, merge down.
* Duplicate layer, rotate 90, merge down.
* Duplicate layer, rotate 30.
* Select "marks" layer again.
* Duplicate layer, rotate 60.
* Merge down both copies to "marks" layer.
* Script-Fu: Apply outer glow, color black (#000000), opacity 30%, spread 0,
size 2.
* This is what it could look like:
* New layer "highlight" above the "center" and "date" layer.
* Path "inner ring" to selection.
* Select -> Shrink, 8px.
* Fill selection with FG white (#ffffff).
* Set opacity to 15%.
* Make a circle selection like this:
* Hit "Del" to delete the selection from the layer.
* Path "date" to selection.
* Select -> Grow, 4px.
* Hit "Del" to delete the selection from the layer.
* This is what it could look like:
DONE!
Congratulations, you have successfully completed the tutorial! Now it would
be a wise decision to save your work under a new name for later changes or
whatever.
If you find any errors or something I could improve, feel free to comment!
dietmar