Hi

I wanted to create this type of lettering in Gimp, partcularly the 'A' and 'U' with that nice warm glow beneath. I figured I would have to use a brush to draw lines in the shape of each letter, give them a hot glow, then repeat. But I wanted to check before I start if there is a simpler method or if a script exists that does something similar.

Thanks

Sort of... it involves a path script found here: http://registry.gimp.org/node/22016

Then requires a little bit of tinkering.

The steps would involve saving the text to a path (or use the path tool to write the text), then call the script, and set your spacing and angles (I ran 3 copies of one path in both positive and negative angles of 4 degrees. Then you can individually add stroke color or brush emulation to each path copy for effect.



You don't have to use large angles or even large spaces between each path, experiment to see how it works for you.

Here's a quick attempt using G'MIC's B/W Sketch with some selective deleting and German Flag Smooth Gradient mapping (and some Hue/Sat adjustment for more yellow). It can be made better.

I tried your method, Lyle, and the results are pixelated to a point it loses its definition (particularly for a sparkle glow effect). It's a big reason why I didn't offer it as a suggestion, initially. I did try it, it just didn't have any definition. Perhaps if David were able to either allow results to save to paths, then we're in the money on this particular effect.

There is some hope with taking text converted to paths, duplicating the letters and manually arranging the word in different maps of light (gradients, perhaps). It's tedious, though. This is an example of just using text as paths (I didn't work on the individual letters as I suggested, but it would probably have a better effect).



Or set it on fire:



Interesting enough, I decided to take that last result and toss it into some of PC's presets and got this weird sinewy, fleshy looking text. (Totally off-topic of what you're after but it was an interesting result, I thought I would share it.)

[quote="mahvin"]There is some hope with taking text converted to paths, duplicating the letters and manually arranging the word in different maps of light (gradients, perhaps). It's tedious, though. This is an example of just using text as paths (I didn't work on the individual letters as I suggested, but it would probably have a better effect).



I like this one. I might use a less formal font though.
I hate to ask a really basic question, but once I select Path from Text, what did you do next? I've never used this before.

Thx everyone for their input.

Well, I tried various methods with the paths.

1. I created one word in text "AUSTRALIA", then duplicated it 4 or 5 times, and then I moved each text layer and changed each layer's color, then I applied text to path on each layer.
2. Same as above only instead of changing each text layer's color, I saved each layer to path then set my brush detail up to use a gradient with incandescent and an orange-yellow gradient with 75 to 100 px length and triangular wave repeat. Using a fuzzy brush slightly wider than my font lines. I then stroked those paths using brush emulation. It turned out an interesting effect.
3. I did the same as #2, only instead of using path stroke, I made all the text color layers white, then combined the layers over a black layer and flattened. Then slightly blurred the result about 5px, and ran color combine setting for Bernhard's fire. Lyle mentions using gradient maps, which also works.

The thing is, getting the lines like you want them and choosing the right colors to mimic sparkle light. Using text layer paths is by far the easiest method, just requires some tinkering.

I actually created three layers of the same text - colored them yellow/orange/brighter orange
new from visible
select the new from visible layer and run G'MIC


my results


came pretty close. =)
playing with the thinness of the text might bring better results though.

Still think this simple technique has possibilities Mahvin. For a lazy filter guy like me, it's what I would do. May not be perfect, buy you really don't want rigidity anyway based on what the result this guy shown in the first place (and the one I just did here is still a little too rigid).

AeonTown:

I tried to follow the traditional method for creating glows in the following example. It's the closest I could get using a standard thin font in my collection (BernhardEFFashion). There may be other thin fonts out there that come closer, I didn't check.

The top portion of the image is strictly text layers (no paths). I created 5 text layers for each color glow (5 sets: white, light yellow, yellow, light orange, and pink-ish). It's actually a very quick process. Duplicate the process for each color:

1. Create one text layer using white font.
2. Duplicate the text layer 4 times.
3. Starting with the bottom-most layer, apply a Gaussian blur of 30px.
4. Move up to the next layer, apply g. blur of 15.
5. The next layer up, apply g. blur of 7.
6. Fourth layer, apply g. blur of 3px.
7. Leave top-most layer as is.

With those 5 layers visible only, merge them. Start a new set with a different color and apply the same process as above.

The bottom portion of the image you see those 5 sets merged down onto a black background and an incandescent gradient mapped onto the text (Colors - Map - Gradient Map) make sure the incandescent gradient is selected in your gradient dialog before running map.

I am including the xcf so you can check it out for yourself.

You guys are all so helpful. Thx so much. I'm gonna try all these methods tonight.

Here's the same result just using a different background:

That is beautiful, su-eet Mav It has a real softness to it.

Excellent technique!

One could run "Filters->Distorts->Iwarp" on each of the resulting layers to produce a random result somewhat similar to that in the original, real-world photo.

saulgoode - You beat me!

Started with an edge detect of a handwritten font to get double letters, then used the iwarp to do this - three layers and the blurred german flag gradient map:


I just blended in an old stock photo of people on a beach darkened to look like night, and mirrored to fill out the width.


And one more without the folks:


-Rob A>

I like your result, Rob. But which edge detect options did you use?

http://gimp.pixtuts.com/gimp-tutorials/ ... ext-effect

THis tutorial might help give some ideas on how to create that look ( without the motion blur part, it looks a lot like your example)

Thanks for the link 2-ton.

2-ton's link reminded me about Filter Factory's Flutewaves preset and used it for this result.

Easy, Simple, and Cool!