I love all the new plug ins, and scripts that come out. Always fun to give them a go. Sometimes I just want to get back to the basics though, so I don't forget how to do stuff "by hand". Instead of running one script to do all, nice to do the layers from scratch, so to speak. Still using scripts, just not one to do all. Here's a few examples. Made the chrome from gradients and curves, bump mapping, etc. I did get some aliasing, but didn't turn out too bad. Hard to see the bling against a white background, but it's there:







I attached the .xcf, if anyone wants to give it a look.

Added another with a BG, see the bling a bit better:

Beautiful work. If I was doing any serious work with text, I would use scripts and filters only as stepping stones who's results then need to be played with creatively. I would hope in the end that my product doesn't look much or anything like the filter's product. Always good to know how to put things together yourself.

This is an area that I am working HARD to improve. I have only used GIMP thus far for simple web graphics, simple fliers ect...nothing flashy. I just learned by playing with it, reading the manual (not as much as I should) and seeing what happens.

Learning to do it by hand is not easy! I applaud those of you who have learned that.

Very good The Warrior.
I don't always have a lot of good experience with tutorials. So to do things yourself is sometimes the best way to go.
I am still finding my way around gimp and am learning more and more all the time. Only the other day I learned to do something to text that I hadn't tried before.

Nice work Warrior. I have to agree about using scripts and plug-ins for quick work, but how can one learn everything about GIMP. When I first started learning GIMP, bump map was my go to script, now I'm forcing myself to learn how to use layer effects.

Like I said, don't get me wrong, I love when a new script/plug-in comes out. And many are very time saving. But I love to learn how to do it from scratch.

I wish I knew everything about GIMP, haha. I haven't even read any of the manual. I need to sit down and read through it though. There's so much to learn.

Your results look good, Warrior.

I tend to agree that a script which produces only one text effect result isn't that useful, unless of course, that is the exact result you're after and you have neither the time or inclination to do the steps one at a time.

I use scripts (and write scripts) to avoid repetitive steps, in addition to producing results that can't really be achieved any other way. Properly written text effect scripts can be use to quickly try out many different variations, whereas if you performed the steps one at a time, it would take forever to try out lot's of different variations . Personally, I have no interest in performing repetitive steps more than once or twice. I prefer to leverage scripts to assist with repetitive tasks and use the time I save to concentrate on more creative things.

If you use LayerFX, Lighting filters, Bump Maps or just about any of GIMP's menu options, you're using scripts and plug-ins. The truth of the matter is, no one actually does anything manually.

Which is why I said in the OP, "Still using scripts, just not one to do all":

Well I don't know about "doing it all". I'm not exactly sure what that means. I want a script that does all it can do, without me having to perform mundane steps over and over to try out different variations. I want to move a slider, change a value and let the script do the repetitive stuff so I don't have to.

Doing it all is just a figure of speech. I started off by saying that I love all the new plug in, scripts, etc, it's just that I like to remember how to do that stuff one by one as well.

I don't know, programming in binary sounds like a challenge!

Sometimes it's the result you're after and sometimes the process of creating it. I used to eye scripts warily when I first started but I've come to love them quite a bit as they afford me new avenues to do things. Gimme more things to tweak and I'll fiddle with it all day.

the warrior: hmm... the actual effects look very nice and i like the added bling. but it's a bit disturbing with the jagged edges. is there any chance of a tweaked version of these, with edges fixed up?

i like using scripts and i like making things from scratch. i often get very creative when i have a new script to play with, i amuse myself with finding unexpected uses for it and come up with really wild ideas and there's usually at least one that's worth remembering. on the other hand, i enjoy making simple things like glows and drop shadows on my own, that makes me feel more like i'm painting or something and less like i'm just producing something. i think if you come into digital image making from drawing, painting, sewing, beading and sculpting metal like i have done, you will usually feel more at home doing things from scratch - it's a bit closer to where you started.

Sorry, didn't mean to disturb you. Many fonts that are curved, or on a slant get aliasing. Fonts that are more square usually work best. But no, not gonna do it again, haha.

That's the best thing about scripts - finding out what they do and finding whacky things to do with them! I'm a big believer in abusing my tools!

What the heck, nothing better to do. Nice, square font this time:

Thank you sir. I love using this program. I really, really need to take the time to read the manual. So much I don't know.