GIMP Version: 2.10.6
Operating System: Windows
GIMP Experience: New User

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Wow - I'm ready to cry after four evenings trying to figure out what is happening. I'm following all the tutorials I can find to make a chrome font. However, most are for previous versions, where process titles have been changed (ie; "blend" to 'gradient"), tools have been moved and what would seem like pretty straight forward processes are not yielding results.

For instance - once I hit "Alpha to Selection" on one layer and apply a gradient color to that layer, then hit "Select - None, the Alpha goes away. Great! But when I create a duplicate layer to work on the font of the new later with different colors and apply the "Alpha to Selection" tool, it erases the work I did on the first layer, OR, won't let me save the colors I manage to get on the second layer.

Is this typical? Am I missing a basic step?

Please help !!!!

thanks,

Stuart

Should only occur to the layer you have selected.
Make sure when you are working with multiple layers that you have the right one selected.

I dont know what is going on, because deselecting does not delete the alpha channel.
It sounds like you have a misconception of what is alpha and what is a selection from alpha.
So just to be clear: alpha = transparency.
Without an alpha channel you can not have transparency.

Are you sure you didnt remove the alpha channel instead of deselecting ? Because thats what it sounds like.

'Alpha to selection' is a common method to get a selection from objects (like text) on a transparent layer but this selection is not 100% accurate.
You can work with it, but a better way is to right click on the text layer before you applied 'layer to image size' and choose 'text to path'.
This will create a path in the paths tab, from where you can call up a selection anytime you'll need it.

Using a path is also the best method to later apply a stroke to your text.

I GOT IT !!!

Turns out I need to hit "enter" before hitting "select none" on each layer. Thanks anyways guys! I knew if I asked I'd suddenly find the answer! Sounds stupid that I didn't think of that, but, well, ... I'm not the sharpest tack in the drawer.

Alpha-to-selection is 100% accurate (selection is also transparency, when you think about it). Try this:

- create text
- alpha to selection
- add transparent layer
- bucket fill selection with same color as text layer
- top layer to "Difference" mode
- Layer>New from visible.

Check the histogram, all pixels are RGB(0,0,0), so there is no difference between the two layers.

Even if working with paths is a good idea when using text, paths aren't the only way to save a selection, you can use Select>Save to channel to save the selection as a channel and then restore it at will (it appears in the Channels list).

Yes, you are right. I was confusing this with selection to path.

Saving a selection in a channel is very convenient when working with layermasks, but if you want to add a stroke to your text you will need a path anyway. So i will stick with text to path before i apply layer to imagesize to my textlayer.