Hello Bar

Thursday, July 5, 2007

Creating Text on a Sphere with GIMP

Includes -

Using guides, Text tool, Script-Fu drop shadow, Merging layers, Object mapping


Part 1 - Create a new square image

Choose the color of the sphere as the Background Color

File - New

Set the dimensions to 250 x 250 pixels


Part 2 - The guides

Image - Guides - New Guide (By Percent) ...

Select Horizontal from the drop down

Set Percent at 50%

Use the same procedure to set a Vertical guide at 50%


Part 3 - The text

Choose the color you want for your text as the Foreground Color

Select the Text tool

In the tool settings, select centered alignment

Set the text size about 30 pixels

Click in the image to show the text dialog

Type the text you wish to appear on the image in the dialog box

Select the Move tool

Use the Guides to position your text in the center of the square


Part 3a (Optional) - Add a drop shadow to the text

Script-Fu - Shadow - Drop Shadow

I simply used the default settings


Part 4 - Creating the sphere

In the Layers dialog, right click any layer, select Merge Visible Layers ...

Select Expand As Necessary

You should now have a single layer

Filters - Map- Map Object

Select the Options tab

Select Sphere from the drop down

Check Transparent background

Check Enable antialiasing


Part 5 - Finishing up

Hide the Guides

View - Show Guides (deselect)


You can now easily Copy and Paste into another image

The parameters I used throughout this lesson are a matter of personal preference. Feel free to experiment and have fun.


If you found this lesson useful, a small dontation would be greatly appreciated.





1 comment:

Avinash K J said...

Great Writeup sir.. But Somehow Im not able to see the Pictures in your blog. Can you do something about it?