I don’t really remeber when and where, but once I have read that GIMP isn’t suitable for pseudo 3D graphics. Nothing more fallible! I will try to prove it wrong.

Author: Marcin “Kifer71″ Kołtunowicz

This tutorial is meant for intermediate users of GIMP because I don’t show where to find a particular tool or a filter. I have purposely left a little room for your imagination, for example a background.

Enough! Run the GIMP and let’s start!

1. Create a new transparent image 300×300 px in size.
2. Create a new layer with a black background and name it “ball”.
3. Create a new transparent layer and name it “number”.
4. On the layer “number” make a circle with a 120 px diameter by “Select elliptical regions” tool in the center of the image. The simplest way of doing it is to set a fixed size: width and height to 120 px. Move the cursor to the point (90,90) and select the area with the fixed-size circle selection.

   

5. Fill the selected area with the white color.
6. Using the “Text” tool enter the number of the ball formatted with the Arial font and 90 points size. Place the text in the center of the white circle.
7. Merge the text with the “number” layer.
8. Scale the layer to the size: 120px height and 60px width.
9. Merge the “number” layer with the “ball” layer.

   

10. On the “ball” layer use the “Map” filter (Map->”Map Object”). Set the object to Sphere, without the light and with a transparent background. In the “Orientation” tab set “Rotation” to: X=10, Y=-11, Z=20.
11. Fill the background layer. Here you need to create your own background. Feel free.
12. Create a new transparent layer over the “ball” layer and name it “reflection”.
13. Select the black color area on the “ball” layer with the “Select regions by color” tool (the shortcut: Shift-O).
14. On the “reflection” layer fill the selection with white.
15. On the “ball” layer select the Alpha Channel.
16. On the “reflection” layer move the selection (”Move layers & selections” tool -> Affect: “Transform selection”) as it is shown on the picture below:

    

    

• Select inverse and clear the resulting selection.
• Use the “Gaussian Blur” filter with a 40px radius.
17. On the “ball” layer select the Alpha Channel again.
18. On the “reflection” layer, select inverse and clear the selection.
19. Set the Opacity of the “reflection” layer to 40%.
20. Add a shadow from the menu Script-fu (Shadow -> Perspective). Set the parameters as you wish. Here where the following settings used:

    

The ball is done.

Modification:

For some lazy people that don’t want to do the “reflection” layer:
In the 10th step of this tutorial you have to add the light from the “Light” tab in the “Map Object” window. You can experiment as much as you want with the existing settings. And with this little change, you can skip the next few steps until the last one where you have to add the shadow. The effect is also very nice

All questions regarding this tutorial should be sent to the following address: kifer71(at)gmail(dot)com.

Proof-read by trashcat

This text is based on the article published in Dragonia Magazine, a Polish online magazine about Free and Open-Source Software. You can download the latest Dragonia issue (first one in English from our mirror). The article has been slightly modified compared with the original version by the PolishLinux team.