Ok, here we go on our last tutorial for our wall!

How to make a window pane

 

You can also go back to the first tutorial or the second tutorial

 

First open up one of the finished windows we’ve done already, or grab one here (right click and choose save target as…)

 

The first thing we’re going to do is add a new layer, say yes to the default size (should be 512 X 512, same as image)  Now, the next thing we’re going to do is put a splotch of color on each corner of our layer (or you could just do opposing corners, it doesn’t matter)  This is to ensure that when we are finished, the image, which will be mostly transparent, will stay the same size as our wall (512 X 512) which will make it much easier to assemble in SL (you’ll see if you come to my class ;oP)

 

Ok, so here we are but remember, those red corners are actually on the new layer!

 

 

Ok, so next we are going to add yet another layer, and on this layer, we are going to make sure nothing is selected by right clicking on the image and selecting “Select” then “None”, then use the rectangular selection tool, and select a thin line, as thin as a couple of pixels in width, but covering well past the window sides.

 

Select a thin line, and fill it with a grey color.  Just click on the color square, and choose a gray.  Then fill the line with it. 

 

Make a thin line

 

 

 

Ok, now we will right click on the line and select “Edit” and “Copy”, then we will select “Edit” and “Paste” and lay them out at even intervals:

 

 

 

Lines, with a background to see.  But I used the squares you see when things

are transparent, to space out the lines (Ok, I didn’t so such a good job :P)

 

 

 

Ok, now we are going to take this layer of lines, and rotate it.  Choose the rotate tool, make sure you have the layer with the lines on it, selected, and click inside the image. You should then receive a window asking the degrees of rotation.  Try 30 degrees.

 

 

Rotate

 

 

Next, right click inside the image, and select “Edit” “Copy” then select “Edit” “Paste” then go to the layers window and click on the add new layer button, it’ll place the pasted “floating image” onto it’s own layer.  Well, I didn’t make enough Lines to cover the whole window once it was rotated, so, since I’m lazy, I decided to merge the two layers which make up my cross hatch, and turn off all the other layers, then select all and copy.  I then pasted as new, and enlarged the whole thing 25%

 

To do this, first deselect the “eyes” on the layers you want to exclude

Then right click in the image, and choose “Select All” and

Finally right click in the image and select “Layers” “Merge Visible” and you now have the hatch on one layer.

 

Merge Visible

 

 

Ok, now right click on the image, and select “Edit” “Copy”  Again right click on the image and select “Edit” “Paste as New”

Now we have a new image open, we will enlarge it, recopy it, and paste back into this picture

 

Scale the image:

 

 

 

After we enlarge the new image, we will again copy it and insert it into our original image.  After we insert it into our original image, we will remove the old lines, which we’ve replaced.  Then, lets rotate this layer again, to make the diamond shapes sit lengthwise (more traditional direction) and then, turn on the other layers to center the hatched lines in the window (use the Criss/Cross tool):

 

 

Center in window

 

Ok, the next thing we need to do is create an edge, just use the rectangular selection tool, and select a bit inside the window.  Then right click inside the image and select “Select” “Invert”.  Then get your paint brush tool out, with a moderately thick footprint, and give the window a grey or black edge for the pane, still on the pane with the hatched lines.

 

Edge the pane

 

 

We still aren’t done yet, though.  We are now going to use the magic want do select all those hatched lines, then we are going to go back to the first transparent layer we made, with the red edges, and invert our selection (so the non-line area is chosen) and fill with some colors.  Now, when selecting the grey hatched lines, increase the threshold on the wand tool’s info window (you get to all the tool windows by double clicking on the tool)

 

Magic Wand

 

 

So, again, select the layer which only has colored corners, and use the paint brush tool and bright colors, and fill a few of those diamonds in:  Then we will reduce the transparency of this layer, to make a colored glass effect.  We want to save all of this without the original wall because in SL, we’ll put it in the middle of a wall, in order to give the wall extra depth

 

Colors

 

 

 

 

 

 

At this point you need to merge visible layers.  Right click inside the picture, select “Layers” then “Merge Visible”  Make sure the original wall is not included, and finally, remove the wall texture layer, then save the whole thing as a .tga file.

 

So the whole thing should look something like this when completed:

Right click on this image and choose "Save Target As" to get the window pane.tga

 

 

Thank you to all of you who actually tried out my tutorials.  I sure hope they got you started in doing Textures with the Gimp.  I also hope to see you all in SL at my class.  I’ll let you know when it is!  Thanks again, Love Ingei