Lesson 2 - Part B: creating a userbar

[Astaroth]

Lesson 2 - Part B

This is part B of the second lesson in which I'll try to explain how to make userbars. A userbar is a neat little image which is generally used in forum signatures. Hopefully, you'll also learn some other useful things in the process which should prove useful later on in this class. But enough talking, let's get started folks.

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Step 1

First of all we need a new image. The general userbar size is 350x19 pixels so I would open a new image (File -> New) with a height of 19 px and a width of 350 px as shown here:

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Secondly, a background is needed. You can really use anything you want to but I'd suggest using the gradient tool. As I already explained in part A of lesson 2, the gradient tool can be used to make great backgrounds. Here I'll be using the "German flag smooth" gradient as my goal is to make a German- based userbar. Anyway, simply select the gradient and pull it from one side of the userbar to the other. Your result should look similar to this:

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Now we want to add a nice little "3D" effect to improve the userbar even further. In order to achieve this, open a new layer on top of your first one and use the Ellipse Selection tool to create an ellipse from one corner to another. Now fill the selection with white (make sure that you still have your new layer selected). Your result should look similar to this:

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Finally, lower the ellipse's opacity to something like 30-40. This effect is very popular and can for example also be found on the "Add Reply" button in B.Ward's MiNT forum style:

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Step 2

The next step is to add scanlines to the userbar in order to make it look even better. Scanlines are basically small lines that are often used on userbars but also signatures to improve them. You'll soon see what they look like. Anyway, let's begin. Open up a new transparent image with a size of 6x6 pixels as shown here:

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Next, use the magnifying glass tool or the small box at the bottom left of the GIMP window to increase the size of the canvas to 1600%.

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Now select the pencil tool in your toolkit and make black your foreground color.

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Afterwards, draw 3 lines as shown here:

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Finally, save this image as a .pat file in the GIMP's pattern folder. Usually, the correct destination is C:\Program Files\GIMP-2.0\share\gimp\2.0\patterns. I for my part saved it as Scanlines.pat. Now restart GIMP and you will be able to use your newly created scanlines!
In order to use the scanlines on your userbar, simply create a new layer on top of the existing ones and select the bucket tool. Change your bucket tool's fill type to "Pattern fill" and select your scanlines from the different patterns. Finally, fill your layer with the scanlines.

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Lower the opacity of the scanlines layer a bit to make them look even better. Your signature should now look similar to this:

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Step 3

Objects are sometimes used in userbars but I decided against it for this example. Therefore, the last thing we need to do is adding some text and an outline. Usually, the font "Visitor TT1 BRK" is used for signatures so go ahead and download it. It can for example be found here. Simply download the font, unzip it and put it in C:\Windows\Font. If you have Vista, you can also just right-click on the unzipped font and press "Install".
Afterwards, restart GIMP and type your text on top of all other layers (so it isn't affected by the white ellipse or the scanlines). I'd suggest using a font size of 10-12 and a white color for the text.

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Your result should look similar to this:

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If your background is (partly) black like in this case, you can simply leave the text that way. Otherwise, you might want to add a (black) outline via the grow feature as shown in part A of this lesson.

Now we're almost done and all we need to do is add an outline. For that we could use one of the methods described in part A but I think it would be easier to choose a different way. Merge down all of your layers and select the one remaining layer. Then go to Edit -> Stroke Selection:

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A new window will appear where you can decide between different options. Go for a 1 px wide stroke line and make sure that black is your foreground color.

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And we're finished! Now all we need to do is save the userbar as a .png file and to upload it somewhere. This is what your result could look like:

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Homework

Decide on a theme for a userbar and create it by following the steps described above. Feel free to experiment around with the background, text, opacity and everything else. Good luck!

Cheers,
Astaroth

[Nevada]

Very nice tutorial, I'll get my hands on it tomorrow. But it seems really interesting.

[Lü Bu]

Mine:

[Icedie El Guaraní]

Very nice mate this is mine:

[Lü Bu]

You are from Paraguay?

[sithlord447]

mine

[PubliusKhannus]

here is my work teacher:

[Roloc]

Here is my work




HSV, HSV runter mit Werder und Bayern

[Icedie El Guaraní]

You are from Paraguay?

Yes

[Killerbee]

I know it's not too impressing , but here it is :



Btw , i couldn't find ellapse tool .. Where can i find that ?

[Nevada]

Ok, here's my try:

[Lü Bu]

Good job guys.Lets go to the lession 3

[Ratbag]

Lol, you are in a hurry.

Well here is mine.

[Scandinavisksoldat]

Okay, here is mine:

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[Lü Bu]

Keep them comming...

[Tzar]

My work:

[Killerbee]

Lol , it's great that even the RS 2.0 2d-artist joins this lesson

[Scandinavisksoldat]

Btw , i couldn't find ellapse tool .. Where can i find that ?

On my Linux GIMP (which I'm using for this class) it is just to the right of the Rectangle Select tool, at the top of of the toolbox dialogue. Might be different from the Windows setup, but I am not sure...

[Killerbee]

Thanks , it's just that i have a dutch version , so names can or are (be) different

[Astaroth]

Great results everyone, keep it up.

And yeah, the ellipse selection tool is in the toolkit, next to the rectangular selection tool as Scandinavisksoldat already pointed out. It's great when students help each other.