Making a planet (by Robert Donovan)

Sasquatch · **Posted:** Sun Aug 07, 2016 10:03 am **(#1)**

I found this tutorial and thought it was well worth sharing.

Video from : www.youtube.com

This is the picture I made using the masking technique he showed in the video.

2-ton · **Posted:** Sun Aug 07, 2016 12:25 pm **(#2)**

The island looks quite real!

Sasquatch · **Posted:** Sun Aug 07, 2016 12:49 pm **(#3)**

2-ton wrote:

The island looks quite real!

Thanks, I really appreciate that. I've been busting my butt trying to figure out how to make things look right. There's six layers just to get the water looking like more than a flat blue patch. I'm still trying to figure out how to get the mountains to look right. And I don't really have the forest texture the way I want it. But at least it doesn't look like a patch of green paint. For the record, there are no textures, patterns, or special brushes in use in that picture. It's all just layer modes, masks, and bump maps.

RJKD · **Posted:** Tue Aug 09, 2016 4:58 am **(#4)**

Hi Sasquatch, planets were the very first thing I did with GIMP and they remain my first love, I really enjoy using these - SambrookJM scripts for planets - in Peace RJKD

Sasquatch · **Posted:** Tue Aug 09, 2016 11:48 am **(#5)**

RJKD wrote:

Hi Sasquatch, planets were the very first thing I did with GIMP and they remain my first love, I really enjoy using these - SambrookJM scripts for planets - in Peace RJKD

The link isn't there. But I believe I have the scripts installed already.

Wallace · **Posted:** Tue Aug 09, 2016 8:18 pm **(#6)**

There is a Planet Render script,
which can create a planet like spherical render seen in the image below.
It can be used as a good base to create a planet from.

Attachment:

File comment: Planet Render Script Example Image

planet render example b.png [ 86.7 KiB | Viewed 17014 times ]

This image here,
is a planet I made using this script.

The link below is to The Plug-in Registry and the Planet Render Script.

http://registry.gimp.org/node/21

Sasquatch · **Posted:** Tue Aug 09, 2016 8:35 pm **(#7)**

I think that's the script RJKD was referring to above. I have at least one script like that installed already. But I seem to prefer working at a distance that doesn't allow a full view of the planet. So I haven't messed with the script much.

RJKD · **Posted:** Thu Aug 11, 2016 10:05 am **(#8)**

Great rings Wallace, I've tried and tried to get an outcome like yours, got near but not quite how I would like them, how did you master them?

Sasquatch · **Posted:** Thu Aug 11, 2016 10:15 am **(#9)**

RJKD wrote:

Great rings Wallace, I've tried and tried to get an outcome like yours, got near but not quite how I would like them, how did you master them?

I have an idea worth trying. Make an elliptical selection, do a shaped gradient outside the selection, then play with the curves to get the separate rings.

Wallace · **Posted:** Thu Aug 11, 2016 2:42 pm **(#10)**

RJKD wrote:

Great rings Wallace,
I've tried and tried to get an outcome like yours,
got near but not quite how I would like them,
how did you master them?

There's a script called Planetary Ring System.
You can get it from the Gimp Plug-in Registry using the link provided below.

http://registry.gimp.org/node/9489

It can be used to make planet rings such as this.

Once installed the location for this script is under,
Image > Filters > SambrookJM > Planet Rings.

RJKD · **Posted:** Thu Aug 11, 2016 2:59 pm **(#11)**

Light years from the 'finished article', however the gradient idea works fine (see attach 1)
also - transparent layer
filter- render - clouds - fog
desaturate
filter - distorts - whirl and pinch (about 10 times)
filter - map - map object - to plane
color
erase unwanted part of rings (see attach 2)

Attachment:

Rings made by gradient.xcf [4.77 MiB]
Downloaded 475 times

Attachment:

Rings mapped.xcf [1.02 MiB]
Downloaded 396 times

Wallace · **Posted:** Thu Aug 11, 2016 3:31 pm **(#12)**

RJKD wrote:

Light years from the 'finished article', however the gradient idea works fine (see attach 1)
also - transparent layer
filter- render - clouds - fog
desaturate
filter - distorts - whirl and pinch (about 10 times)
filter - map - map object - to plane
color
erase unwanted part of rings (see attach 2)

Attachment:

Rings made by gradient.xcf

Attachment:

Rings mapped.xcf

Very nice RJKD! :bigthup

I've updated the resources I uploaded here to Gimp Chat for making planet rings.

Use the topic link below to download them.

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=6907&p=87072#p87072

RJKD · **Posted:** Thu Aug 11, 2016 3:50 pm **(#13)**

Your a star Wallace, all puns intended, thank you as always.

Wallace · **Posted:** Thu Aug 11, 2016 3:55 pm **(#14)**

RJKD wrote:

Your a star Wallace,
all puns intended,
thank you as always.

No problem RJKD.

Sasquatch · **Posted:** Sun Aug 14, 2016 6:41 am **(#15)**

Here's my latest attempt at making a realistic planet. Since everybody else is playing with rings I decided to add some as well.

For those interested, the rings are three layers. The bottom layer is on dissolve to create the texture. The middle layer is screen to add fullness. The top layer is normal, low opacity, and gradient mapped to give the color. Then lots of tweaking with layer masks to get the illusion of perspective and unevenness.

I created the rings by using ofnuts' "shapes>on segments>circles" script to make paths defining the inner and outer borders of the rings. Then I used a "path blend" script to put a "crown molding" gradient between these boundary paths. I don't remember where I got the gradient. But it's just a grayscale gradient with various transitions meant to mimic the look of crown molding. Then I just mapped the rings to a plane and proceeded to work with them.

*EDIT*
Added a fourth layer to the rings. I didn't like how the "texture" layer was stark white. So I used it to make a "new from visible" layer which I gradient mapped. I set this new layer to a lower opacity and left it in normal mode. So the new layer adds color just to the grainy bits.

I have an alternate, possibly simpler, method for rings that i want to try. I'll start again with the circles-on-segment script. But then I'll use the perspective tool to lay the paths flat. Once I have the perspective right I'll use ofnuts' "intermediate paths" script to build the rings and his "stroke visible" script to add the gradient. I think this will be quicker and possibly more precise. I'm not entirely happy with the perspective produced by the "map to plane" method.

I have an xcf of just the rings. But the forum is giving me trouble attaching it.

Wallace · **Posted:** Sun Aug 14, 2016 10:01 am **(#16)**

Sasquatch wrote:

Here's my latest attempt at making a realistic planet. Since everybody else is playing with rings I decided to add some as well.
[ Image ]
For those interested, the rings are three layers. The bottom layer is on dissolve to create the texture. The middle layer is screen to add fullness. The top layer is normal, low opacity, and gradient mapped to give the color. Then lots of tweaking with layer masks to get the illusion of perspective and unevenness.

I created the rings by using ofnuts' "shapes>on segments>circles" script to make paths defining the inner and outer borders of the rings. Then I used a "path blend" script to put a "crown molding" gradient between these boundary paths. I don't remember where I got the gradient. But it's just a grayscale gradient with various transitions meant to mimic the look of crown molding. Then I just mapped the rings to a plane and proceeded to work with them.

*EDIT*
Added a fourth layer to the rings. I didn't like how the "texture" layer was stark white. So I used it to make a "new from visible" layer which I gradient mapped. I set this new layer to a lower opacity and left it in normal mode. So the new layer adds color just to the grainy bits.

I have an alternate, possibly simpler, method for rings that i want to try. I'll start again with the circles-on-segment script. But then I'll use the perspective tool to lay the paths flat. Once I have the perspective right I'll use ofnuts' "intermediate paths" script to build the rings and his "stroke visible" script to add the gradient. I think this will be quicker and possibly more precise. I'm not entirely happy with the perspective produced by the "map to plane" method.

I have an xcf of just the rings. But the forum is giving me trouble attaching it.

The Flickr image you posted doesn't,
seem to have the proper coding to display correctly?

Sasquatch · **Posted:** Sun Aug 14, 2016 10:06 am **(#17)**

That's weird. It displays fine for me. I'll redo the link. I replaced the picture, maybe that alters the link.

Wallace · **Posted:** Sun Aug 14, 2016 10:38 am **(#18)**

Sasquatch wrote:

That's weird.
It displays fine for me.
I'll redo the link.
I replaced the picture,
maybe that alters the link.

Looking Good. :bigthup

Sasquatch · **Posted:** Sun Aug 14, 2016 2:13 pm **(#19)**

Thanks. I still need to sort out the shadows. The ring and the planet should be casting shadows on each other.

RJKD · **Posted:** Sun Aug 14, 2016 5:19 pm **(#20)**

Great rings Sasquatch thank you.
I found this from a video tut by Un4gven - working on a 1920 x 1080 universe;
new transparent layer 100 x 100 (Moon)
blend tool - default colors - gradient FG to BG (RGB) - Linear drag from top left to bottom right on layer (Moon)
Filters - Artistic - Clothify - depth 2 - (other settings default)
Filters - Map - Map object - options - map to sphere (check transparent background and update preview live) (uncheck show wireframe) Light - Light source - directional Material - Ambient 0 and Specular 0 (all others default) Orientation - no higher than 9 (all others default)
Colors - curves - to preference
Layer - Alpha to Selection
Filters - blur x 4
Select none. Move and or Rotate to preference