How to make text fit a shape, not just follow a path?

[Shin Diggar]

Hello,

Is it possible to draw a closed shape using paths and then make some text fill the inside of that shape?

This would be like text following a path but instead of just using it as a baseline it would stretch the width and height of the text to follow the full interior of the shape.

It's something that's very common on badges and logos, and here is a mock-up I made to simulate what I'd like GIMP to do for me:

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/4541/textsr9.png

I know there are tricks that can be used on raster text to create simple shapes such as bulging or squeezing the centre using lense distortion or other features, but I'm more interested in making text follow irregular (but precise) shapes, preferably using vectors/paths like the current text-to-path feature does.

Many thanks.
_________________________________________________________________
Pack up or back up–use SkyDrive to transfer files or keep extra copies. Learn how.
hthttp://www.windowslive.com/skydrive/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_skydrive_packup_042008
_______________________________________________
Gimp-user mailing list
Gimp-user@...
https://lists.XCF.Berkeley.EDU/mailman/listinfo/gimp-user

[Elwin Estle]

Inkscape can do that sort of thing.  AFAIK, Gimp doesn't natively have this capability,
tho I suppose somebody could write a plugin.  But you could do it in Inkscape and then
import it into Gimp, either as a bitmap, or as a path.

--- Shin Diggar <shindiggary@...> wrote:

>
>
> Hello,
>
> Is it possible to draw a closed shape using paths and then make some text fill the
> inside of that shape?
>
> This would be like text following a path but instead of just using it as a baseline it
> would stretch the width and height of the text to follow the full interior of the
> shape.
>
> It's something that's very common on badges and logos, and here is a mock-up I made to
> simulate what I'd like GIMP to do for me:
>
> http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/4541/textsr9.png
>
> I know there are tricks that can be used on raster text to create simple shapes such as
> bulging or squeezing the centre using lense distortion or other features, but I'm more
> interested in making text follow irregular (but precise) shapes, preferably using
> vectors/paths like the current text-to-path feature does.
>
> Many thanks.
> _________________________________________________________________
> Pack up or back up–use SkyDrive to transfer files or keep extra copies. Learn how.
>

hthttp://www.windowslive.com/skydrive/overview.html?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_Refresh_skydrive_packup_042008
> _______________________________________________
> Gimp-user mailing list
> Gimp-user@...
> https://lists.XCF.Berkeley.EDU/mailman/listinfo/gimp-user
>


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com 
_______________________________________________
Gimp-user mailing list
Gimp-user@...
https://lists.XCF.Berkeley.EDU/mailman/listinfo/gimp-user

[Akkana Peck]

Shin Diggar writes:
> It's something that's very common on badges and logos, and here is a mock-up I made to simulate what I'd like GIMP to do for me:
>
> http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/4541/textsr9.png

Curve Bend (under Distorts) does exactly that. You can set the upper
and lower shapes separately.

        ...Akkana
_______________________________________________
Gimp-user mailing list
Gimp-user@...
https://lists.XCF.Berkeley.EDU/mailman/listinfo/gimp-user

[Shin Diggar]

Thanks to Elwin and Nathan for the suggestions. I'm happy to do this in Inkscape and import the results into GIMP but I can't work out how to do it. I also looked at the curve bend tool in GIMP but it's not quite as precise as I'd like and it leaves the 'text' looking a bit rough because it converts it to a raster layer first and then stretches the pixels. I'd like to do this with paths so that I retain the smooth font edges (and can resize better if I need to).

I've updated Inkscape to the latest version and am able to make text follow paths like GIMP does, but I can't work out how to warp/distort the text intoshapes:

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/4541/textsr9.png

Everything I've tried just results in the text being placed along the path rather than being distorted to fill the shape. I did search for tutorials for this kind of effect but couldn't find one for Inkscape so any ideas?
_________________________________________________________________
Spell a grand slam in this game where word skill meets World Series. Get in the game.
http://club.live.com/word_slugger.aspx?icid=word_slugger_wlhm_admod_april08
_______________________________________________
Gimp-user mailing list
Gimp-user@...
https://lists.XCF.Berkeley.EDU/mailman/listinfo/gimp-user

[Owen-24]

>
> Thanks to Elwin and Nathan for the suggestions. I'm happy to do this in
> Inkscape and import the results into GIMP but I can't work out how to do
> it. I also looked at the curve bend tool in GIMP but it's not quite as
> precise as I'd like and it leaves the 'text' looking a bit rough because
> it converts it to a raster layer first and then stretches the pixels. I'd
> like to do this with paths so that I retain the smooth font edges (and can
> resize better if I need to).
>
> I've updated Inkscape to the latest version and am able to make text
> follow paths like GIMP does, but I can't work out how to warp/distort the
> text intoshapes:
>
> http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/4541/textsr9.png
>
> Everything I've tried just results in the text being placed along the path
> rather than being distorted to fill the shape. I did search for tutorials
> for this kind of effect but couldn't find one for Inkscape so any ideas?

Just a suggestion, after you have sized and positioned the text, group it
and then convert to paths, hit the paths tool and then do a few Ctrl+l
(els)
and see what it does to your text.

http://members.pcug.org.au/~rcook/images/hw3.png is two Ctrl+ls. Play
around and you will get something to suit. It maybe preferable to do it on
an individual letter basis


Owen

_______________________________________________
Gimp-user mailing list
Gimp-user@...
https://lists.XCF.Berkeley.EDU/mailman/listinfo/gimp-user

[Elwin Estle]

Inkscape has two tools to do this.  There is the new node tweaking tool that allows you
to sort of "sculpt" the nodes.  Another possibility is node sculpting.  Select a group of
nodes, then alt-click and alt-drag on it.  It will move and sort of proportionally drag
other nodes along with it.

And to further muddy the waters, there is another way you could do this, involving yet a
third open source program, Blender...but you'd be looking at a learning curve to do it
this way.   You could make some text in Blender (it can use truetype fonts), then convert
it to a curve (like in Inkscape), then add a lattice modifier and sort of "sculpt" your
text into the shape you want.  Then do a render and save the render as a png or jpg and
import it into anothe graphics program for further manipulation.   A much more
complicated process, but gives you the most control.

The text in the animated GIF in this pic was done this way.  Note, it does NOT have to be
3D.  I just wish Blender could export to .svg.  The only way to do it, is to import the
render into Inkscape or Gimp and work with it from there.


--- Shin Diggar <shindiggary@...> wrote:

>
> Thanks to Elwin and Nathan for the suggestions. I'm happy to do this in Inkscape and
> import the results into GIMP but I can't work out how to do it. I also looked at the
> curve bend tool in GIMP but it's not quite as precise as I'd like and it leaves the
> 'text' looking a bit rough because it converts it to a raster layer first and then
> stretches the pixels. I'd like to do this with paths so that I retain the smooth font
> edges (and can resize better if I need to).
>
> I've updated Inkscape to the latest version and am able to make text follow paths like
> GIMP does, but I can't work out how to warp/distort the text intoshapes:
>
> http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/4541/textsr9.png
>
> Everything I've tried just results in the text being placed along the path rather than
> being distorted to fill the shape. I did search for tutorials for this kind of effect
> but couldn't find one for Inkscape so any ideas?
> _________________________________________________________________
> Spell a grand slam in this game where word skill meets World Series. Get in the game.
> http://club.live.com/word_slugger.aspx?icid=word_slugger_wlhm_admod_april08
> _______________________________________________
> Gimp-user mailing list
> Gimp-user@...
> https://lists.XCF.Berkeley.EDU/mailman/listinfo/gimp-user
>

      ____________________________________________________________________________________
Be a better friend, newshound, and
know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile.  Try it now.  http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ
_______________________________________________
Gimp-user mailing list
Gimp-user@...
https://lists.XCF.Berkeley.EDU/mailman/listinfo/gimp-user

[Kevin Cozens-2]

Shin Diggar wrote:
> Thanks to Elwin and Nathan for the suggestions. I'm happy to do this in
> Inkscape and import the results into GIMP but I can't work out how to do
> it.

Save the file as an .svg from Inkscape and pull that file in to GIMP. If the
svg file loader in GIMP is rasterizing the SVG at one size and then resizing
the raster image to the desired size during the import, a bug or enhancement
request should be filed against the svg loader. It should allow you to
generate a raster image at the desired size without the need to do any resizing.

--
Cheers!

Kevin.

http://www.ve3syb.ca/           |"What are we going to do today, Borg?"
Owner of Elecraft K2 #2172      |"Same thing we always do, Pinkutus:
                                 |  Try to assimilate the world!"
#include <disclaimer/favourite> |              -Pinkutus & the Borg
_______________________________________________
Gimp-user mailing list
Gimp-user@...
https://lists.XCF.Berkeley.EDU/mailman/listinfo/gimp-user