Episode 102 – More Realistic Texturing

by Richard Querin

In this episode, I demonstrate how to apply a more realistic looking texture to an object using Inkscape 0.46.

Using typography as an example, and with the help of The Gimp’s Render Cloud tool, I show how to turn a ho-hum texture into something a little more natural looking. While I show an example with text, you could use this sort of treatment with any sort of object you’d like to apply a texture to. Even more generally, using a cloudy mask like this is only one solution. You could generate all kinds of other masks in something like the Gimp (or your bitmap editor of choice) and other sorts of effects to your textures.

I also show how to create a faked spotlighting effect using simple ellipses, gradients and blurs, which can make the drop shadows a little more convincing but it all depends on what you’re after.

The font I used for this episode is called League Gothic and can be found at The League of Moveable Type. And of course, for the cloud mask you can download the Gimp at gimp.org or install it from your repository if you don’t already have it.

Hopefully over the next little while I can get more up to speed on Inkscape 0.47 and all it’s new features. For now though, 0.46 will do.

I hope everyone has a great holiday season and we will undoubtedly see you in 2010!