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tutorial details

Difficulty: difficulty 2/5

GIMP version: 2.3.19

Category: Buttons, icons, web

Author: myke

Steps: 17

Needed time: ca. 10 min

Hits: 16271

Others from this category:

» 8 comments

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Tutorial: Create a shield symbol

Written by myke (12 Sep 2007 10:16 PM)

In this user tutorial our user myke shows you how you can create a shield symbol/icon for (e.g.) all kinds of security issues.

  1. Create a new picture in a size of 320x240 und fill it with a light grey (e.g. #eaeaf0).
    screenshot of step 1
    click to enlarge
  2. Choose the paths tool and create three points like in the picture. Take the two points on the top and drag them while pressing the Ctrl key into the right positions.
    screenshot of step 2
    click to enlarge
  3. Choose the selection from the path and create a new layer. Then fill the selection with white and rename the layer to "Basic form".
    screenshot of step 3
    click to enlarge
  4. Now add a shadow in Filter -> Light and Shadow -> Drop Shadow. Choose these settings:

    0, 0, 5, black, 80
    screenshot of step 4
    click to enlarge
  5. The picture will look like this:
    screenshot of step 5
    click to enlarge
  6. Let's make the image more like 3D. Add a new layer named "Shadow" and add a black layer mask. Then choose the "Basic form" layer, get the selection of the alpha channel and fill the selection in the mask with white. Deactivate the selection (Select / None) and check the shadow layer. Set black as your foreground color and set the blend tool to blend from foreground color to transparency. Now drag the gradient like in the picture.
    screenshot of step 6
    click to enlarge
  7. Set the opacity of the layer between 30% and 10%. I have chosen 15%.
    screenshot of step 7
    click to enlarge
  8. Creating the shape of the shield: Add a new layer named "Form" and fill it white. Select again the alpha channel of the "Basic form" layer and shrink the selection by 2 pixels. Fill the selection with black, unselect it and draw a white line through the form. For straight lines hold the Shift key.
    screenshot of step 8
    click to enlarge
  9. Make the border softer: Use the Gaußian blur and radius 5 and choose the Curves tool (Colors -> Curves). Adjust the curve as to see in the screenshot and press OK. Remove the white color by clicking Colors -> Color to Transparency -> White. Hide the layer.
    screenshot of step 9
    click to enlarge
  10. Copy the layer, show it and rename to "Color". Lock the alpha channel and fill with an appropriate color (e.g. #274383). The lock icon can be found atop all layers in the layers dialog (next to the transparency).
    screenshot of step 10
    click to enlarge
  11. Create a new layer, name it "Shadow Color", select the alpha channel of the "Basic form" layer and shrink the selection by 2 pixels. Choose a darker color as the previous one (e.g. #13295a), set the blend shape to "Shaped (angular)" and activate "reverse". Create a new blend by dragging. Add a black layer mask, choose the alpha channel of the form layer and fill it with white.
    screenshot of step 11
    click to enlarge
  12. Duplicate the layer "Shadow", delete the content, move it to the top of the layer list in the layers dialog and set the opacity to 100%. Drag a linear blend (White to Transparency) like shown in the image and move the layer to the top of the layer list.
    screenshot of step 12
    click to enlarge
  13. Create a mirror effect by hiding the background layer and clicking Edit -> Copy Visible. Edit -> Paste => new layer (click the new layer button in the layers dialog to get this on a new layer). Flip the layer vertically and move it downwards. Add a layer mask and drag a blend (White to Black) from top to down. Name the layer "Mirror" and set the opacity to 30%. Show the background layer.
    screenshot of step 13
    click to enlarge
  14. Add a short text in the light color and rotate it by -45°. Move the layer in the middle of the shield and add a shadow (radius 5). You're done.
    screenshot of step 14
    click to enlarge
  15. The layers dialog list:

    In the picture some layer names are German:
    "Spiegelung" is our "Mirror"-layer
    "Grundform" is our "Basic form"-layer
    "Schattierung-Farbe" is our "Shadow Color"-layer.
    screenshot of step 15
    click to enlarge
  16. Some variations I made:
    security shields / icons made with the GIMP
    click to enlarge
  17. And another possible use:
    screenshot of step 17
    click to enlarge
Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Austria
This work is licensed under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Austria.

Discussion / comment this tutorial

Post your own comments, questions or hints here. The author and other users will see your posting and can answer to it. Of course, you can also ask in the chat.

Newer comments are displayed first!

From: Mithun (01 Jun 2008 04:56 PM)

Got confused in point #6 :-(
Can you please clarify it more clearly, which layer you are referring and when.
Also, can you please clarify, which layer should be on top of which one?
Thanks!

From: troels (25 May 2008 02:36 PM)

Point #6 went a little over my head. Could you be more elaborate on the steps needed?

From: Darren (04 Mar 2008 06:03 PM)

Hey this is so sweet but i dont no how to make them on the internet

From: devvv (07 Jan 2008 04:17 PM) – Send a private message

on the top click downloads and choose the installer for your operating system. the program is called gimp (the gnu image manipulation program)

From: varis (07 Jan 2008 03:53 PM)

wat isvthis program on wich i can create thease things?
were can i gett it?

From: Sanioz (15 Sep 2007 03:15 PM)

Looks good.
Nice and to the point.

From: LukasT (13 Sep 2007 02:09 PM)

Really cool tutorial.
Thanx

From: henriquemaia (13 Sep 2007 12:30 PM) – Send a private message

Great tutorial. Thanks!

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