Need instructions on how to use "The Gimp" to create planets

[Lafuente_Astronomy]

Mod edit: This thread is in response to a deleted spam post.

Well, do you mind telling us what "The Gimp" is, so that we can understand where you're going?

[Art Blos]

Lafuente_Astronomy < Probably, talking about it:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GIMP

[PaulineSinclair]

Yes! Is it

Added after 40 seconds:
I want to use it to create a planet

[Lafuente_Astronomy]

Unread post #3by Art Blos » Today, 13:27

Ahhh, so it's an art program. Well, I'm not sure if anyone here in Celestia has ever used Gimp to make planets. If any, you may have to ask the devs

[PaulineSinclair]

It's a pity, because if someone leads me, I will feel easier

[SpaceFanatic64]

Just a clarification, GIMP can only be used to create textures for planets, not actually render planets.

[John Van Vliet]

i use Blender 2.79 to make planets

for an example see:
http://forum.celestialmatters.org/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=878#p15415

with gimp you will have to paint it


i have in the past used gimp to make a height map and then a colorized version for a texture

BUT!!! you have to edit for the polar areas using the "polar remap filter " on a Noise texture

For a planet you need a
1) height map
2) texture
3) speclular map
4) cloud texture


and Blender nodes work better to make all of that

[Kilo_SSK]

And don't forget one of the key elements: if you're creating a planet with a solid surface (as opposed to a gas giant or an ocean planet), one of the things you should spend the most time on would be to create a realistic geological map of said planet before painting it.
The thing is, I've seen many, many artist-created worlds in science fiction or fantasy with no regard to basic geology, and as much as it won't be an issue for most of your public (I'm not insulting anyone there, I've started having basic knowledge about that only two years ago, please don't see me as a condescending "black" hole), people who do know a little about the topic will notice the incoherences.

Remember that your planet - if it is a solid surface one, that is - was formed long ago by lates of cooling magma that expanded and entered in contact with each other, creating mountain ranges and valleys, and if it ever had rivers, be they active or not, these have dug their own canyons over the course of the years, going into sea and oceans that are either still there or have dried and left massive depressions all over the surface of the planet.

[Lafuente_Astronomy]

And don't forget one of the key elements: if you're creating a planet with a solid surface (as opposed to a gas giant or an ocean planet), one of the things you should spend the most time on would be to create a realistic geological map of said planet before painting it.
The thing is, I've seen many, many artist-created worlds in science fiction or fantasy with no regard to basic geology, and as much as it won't be an issue for most of your public (I'm not insulting anyone there, I've started having basic knowledge about that only two years ago, please don't see me as a condescending "black" hole), people who do know a little about the topic will notice the incoherences.

Remember that your planet - if it is a solid surface one, that is - was formed long ago by lates of cooling magma that expanded and entered in contact with each other, creating mountain ranges and valleys, and if it ever had rivers, be they active or not, these have dug their own canyons over the course of the years, going into sea and oceans that are either still there or have dried and left massive depressions all over the surface of the planet.

Yep. Makes me cringe if I see somewhat unrealistic geological features on fictional planets in the stuff I watch

[fyr02]

How I make planets:
Rocky Planets:
1. Download a Stone Texture
I recommend Kexitt's Stone Textures https://www.deviantart.com/kexitt/art/KD-4-Texture-pack-663522901 or Akinuri's Asphalt Textures https://www.deviantart.com/akinuri/art/Asphalt-Textures-217678691
2. Open GIMP and create a 4096x2048 texture with transparency
To do this, create a 4096x2048 canvas and go to Layer>Transparency>Add Alpha Channel, and click on it. Then you want to press Ctrl+A (Cmd+A on Mac) and then Delete.
3. Create the background
Copy and paste the textures into the rectangle, filling it up and periodically rotating and resizing the textures.
4. Clean up the background
Use the Clone Stamp tool to clean up all the joints inbetween the textures. To use the clone stamp CTRL-click to set a source image, then click/drag to color in the joints. Once you are done with this, go to Layer>Transform>Offset, and in the pop-up menu press the "width/2" button. Clean up the line up the middle using the clone brush.
5. Adjust the colors
Go to Color>Hue-Color and adjust accordingly
6. Eliminate the pinch effect
follow this tutorial: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7013
For Gas Giants I find it easier to just take existing Saturn/Jupiter/Neptune textures and combine them.

[rensheng]

Dear fyr02 , This guide was excellent, thanks very much for making this! I'm very pleased with the planet I created using this method.

Photoshop is very powerful and does a ton of other stuff in addition to drawing (photo editing, basic animation, etc) .

I use a XP-Pen Star G640 Graphic Tablet with GIMP , It's a great tablet. For slider adjustments, spot, brush edits it's pretty good.

[Tegmine]

Here is another one you will find helpful, it's a little time consuming, I have found the results well worth it...

https://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=18280&highlight=eriond tutorial

It includes the gradients seen in the tutorial. If you've never used Wilbur, it will DEFINITELY change your approach. It works beautifully in conjunction with GIMP, and is free as well.

http://www.fracterra.com/software.html


Here's a good one for gas giants...should be especially fun with a graphics tablet...

http://www.solarvoyager.com/images/tutorials/gasgiant.jpg

Have fun, and I look forward to seeing your work!

-M-

[cubicApoc]

Akinuri's Asphalt Textures https://www.deviantart.com/akinuri/art/Asphalt-Textures-217678691

If you're using these, just be aware that they're ripped from Half-Life 2. (specifically the leaked beta, I believe) You may want to give Valve some credit.