# Mapping Resources > How Do I ??? >  [GIMP] Shiny Gold Metallic Letters

## Sharpe

I'm seeking to add a large title to my educational fantasy board game, "Spell Quest." I'd like the title to be made in large, thick, shiny gold metallic fantasy font similar to the HeroQuest board game. 

Here is an example: http://heroquestbaker.altervista.org...est_titolo.JPG

In the example, the font rests on stone, but I'm just seeking the gold metallic part.

Help, anyone?

Thanks!

-Sharpe

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## Ascension

Not familiar with that font, looks like I gotta go shopping again.

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## Sharpe

HeroQuest has some great fonts!  :Smile: 

http://www.heroscribe.org/fonts.html

Here's just what I would like, if anyone knows how to do this in GIMP: http://www.heroscribe.org/heroscribesign.png

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## Wonko the Sane

How close is this?

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## Sharpe

That's certainly better than I can do, but I think it needs less neutral colors, more light and dark.

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## DevinNight

Looks like I'm not the first to respond. How about this one?

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## Sharpe

Wow, DevinNight and Ascension, my top two favorite artists on here, both replying in my thread!  :Smile: 

This is one of those things I'm not going to be happy with unless I do it myself. I want to use the HeroQuest font and make it look as nearly identical (minus rock background) as I can for nostalgic reasons. 

This is a very happy-happy, joy-joy fantasy adventure game set up something like HeroQuest. The players, who are in the third and fourth grade, spell their spelling words to capture the monsters.

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## Redrobes

3d apps like Blender can do excellent shiny stuff. What you need is to set its reflectivity up high and ensure you use an environment map so that your reflecting something interesting in it then it looks good. Its a bit like Cartmans glasses.

See something like this:
http://www.cartographersguild.com/sh...st-Art-Project

Also, Ravells uses DrawPlus which seems to have some great reflective options...
http://www.cartographersguild.com/sh...-Ships-Compass

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## Sharpe

Okay, I got Blender. Going to try to figure this out.

It's for my little sister. She had to come up with a game. Due Teusday (well, Thursday, but I don't know how I'll find time on Wednesday) and I'm crunching here. 

Any step-by-step would be appreciated, Redrobes!  :Smile: 

I have a cube and an extremely complex GUI on my screen and _no_ time to play. Must get done today so Ican get it printed at OfficeMax tomorrow!

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## Redrobes

Right, well Blender is not my 3D app of choice but its the one most people try to use. You can look over my initiation thread here:
http://www.cartographersguild.com/sh...ough-a-Blender
but its not the simplest app to use. In fact it has to be one of the most unintuitive.

If you could post a link to a free download & free to use true type font that could be used then I could make the text if I catch the post in time. In any case, getting a font would be the best first thing you could do unless your planning on drawing the font as well.

With so little time maybe you would be better off trying to make it in a paint program. Here are some tuts I found for making shiny text.

http://designwithathought.com/tutori...eps-photoshop/

http://www.youthedesigner.com/2010/0...-and-advanced/

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## Sharpe

Thanks for your time and links. I liked to the HeroQuest title font a couple times above. I only have GIMP. I'll try to follow that first tutorial for PS, but my gold gradient overlay just looks like a solid green-brown, not a gradient for some reason...

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## Redrobes

Yeah I know but you really need a font for it. I have found one chap here making one and has the font made for download. So start here:
http://www.heroscribe.org/fonts.html

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## Sharpe

> Yeah I know but you really need a font for it. I have found one chap here making one and has the font made for download. So start here:
> http://www.heroscribe.org/fonts.html


*I keep telling you I linked to that above!!!* LOL!!! XD

I've had that font for years.  :Smile:

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## Redrobes

Oh I see... wheres that shame emoticon...

I did this one (not in blender tho...) - would this be useful ?

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## geamon

I think the problem is he doesn't want something similar. He wants an exact replica...

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## Redrobes

Oh ok, well I am not doing well today then... I have another image in case its useful.

I think if you need that fill pattern then setting up a custom gradient is probably the way. I would steal the gradient from the image and mask in the new lettering tho... Maybe ill try that.

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## mearrin69

I think it needs a gradient as well as a bevel profile to get the same effect from the original. I've only got a couple of minutes until I'm out the door for a game but I'll give it a go...will post if I come up with something.
M

Edit: Here's the best I could do quickly. This uses the font linked above (which doesn't *really* match) on a layer with an outline and a bevel with a contour. Over that is a faked overlay gradient using the original colors. To get something like the original you're going to have to either do it painstakingly by hand or use a good bevel plugin - I think there's an Alien Skin one that'll do this. If you want the letters to match more closely I'd expect you'd have to do those by hand too...or at least pull in the kerning or whatnot by hand. I know that's not quite the answer you were looking for. I'd have posted the PSD file but it's not really close enough for a cigar so I'm not bothering. Good luck getting it figured out!

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## Sharpe

That's freaking perfect, Mearrin!!! Not sure why you think it's so far away? 

Now, if it only said *Spell Quest* I could have used that! XD

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## Sharpe

> Oh ok, well I am not doing well today then... I have another image in case its useful.
> 
> I think if you need that fill pattern then setting up a custom gradient is probably the way. I would steal the gradient from the image and mask in the new lettering tho... Maybe ill try that.


Whoa, Red Robes, I missed your second pic there! I think that will do really, really well!!! 

Thanks a bunch!

Looks awesome! Thanks so much!!!  :Very Happy:

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## mearrin69

Well, if it's good enough...here's one with the proper text. Uploaded as a transparent PNG, hopefully at a large enough resolution to be useful. 
M

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## RobA

Attached is a zip of the gimp gradient I sampled from the provided image, in case you want to play further.

-Rob A>

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