How to Make an Engraving With GIMP

By Steven French

Create a stone engraving effect using the GIMP software.
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Engravers spend many hours engraving words and images into stone and other hard surfaces. Using the GIMP image-editing software, you can create the engraving effect in graphical projects. This effect can be applied to any layer, whether it contains text or some type of graphics or image. For the most realistic results, you will want to add the effect over a layer that looks like stone or rock, but it can be added over almost any image.

Step 1

Open GIMP and open the background layer by clicking “File” and choosing “Open.” Navigate to the location of your background image and click “Open.”

Step 2

Add text by clicking the “Text” tool, then clicking and dragging on the canvas. Type the text you wish to insert.

Step 3

Choose a different font and text size in the Options window if you desire.

Step 4

Right-click the text layer in the Layers window, then click “Alpha to Selection.” This selects the text but none of the background.

Step 5

Click the background layer in the Layers window, then click “Filters” in the top toolbar and choose “Map” and “Bump Map.” Select “Linear” in the “Map Type” dropdown menu. Click the checkboxes next to “Compensate for darkening” and “Invert bumpmap.” Experiment with the other settings until you have the effect you desire, then click “OK” to apply it to your image.

Step 6

Click the “Eye” icon next to the text layer in the Layers window to hide the layer from view.

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