Embossed Metal Pictures

This example demonstrates another gradient effect. I was trying to create an image of a gold coin, a'la Roman Emperors. I'm not sure I quite managed it but it's still a cool effect.

First, open an image - a photo of someone's profile fits best with gold coins - remove any material you don't want and reduce the number of colours by posterizing the image - use Effects:Tonal Control:Posterize with 8 levels.

Next, create a new gradient from this image

left half of Gold 3 gradient

(do a screen dump of this page, open it in Painter, select the gradient and choose Tools:Gradations:Capture Gradation). Apply this gradient to the image using Tools:Gradations:Express In Image

gold image

This is actually the left half (more or less) of the Gold 3 gradient - if you use the whole gradient it doesn't quite work (but try it for yourself and see what you think).

Now we can emboss it by using Effects:Surface Control:Apply Surface Texture with the following parameters:

embossed image

Obviously you can do the same with any gradient - try the predefined wood ones. You should be able to create

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