Retro design?

[Dado]

Hello,
 how to create a retro digital watch background in Gimp that has the outlines of the numbers, like Casio watches for example?

Appearance must have 8-bit RBG colors and be partially transpatent.

I am attaching a picture for a better idea.

I am using Gimp version 2.10.

[Ofnuts]

You just stack two text layers:

• A top one with the real numbers
  
• A bottom one with text that uses all segments (usually mostly made of "8"), with the opacity reduced
  

   

• If you have several set of numbers, it can be useful to put both text layers in a layer group, so you can move them together
  
• For a bit of depth, you can duplicate and merge the group, blur it a little, shift it a bit, and move the result under the other two layers
  

   

[Dado]

Thank you for the solution, could I ask you to create a sample in my template?

I don't have much experience with Gimp yet, but I can see that it is a powerful tool.

[rich2005]

First a question. Do you have an actual LED font that you used for your example? Something like this https://www.fontsc.com/font/lets-go-digital.

You can use a copy / pasted in layer as your xcf example but it is not a great way. (turn the selection off as well Select _> None)

[Ofnuts]

(03-30-2024, 08:19 AM)Dado Wrote: Thank you for the solution, could I ask you to create a sample in my template?

I don't have much experience with Gimp yet, but I can see that it is a powerful tool.

[Tas_mania]

Quote:create a retro digital watch background in Gimp

In theory it shouldn't be too hard to make this keep the correct time

[Dado]

(03-31-2024, 10:29 PM)Tas_mania Wrote:

Quote:create a retro digital watch background in Gimp

In theory it shouldn't be too hard to make this keep the correct time

Hi, so I've been learning and testing some overlays in Gimp. And using vector graphics, specifically a grid, seems to be the appropriate solution for me.

As I mentioned, this grid needs to be somewhat transparent because there is text and color underneath. I don't know if anyone remembers old displays, e.g. on a calculator or a watch...

Sure i agree retro design is easy to do in gimp. But then there are a few more questions from a programmer's point of view. This is an overlay that softens the colors and when the color of the text is 88:88 gray, this image softens it and is not so aggressive. The condition is a bit depth of 8 and also a small image memory, because the internal memory is small in the watch. It is also not possible to use a different color for the outlines of the clock, because the watch display simply does not render it.., it is a trans-reflective display.