Layer Effects

This is a series of scripts that implement various layer effects:

  • Drop Shadow
  • Inner Shadow
  • Outer Glow
  • Inner Glow
  • Bevel and Emboss
  • Satin
  • Color Overlay
  • Gradient Overlay
  • Pattern Overlay
  • Stroke

Some effects can have contours (a.k.a. curves) and noise added to them. Effects can either be applied on a separate layer, or be merged into the active layer (which in some cases gives better results).

Tested with GIMP 2.4.2.

Updated 07/19/2008:

  • You can now scale patterns in pattern overlays. (Python version only.)

Updated 07/08/2008:
This script has now been rewritten as a Python plugin! This adds several new features that weren't possible in Script-Fu!

  • You can now preview effects! Click the "Preview" button to see what it will look like with the currently selected settings.
  • The plugin now records the settings used to make an effect, so now you can reapply it! Run the same effect plugin on the same layer again, and it recovers the previous settings for that layer and shows them in the dialog box. You can then change the settings and apply the effect again, and it will replace the original effect layer! (Note: This will only work if you don't select "Merge with layer". Once an effect has been merged into the layer, it can't be removed or changed.)

Updated 04/21/2008:

  • Bugfix

Updated 03/02/2008:

  • Added grayscale support
  • Bugfixes

How to install (Script-Fu version):

  1. Right-click on the link below that says "layerfx.scm". A pop-up menu should appear. Click "Save Target As..." or "Save Link As..." or whatever the equivalent option in your browser is.
  2. Save the file "layerfx.scm" in your scripts folder. If you're not sure where your scripts folder is, you can check by opening GIMP and going to <Toolbox>/File/Preferences -> Folders -> Scripts. If more than one folder is shown, then any one of them will work.
  3. Once you have saved the file in your scripts folder, if you are already running GIMP, either click <Toolbox>/Xtns/Script-Fu/Refresh Scripts, or just close and reopen GIMP.
  4. If you have done this correctly, the scripts will appear in the menu under <Image>/Script-Fu/Layer Effects. If this menu is not there, try clicking <Toolbox>/Xtns/Script-Fu/Refresh Scripts. If it's still not there, make sure the file is in your scripts folder and that the filename ends with ".scm", not ".txt" or ".scm.txt" or something.

How to install (Python version):

  1. Right-click on the link below that says "layerfx.py". A pop-up menu should appear. Click "Save Target As..." or "Save Link As..." or whatever the equivalent option in your browser is.
  2. Save the file "layerfx.py" in your plug-ins folder. If you're not sure where your plug-ins folder is, you can check by opening GIMP and going to <Toolbox>/File/Preferences -> Folders -> Plug-Ins. If more than one folder is shown, then any one of them will work.
  3. If you're on a UNIX system, make sure layerfx.py is executable by typing this in the shell:
    chmod +x layerfx.py
    On other operating systems, you might have to do something else to make it executable.
  4. Once you have saved the file in your plug-ins folder, if you are already running GIMP, close and reopen it.
  5. If you have done this correctly, the scripts will appear in the menu under <Image>/Layer/Layer Effects, and <Layers>/Layer Effects. If these menus are not there, close and reopen GIMP. If they're still not there, make sure the file is in your plug-ins folder, that it is executable, that you have Python support installed, and that the filename ends with ".py", not ".txt" or ".py.txt" or something.
Average: 4.3 (15 votes)
AttachmentSize
layerfx.scm55.47 KB
layerfx.py240.11 KB

Comments

if you're having trouble and on windows

if you're having trouble getting the plugin to work, make sure you do a CUSTOM installation of the gimp so that the plugins will work. i didn't realize that the python support was not enabled by default, and it took me awhile to track down what the issue was. btw, great plugin!

Thank you so much for this

I would like to thank you so very, very much for this plug-in. I utilize the layer effects a lot in Photoshop and it was one of the features that I missed in GIMP, which I am just learning. I really appreciate the work you did on this. You've made my GIMP experience that much better.

Wolfepaw

Woo-Hoo!

Hey Jon,

this is great! Awesome works at all! Thanks.

All options greyed out

Hi, I've installed the script and I'm running Gimp 2.4.5 - I restarted it, and see it in the options, however no matter what I do the options in the sub menu ('Add border" et al) stays greyed out. What am I doing wrong? I've tried creating a new layer, adding test to that but still no joy. I'm still a very very new user of the product and find it amasing! Keep up the fantastic work and thanks

Are you trying it on an

Are you trying it on an Indexed image? If so, try it on an RGB image.

what about preview?

Okay... I have installed this plug-in, and glad to get it))))))

But what I really missed is the preview function (if you remember photoshop has the one: when you try a layer effect, you are looking how it works - it's a really good thing)...

Way ahead of you

While a preview feature is impossible in Script-Fu, this feature is in the new Python version!

Windows Vista

I have used this plug in with my lap top and LOVE it. My lap top is no longer working and I'm using my Vista system. When I click on the attachment I am just getting a bunch of info about the plug in. It's not giving me an option to save, run, or anything. Please help, I'll be lost without this.

Forget it I figured it out.

Forget it I figured it out.

How u download it?

i dunno where to download this thing

Never mind.....I got it!

I posted a dumb question....but i figured it out!

how to download?

How do i download and install the scm. files?

look Attachment and download

look Attachment and download 'layerfx.scm'

Bugs

Hello, I tried your script but I get a problem when I run it :
example, when I run outer glow, I get this message :

Message Outer Glow
Erreur durant l'exécution de
(script-fu-layerfx-outer-glow 1 9 '(255 255 190) 75 0 0 0 0 5 FALSE FALSE)
ERROR: unbound variable (errobj floor)

I don't know if it's important or not, but I copied 'layerfx.scm' with the root mode in my /home/user/.gimp-2.2/scripts.

maybe useful informations :
SE : Linux 2.6.22.17-0.1-default i686
Système : openSUSE 10.3 (i586)
KDE : 3.5.7 "release 72.6"

Re: Bugs

Are you using GIMP 2.2? If so, you should probably upgrade to 2.4.5.

yes!

I change my gimp version 2.2 to 2.4.5 and the script work now
Thx

I've needed this!

Thank you SO MUCH for making this plugin! The only thing I've missed from Photoshop is the ability to "stroke" layers, which I often use in web graphics, etc. This plugin fills that need wonderfully.

How do we check it works????

Windows Vista user

I have put the .scm into the scripts folder and i have checked preferences to ensure this is the correct folder.

On startup there is nothing to say that a new script has been installed. on using gimp i cannot see a layer options or anything when rightclicking a layer and i have also tld script-fu to refresh scripts.

Any ideas here please, i feel this is what im missing to make my life a damn sight esier, if this is going to do what im hoping.. i.e. turn this more photoshopesque

Thanks

Look under

Look under <Image>/Script-Fu/Layer Effects.

How can i get some for mac

How can i get some for mac osx for gimp 2.2

:(

It crashes on 2.4.5(linux)...
It would be an emulation of PShop's layer effects

Works for me

I'm running 2.4.5 on Linux, and I've never had it crash. Can you explain more on how to reproduce the problem? Which effect you were using, what settings you used, and so on? Did any error messages come up?

Crashing Problems

When stroking a selection on a new layer, trying to close the document causes GIMP 2.4.4-win to crash.