UI Design Tutorial - Mana Orb - Inkscape

How to create a mana orb in 17 simple steps

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In the first Inkscape tutorial we made a simple yet great looking glass button.

If you missed it, you can read it here : UI Design Tutorial - Glossy Button

It is not required but I recommend to read it first before starting with this tutorial.

So today I will show you how to create a mana orb.

You can use it for many different kinds of interfaces and games, I just call it mana orb because I had action RPGs like the Diablo games in mind when creating it.
It can be used as a visual health or resource display or as a bowl, a bowling ball or something completely different, it is up to your imagination.

If you haven't got it yet, download Inkscape!

Click the picture to view the tutorial at full size.
Have fun!

Artist's advice:
When working with color gradients, go for natural colors and use different hues in the same gradient.
If you want a strong glowing red, use a fiery orange tone for the highlight, just like I used an aquablue in this tutorial that instantly reminds us of the caribbean sea.
A small shift in hues can breathe life into your assets.

You can experiment with Inkscape's filters to get nice textures for your orbs.
"Liquid" and "Shaken Liquid" are the ones I prefer here, but it is up to you.
The textures are locked to the canvas, so you can move your objects until you are satisfied with the texture.

An example of use
A screenshot of an Action-RPG game prototype:

Free resources
You can download the Inkscape source file with the game ready mana orb and health globe in blue and in red for free here: 2DeeArt_Mana_Orb.svg

Now we are just one more step away from an impressive role playing game user interface.

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If you have questions on UI design or requests for future tutorials, please post a comment!