Ok, first thing you need is a 300x300 white square (its white so we can get rid of any snow that's outside the globe after we make it). Just so happens, I have one here.
Then you need an image to put IN the globe. After finding one you like, take it to GIFworks (if its a GIF that is) and size it to about 150x150 (225x225 max) and TRANSPARIFY the background if possible. If you can't transparify it, try to figure out what color the background is so you can make the globe background that color too. If its a JPG, take it to IMAGE MAGICK and output it as a GIF, then resize. Also, you need a base, a line or bar works good, but it has to be sized too. About 250 wide at the most. The RESIZE on GIFworks has a constraint feature, take this off and you can make em any size you want to.
Next, we need to make a circle for a globe. Go to IMAGE MAGICK and input the URL for the white square, then click on DRAW and on the pull down window choose CIRCLE. then use +150+150 +70+70 for co-ordinates. On FILL, use black or the background color of your image (as close as you can come anyways), then use a nice light color (except white) as the STROKE. The linewidth should be a 2 or 3, then click DRAW. you have a circle - ok, the first step is over. PS - If you want to make the circle part easier, I have one ready-made here with a black background. Or, if black isn't what you had in mind, COMPOSITE this circle with a clear inside CENTERed on your white canvas and use the FLOODFILL feature to make the inside whatever color you prefer.
Next - you have to put your image in the circle. Use COMPOSITE, and pick CENTER (pulldown window) for the location. Put the URL of the image you sized in the space provided. Ignore the box next to LOCATION right now - it will be used later, and forget the next pull-down window - OVER works best for what we're doing. Now, just click on the COMPOSITE button and wait for the image to come in. Hey, halfway past the making part.
Next, you need a base. You may use a nice wide bar or line, just remember the circle is about 230 wide and most lines and bars are about 450 or higher - that's why I said to find one at the beginning of this thing. Of course if you find a nice GIF - you could use it as a base, provided its not so tall it blocks your globe. around 50 high works best.(75 tops) You might like this one. The base positioning is the hardest part of this process as you never know where it needs to be exactly. COMPOSITE again. Try using just SOUTH location at first, but if its too low or off-center - the first number you can put in the window to the left of the pull-down for location will determine where the left edge of the base is from the left-hand side of the square, and the second number where the top edge is from the top of the square (+50+225 for the one above) and adjust as you need to until its perfectly centered and as high as you want it.
Next, add the snow. I have some that's as large as the circle here.
All you have to do is to composite it at CENTER and it will fit the circle perfectly. As you look for items to make globes with, you may find better things than snow to add to the globe, just be sure they fit in your globe or are white, so you can delete anything outside the globe. Now, just use the paint feature below the picture of your globe - the first item is a pull-down- pick MATTE - on the next choose FLOODFILL - erase anything in the next two boxes and leave the FUZZ alone. Then just click on the picture and then click again somewhere in that mass of white around your globe. This takes away the white and you have a globe with snow in it. Now just OUTPUT the thing as a GIF and MULTI-FRAME FILE and you have a globe ready to transload to your homepage. There is a transloader at the bottom of the page, just enter your ftp info and click the DOWNLOAD button. HAVE FUN !!!!! If however you don't like the idea of this thing taking up 300x300 space on your page, click on the OUTPUTed image and then hit GOTO on your keyboard, then SHOW CURRENT on the goto window, then hit CMD-A then CMD-C and go to GIFworks. Click on OPEN IMAGE, then erase the http:// in the URL box and paste your image URL in using CMD-V. When the image appears on the work area, click on SMART CROP - under the EDIT pull-down and it will eliminate any superfluous background area. However, SOME globes may be too large a file for GIFworks to handle (150k max) and you may have to live with the large background. One way to make the file smaller is by reducing the colormap, but this can reduce the image clarity. As you get better aquainted with this process, you'll find ways to make better globes yourself.
WARNING !!!! One problem you may encounter with images is if they have a white background (or white areas near the circle edge) - the matte floodfill may try to erase them too. Use a light-blue circle of a #3 stroke and this should eliminate the problem. ALSO, place any static (non-moving) items on the globe area BEFORE you place the animated stuff or it will strobe or "blink".
Back to the BAR !