How to make a Cosmic Wallpaper in GIMP
This tutorial will hopefully help inspire you to create your own custom wallpapers and produce a great results in the GIMP.
1a. Background
- Open a new document with the settings: 1600×1200, 300ppi (or 72 should be fine), Transparency
b.Image
- Download this image off Flickr (courtesy of skiwalker79)
- Open the image in GIMP as a layer, File –> Open As Layers (Crtl + Alt + O)
- Use the Scale Tool (Shift +T) to fill the whole background:
c. Noise (Optional background)
- Using HSV Noise you can imitate space – Fill the ‘Background’ layer with Black:
- Go, Filters –> Noise –> HSV Noise, with similar settings as shown:
2. Light Stream – Brush
- Create a New Layer ‘Light Stream’:
- Download this rectangular brush (.gbr, ~360kb) and put it in your brushes folder (Resources/Share/GIMP/2.0/Brushes)
- Grab the Rectangle Select Tool and make a selection the height of the document and around a third the width:
- Now, use the Brush Tool with the brush ‘rectangle long’, settings as shown: Brush Dynamics: Random (no Hardness), Apply Jitter: 1.00, Use color from gradient (Standard):
- And simply brush horizontally about 6 times in the selection:
3. Motion Blur
- To make it more Streamlined go, Filters –> Blur –> Motion Blur
- Settings as shown: Linear, 256, 90°
4. Scale – Rotate
- Use the Scale Tool (Shift + T) to make it more stream like and stretch across the page:
- Settings (roughly): 1600 x 2500:
- Use the Rotate Tool (Shift + R) to turn it 45°, as shown:
5. Add Colour
- Create a new layer ‘Colour’, set Mode to Overlay:
- Grab the Gradient/Blend Tool with Full Saturation Spectrum, Linear:
- Stroke across the light stream:
- If you do not like the red sides you can Layer Mask them out:
- Right Click on ‘Colour’ > Add Layer Mask
- Select White:
- Use the Gradient/Blend Tool: FG Only: Black, Linear, as shown:
- Make 2 strokes (red arrows):
- Apply Layer Mask after.
6. Masking Light Stream
- You might like to mask the ends of the light stream.
- Right Click on ‘Colour’ > Add Layer Mask
- Select White:
- Use the Gradient/Blend Tool: FG Only: Black, Radial, as shown:
- Stroke as shown (red arrow):
- Apply Layer Mask after.
7. Adding Clouds/Nebula
- To add “Nebula” create a new layer ‘Clouds’, fill with Black (use Paint Bucket).
- Then go, Filters –> Render –> Clouds –> Difference Clouds:
- Settings as shown: Randomize, Tilable, Detail: 15:
- Set layer ‘Clouds’ to Mode: Grain Merge:
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Adding Clouds/Nebula
8. Adding a Lens Flare
- Create a new layer ‘Lens Flare’, fill with Black (use Paint Bucket).
- Now go, Filters –> Light and Shadow –> Lens Flare:
- I positioned mine on a bright spot – by hovering your mouse over a spot you can get the coordinates (bottom-left of window).
- Then set the layer Mode to Screen
9. Adding an Ubuntu Logo (Optional)
- Download this Ubuntu Logo (logo-vector-free.blogspot.com ubuntu logo vector): Download (72kb)
- Open in GIMP, go Image –> Mode –> Grayscale
- Then drag the layer onto your Cosmic Wallpaper.
- Scale to fit the Light Stream (Shift + T).
- Then set the layer to Mode Overlay and Opacity to ~60%.
- Just download the .XCF (at bottom) if this is too confusing!
10. Vignetting
- To attract the viewers eyes inwards to the centre you can add vignetting:
- Create a new layer ‘Vignetting’, set Mode to Overlay:
- Grab the Gradient/Blend Tool with settings as shown: FG Only Black, Radial
- Stroke as shown (red arrow):
That’s It!
If you get stuck anywhere just comment below!
If you’d like to use these photographs please Contact Me! .
Please comment below if you have any questions and I’ll answer them ASAP!
All images on this site are copyrighted© – All Rights Reserved.
Written by Mike
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Michael Scott is the publisher and photographer behind Scott Photographics! He is very passionate about his photography and enjoys sharing the best of his experiences for others to enjoy too! Contact Mike via email!
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My result:
https://hanciong.deviantart.com/art/cosmic-wallpaper-326744900
Thanx for sharing
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Hi Naomi,
To fill the background in with black(1.c):
1. Use the Paint Bucket Tool
2. Select your colour (Black), as the Foreground colour
3. Then *Click* on your “Background” Layer – make sure you have selected that layer!
If you get stuck just comment below again or email!
Cheers,
Mike
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can’t get past step C becasue it doesnt tell me how to fill the background layer in black
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Okay :) Thanks !
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Hi lance,
The font I used for the title was ‘Braggadocio’ a kind of stencil font from Photoshop!
I hope that helps, thanks,
Michael
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What was the font you used ?
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Hi Vinuth,
this is step 5. which is where you make a new layer: set the Mode to Overlay (on the layers tab), then select the gradient ‘Full Saturation Spectrum’ and apply the linear gradient across the light stream using the Blend Tool. Click Screenshot to enlarge.
If you need any other help please comment!
Thanks,
Michael
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Guide me in creating blends.
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Please tell me as to how to create the spectrum layer in cosmic wallpaper.
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Thanks Kiterunner!
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Wow, that was cool. Here is a bunch of really good GIMP tutorials which I think are really good. https://www.techdrivein.com/2010/08/top-15-gimp-tutorials-from-around-web.html
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Thanks for the correction!
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In step 8 need set layer mode to Screen.