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.

Cosmic Wallpaper in GIMP

1a. Background

• Open a new document with the settings: 1600×1200, 300ppi (or 72 should be fine), Transparency

New Document

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:

Scaling Background Image

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:

Noise Background

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:

Light Stream - Brush

3. Motion Blur

• To make it more Streamlined go, Filters –> Blur –> Motion Blur
• Settings as shown: Linear, 256, 90°

Motion Blur

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:

Scale Height

• Use the Rotate Tool (Shift + R) to turn it 45°, as shown:

Rotate 45 Degrees

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:

Add Colour Gradient

• 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.

Add Layer Mask to Colour

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.

Masking Light Stream

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:

:

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

Adding Lens Flare

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!

Adding an Ubuntu Logo

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):

Vignetting

That’s It!

Download the .xcf file here!

If you get stuck anywhere just comment below!

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Please comment below if you have any questions and I’ll answer them ASAP!

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Written by Mike

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!