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: 16001200, 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):