GIMP Lightsaber Tutorial

Disclaimer: This tutorial is an updated and revamped version of two different tutorials I found online. The majority of what I have done was taken from a great lightsaber tutorial by Saint BeelzePaul Productions (http://www.freewebs.com/stbeelzepaulproductions/tutorialsyay.htm) However, his tutorial was for a very early version of GIMP, and some things didn't apply anymore. I adapted his ideas to the newer version, along with some things I figured out on my own. I did this without his permission, and he feels I overstepped my boundaries by calling this my own work ( which I believe it is) I will immediately take it down, no problem. Thanks a lot for checking this out.

GIMP Lightsaber tutorial (Using one of the newest forms of GIMP, 2.2.14)

Make sure you read the entire tutorial first, it may be confusing (sorry..)

Step 1: Start by opening the image you want to edit in GIMP. Make sure your "Layers" dialogue is active, this is the most important tool we will be using to edit our sabers.

Step 2: In your layers dialogue, make sure your picture is the only one there, click on it to select the layer. Then go down to the icon that looks like a blank piece of paper, this will create a new layer. Alternately, in the image window, go to Layers-Make new layer. When your options come up, name the layer "lightsaber" and make sure it is a transparent layer.

Step 3: In your layers dialogue, click on your new transparent layer. Make sure it is selected before you proceed. Then, find your lightsaber blade on your frame. You can either paint a white core on it with the paintbrush tool(its faster that way) or you can create a path using the Paths tool (it takes longer, but you have more control) To use the paths method, click the paths tool icon in your main GIMP window. It should say "create and edit paths" if you hover your mouse over it. And click every corner of your blade until you have selected the whole thing. Then in the Paths dialogue box, click " Create selection from path". Then you can easily fill in the selection with white. Afterwards, in your image window, go to Select-None.

Now you should have two layers: your background layer and the transparent layer on top with the lightsaber blade.

Step 4: Now for the easy part. Select the lightsaber layer and then go down to the icon that looks like two sheets of paper. This is your "duplicate layers" option. Alternately in your image window, go to Layer-Duplicate Layer. Duplicate your lightsaber layer 4 times. So now you should have 6 layers, Background, Lightsaber and four lightsaber copies.

Step 5: Make sure the topmost lightsaber layer (lightsaber copy #4) is selected. In your main image window, go to Filters-Blur-Gaussian blur. Make sure that RLE mode is selected and set the blur radius to 80 in both windows (horiz. and vert.) Click ok.

Step 6: Now go to the lightsaber layer under "lightsaber copy #4" (lightsaber copy #3) and repeat the Gaussian blur, only set the blur radius to 60 instead.

You should start seeing a faint glow around the core of your saber.

Step 7: Select "lightsaber layer #2" and repeat Gaussian blur, using 40 instead of 60 for your blur radius

Step 8: Select "lightsaber copy #1" and repeat Guassian blur, using (you guessed it) 20 instead of 40 for the blur radius

Step 9: Select the bottommost Lightsaber layer ("Lightsaber") and Gaussian blur it, giving a blur radius of 2.

Your lightsaber should now look like a white, glowing rod. We now need color! But first...

Step 10: Make sure that your "Background" layer is selected and now make a new layer, but this time, make sure the layer is black, not transparent. Your image window should appear to be nothing more than a black screen. This is very important. Now your layers should be stacked like this (from bottom to top): Background-Black Layer-Lightsaber-Lightsaber copy #1...etc. Now we need to set the Black layer layer mode to screen. In your layers dialogue, select the black layer, now near the top of the dialogue is a dropdown box that says "mode" beside it. Click that box and set the black layer layer mode to "screen"

Step 11: You should now see your lightsaber and background again. Now select your topmost lightsaber layer and right click-merge down. Repeat this on all lightsaber layers until you have a white lightsaber on the black layer. So you should have only two layers.: Your background image, and the lightsaber on a black background.

Step 12: Now select your lightsaber layer, and in your main image window go to Layer-Colors-Color Balance. Make sure that "Midtones" is selected and adjust the sliders to the color you prefer. Now you can edit the highlights, but do not tweak them much, only slightly using the color of your saber as a guide.

Okay, so you should now have two layers, a colorful lightsaber, and your background image.

Step 13: For an added effect, select your "Background" layer and adjust the color balance slightly making it more blue if you have a blue saber, for example. But don't adjust it too much, add only a hint of blue or whatever color.

Well that's it, you're almost done. The final step is to select your Lightsaber layer and Right Click-Flatten Image. Then all you have to do is save and your done!.

This was my first ever tutorial. Hope it helps.

This tutorial can be reused or redistributed by anyone, but please give me some credit for it...thanks

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