In this tutorial I will show you how to create a nice circle light effect using some circles,layer mode and blend tool. I was inspired by James White photoshop tutorial called ‘The O series’and I will use some of his technique for this tutorial.I hope you like this one and let me know guys what do you think.
Before we get started, let’s take a look at the image we’ll be creating.
Create a new document in Gimp, I used 800×600 pixels. Then fill the background layer with black.Create a new layer and named it as circle 1. After that select the layer and using the Ellipse Select tool, create a circle in the middle of the canvas.
Now set a radial gradient for the circle. Select blend tool and choose white color as our foreground. At blend tool option choose FG to transparent gradient. Tick the reverse box. Set the offset to 40 and Radial for the shape.
Now apply the gradient.
After that duplicate the layer two time and i named it as layer circle 2 and cirle 3.
Now we will start to playing with the circle. Select layer circle 3. Move a bit to the top and to the left.
Duplicate layer circle 3 and arrange it like this. Don’t forget to rename this layer as layer circle 4.
Repeat the previous step,duplicate it and named it as layer circle 5. This time move it to top right.
We have 5 layer circle and set all the layer to Screen mod.
Okay, the next step is duplicate layer circle 5,i will named it as layer circle 6. Move it to to the top and to the left.
Then change the layer mode to Overlay.
Now duplicate the layer circle 6 two times and move it to the right.
So now we have 8 layer circle. Create a new layer and named it as gradient.
Select Blend tool. Use Deep Blue Gradient , 100 for the opacity and Linear for the shape.
Apply our blend tool to the gradient layer.
Then change the layer mode to Overlay.
Next duplicate the gradient layer.Drop the layer opacity down to 60%
Now create another gradient layer and named it as reverse gradient because i will reverse the gradient color.
Change the layer mode to Overlay. You will see nice color there..
We will add some light to the circle. Create a new layer and named it as light.
Using the Ellipse tool draw a small white circles.
Go to Filters>Blur>Gaussian Blur. For this first layer use 60 pixels for the Horizontal and 60 pixels for the Vertical. Click OK.
Duplicate it and place them in the parts where are the lights. Change the layer mode to Soft Light.
Finish!
Final Result
If you want to add more light effect just duplicate the light layer. If you want to create a version with different colors just play with the gradient color..It’s just a simple and nice tecnique and i hope you enjoy this tutorial..cheers! 😀
Light Blue Version
Light Red Version
I’ve made several Gimp tutorial before this and you can check it out at my blog.
