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Thread: Lesson 5 - Creating a Simple Abstract Wallpaper

  1. #1
    Domesticus
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    Default Lesson 5 - Creating a Simple Abstract Wallpaper

    Lesson 5 - Creating a Simple Abstract Wallpaper
    Welcome to the fifth lesson, gentlemen! On the previous lesson you learned the basics of creating graphical text. However, today we have something very different in our schedule - we'll study creating a simple abstract wallpaper by using several nice techniques. For better-looking wallpapers you'll need more advanced techniques, but creating a very simple abstract wallpaper is not difficult at all.

    The result of this lesson isn't a particularly excellent piece of art, but the making process was a very good chance to teach you a few nice little tricks as well as further enhance the skills you've gained already.

    Because of the huge length of this lesson I've packed the information in a smaller amount of images than I would've done on the other lessons, so please pay special attention to small details in the images (dialogs, the Layer menu, tool options and such) and the explanations that I have written for each step.

    Techniques
    • Using the Colorize function
    • Using the Make Seamless function
    • Using the Mosaic filter
    • Using the Illusion filter
    • More advanced gradient using
    Step 1

    First off you should get some good abstract brushes. Again you should search them with Google and on Brusheezy for example - there are lots of them around so you will certainly find the kind you're looking for.

    If you don't remember how to install new brushes see the instructions in the content of the previous lesson.

    Step 2

    Now I'll create a transparent image of the size of my screen resolution (1680 x 1050), select a nice gradient and apply it diagonally over the image.
    Click to view content: 

    Step 3

    I want a cyan background, and as the gradient I chose (because it was good apart from the fact that it was of the wrong colour) is blue I'll use the "Colorize" feature of GIMP. I set "Saturation" to 100 and adjust the "Hue" slider the way I want. I also decrease "Lightness" a little.
    Click to view content: 

    Step 4

    As you can see the recoloured background became a bit striped. I'll remove the stripes as well as it is possible with Gaussian Blur:
    Click to view content: 

    Step 5

    Now you'll need a nice texture. I picked one that I have stored in my texture collection. I'll make it seamless, well, just because it's fun. This effect may not give good results so don't do this unless you think it looks better after you've applied it.
    Click to view content: 

    Step 6

    I turn the texture layer temporarily invisible and bump map the background layer with the texture layer (one more time make sure that you've selected the right layers, both in the Layer menu and in the "Bump Map" dialog).
    Click to view content: 

    Step 7

    Now we'll create a nice effect by using the "Mosaic" filter. This won't certainly fit some wallpapers so you shouldn't use this either unless you think it's cool in your wallpaper.

    I duplicate the texture layer, set the upper texture layer invisible and the lower texture layer to Overlay mode and 50 % opacity (see the Layer menu). Then I'll keep the Overlay layer selected and click "Filters > Distorts > Mosaic", play with the values a little and apply the filter.
    Click to view content: 

    Step 8

    Now I'll turn the topmost layer visible again and apply the "Illusion" filter on it. To do this first select "Filters", then "Map" and finally "Illusion". This filter can often be useful for giving your image a personal look, but as the result may sometimes be a bit jagged you may not want to use it everywhere.

    I've selected "Mode 1" and set the "Divisions" value to 64.
    Click to view content: 

    Now the wallpaper base is ready:
    Click to view content: 

    Step 9

    Now that we're ready with the background we'll start creating the things that make the wallpaper "abstract". I'll select a nice abstract brush, make sure that the Paintbrush tool is selected and then paint on a new layer:
    Click to view content: 

    Step 10

    After this I'll create a new layer and paint on it with a different brush and keep doing that until I'm satistfied with the result:
    Click to view content: 

    Doing this kind of brush painting is a lot easier in GIMP 2.8 which allows you to rotate brushes, but it's possible (yet a lot more difficult) to apply rotated brushes in earlier versions of GIMP as well. However this requires that you first paint and then rotate the layer itself by using the Rotate tool.

    Step 11

    I decided to still apply one more brush to fill the empty space in the middle. I combined the earlier brush layers also, as I want to apply the same effects on them, and different ones on the one in the middle.
    Click to view content: 

    Step 12

    Now I'll create a backup of the combined brush layer and duplicate it. I set the original layer invisible and add a white layer mask on the duplicate layer:
    Click to view content: 

    Click to view content: 

    You should actually check the box "Grayscale copy of layer" - I'll do it manually on the next two steps (13-14). You'll understand why I did this once you've reached step 16.

    Step 13

    Well, now I select the layer itself (not the layer mask - you can change between these by clicking them), press Ctrl + A to select all and then Ctrl + C to copy. Then I select the layer mask, paste the copied content on it and anchor the layer by right-clicking it and selecting "Anchor Layer".

    At this point your layer mask should look somewhat like this:
    Click to view content: 

    Step 14

    Now I'll simply invert the layer mask colours to make everything but the Alpha channel visible:
    Click to view content: 

    You'll see the change in the next image.

    Step 15

    Now that we have added an appropriate layer mask and nothing outside the brush patterns will be visible, I can colour the layer with a gradient. I use the same gradient as I did in the very beginning, but now I have set the gradient shape to Radial:
    Click to view content: 
    Step 16

    Now because the layer mask hides everything else but the patterns they have a nice blue colour that changes radially as you can see:
    Click to view content: 

    Step 17

    Now I'll do the same with the middle pattern - create a layer mask that is a grayscale copy of the layer and then invert the colours. I changed the gradient and the gradient shape for this one, but apart from that the process is exactly the same.
    Click to view content: 

    Step 18

    Now I'll duplicate both the layers with layer masks to increase the colour effect. The duplicate layers are also set to Overlay mode.
    Click to view content: 


    Step 19

    As you could see the middle part of the middle pattern is black. That is due to the fact that cyan and red eliminate each other when either of them is in Overlay mode, and that's why I'll increase the lightness of the illusion layer a little.
    Click to view content: 

    Now the red can be seen.

    Step 20

    I'll still tweak the middle pattern a little by setting the upper pattern layer's opacity to something around 70 %:
    Click to view content: 

    Step 21

    Now I'll bring forward the patterns a little by adding a drop shadow behind them. First I'll select Alpha on the invisible, original middle pattern layer (this is another reason why I saved it - you could apply the layer mask before this, though, so you could select Alpha on the colourful layer)...
    Click to view content: 

    ...and add a drop shadow:
    Click to view content: 

    After this I did the same for the other patterns as well.

    Step 22

    Finally I'll darken the edges of the image in a similar way as I did with the "Napoleon" signature on Lesson 3. This time, however, I'll use a radial gradient for it. Make sure you have black as your FG colour, selected the "FG to Transparent" gradient, reversed it by ticking the box next to the two-headed blue arrow and set the gradient to Radial shape. Then just blend the way we did earlier on this lesson (naturally you should do this on a new layer):
    Click to view content: 

    As the final touch I'll set the new shadow layer to Overlay mode:
    Click to view content: 

    Now the wallpaper is ready. This is how it looks like in full resolution:
    Click to view content: 

    Quite good, considering that the methods we used were quite primitive, right?


    Homework
    Now it's your time to create your own abstract wallpaper. Make it big enough so that you can keep it for example as your desktop background in full resolution. Please post the result in this thread (in spoilers) by Tuesday the 5th of June.

    Tips
    • Don't hurry - be patient and you'll eventually get the result you want
    • Spend some time on finding good brushes. They will not help you with this task only, but with whatever you're going to do in the future
    • Don't make the wallpaper too saturated, colourful, bright or dark - try to strike a balance between all of them
    • Simple is often beautiful, as far as it's not too simple
    • Using shadows in an intelligent way will drastically improve your result
    I'm looking forward to see your wallpapers!


    Lesson passed
    Last edited by Goofy; June 29, 2012 at 08:52 AM.

  2. #2
    Legio's Avatar EMPRESS OF ALL THINGS
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    Default Re: Lesson 5 - Creating a Simple Abstract Wallpaper

    abstract?





    original resolution is 1920 x 1200 but photobucket resized 'em
    Last edited by Legio; May 29, 2012 at 03:37 PM.

  3. #3
    edse's Avatar Domesticus
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    Default Re: Lesson 5 - Creating a Simple Abstract Wallpaper

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Making something abstract is hard.

    edit: ...but fun. Gonna try another.

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Last edited by edse; May 29, 2012 at 05:24 PM.

  4. #4
    Raritу's Avatar Glück auf!
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    Default Re: Lesson 5 - Creating a Simple Abstract Wallpaper

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    I don't know... A little too much?
    Honored filly of M and happily taking my glance over Milner and Diamat

  5. #5
    Willowran's Avatar Domesticus
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    Default Re: Lesson 5 - Creating a Simple Abstract Wallpaper

    WAAAGH! I was making my beautiful wallpaper, put my PC to watch john stuart...

    woke my computer up, went to gimp... i cannot click anything. Moving my mouse results in the moving of the image on screen. The mouse pointer shows up as a four-directional black arrow, that looks kinda like the "move item" button in the toolbox. Gimp is quite clearly glitching out. However... i never saved... any ideas?

    this is what i have now... but i cannot do anything else to it...

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Last edited by Willowran; May 30, 2012 at 02:14 AM.

  6. #6
    Kameraden's Avatar Campidoctor
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    Default Re: Lesson 5 - Creating a Simple Abstract Wallpaper

    I got the same problem as Legio(), Imageshack resizes the picture even if you select default size. Weird.

    But luckily TinyPic did the job, here's my work:
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
    Last edited by Kameraden; May 30, 2012 at 06:38 AM.

  7. #7
    Willowran's Avatar Domesticus
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    Default Re: Lesson 5 - Creating a Simple Abstract Wallpaper

    what's it say in the background?

  8. #8
    Domesticus
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    Default Re: Lesson 5 - Creating a Simple Abstract Wallpaper

    Wow, some top-notch work here - you seem to be better at this than I am!

    @Legio: Very good, I was surprised when I checked the contents. Although I'd try working with shadows and such a little, your wallpapers are a bit plain even if they are rather good-looking. Maybe you should lower the opacity of the patterns a bit? Say, to 40 %.

    @edse: Wow, great work - the second one is awesome! The colours and shapes fit each other very well, absolutely stunning work! The first one reminds me of a cave painting, though (may be the bump map - you've set it rather deep).

    @Soarin': Neat. I think you shouldn't bump map the background with those patterns in the middle, though - try adding just a drop shadow around them or something. The edges of your wallpaper are quite nice.
    Quote Originally Posted by Soarin'
    I don't know... A little too much?
    I would perhaps take the vegetation patterns away from the down middle part of the wallpaper, and make the corners asymmetrical.

    @Willowran: What you have there looks absolutely wonderful at least in low resolution as it now appears.
    Quote Originally Posted by Willowran
    WAAAGH! I was making my beautiful wallpaper, put my PC to watch john stuart...

    woke my computer up, went to gimp... i cannot click anything. Moving my mouse results in the moving of the image on screen. The mouse pointer shows up as a four-directional black arrow, that looks kinda like the "move item" button in the toolbox. Gimp is quite clearly glitching out. However... i never saved... any ideas?

    this is what i have now... but i cannot do anything else to it...
    I've never encountered this kind of a problem, so no, I don't have any ideas on it. Maybe our IT pros (Squid and Bolk, perhaps?) can cast light on this mystery. If I was you I would've made sure none of the keyboard buttons had stuck down. That can cause seemingly weird things at times.

    I can pass you upon what I saw in your screenshot but I'd suggest starting from the beginning and then sharing it with others! Also, that should be easier now as your screenshot pretty much tells what you had done before your PC went mad.

    @Kameraden: Great, the yellow colour is very nice and, I can see, you've used some very nice brushes. As I said, great!
    Quote Originally Posted by Willowran
    what's it say in the background?
    I think I know that...

    Great work - I wish the rest of the students can reach just as good results as well!

  9. #9

    Default Re: Lesson 5 - Creating a Simple Abstract Wallpaper

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

  10. #10

    Default Re: Lesson 5 - Creating a Simple Abstract Wallpaper

    Hey, just a question. In which folder do I extract my new textures? Cant seem to find it in the gimp folder....

  11. #11
    Domesticus
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    Default Re: Lesson 5 - Creating a Simple Abstract Wallpaper

    @Maximinus Thrax: Good. The result is quite personal but I like it. The stripes fit your wallpaper quite well also. You may consider making the pattern on the right black and keep it partially transparent. That may improve the wallpaper - maybe.
    Quote Originally Posted by The Norseman
    Hey, just a question. In which folder do I extract my new textures? Cant seem to find it in the gimp folder....
    GIMP hasn't a texture library or such. You'll have to save your textures just the way you save any image. When you need your texture just open it in GIMP and copy-paste it to the other window (in which you have the thing you need the texture for - in this case your wallpaper, naturally).

    For example I have a folder ".../.../user/.../Workshop/Resource Library/Textures" where I save my textures, although my texture collection is quite narrow - just something around fifteen textures there. I'm lazy at collecting them; whenever I need one I search it on Google.
    Last edited by Goofy; May 31, 2012 at 12:29 PM.

  12. #12

    Default Re: Lesson 5 - Creating a Simple Abstract Wallpaper

    oh haha ofcourse

  13. #13

    Default Re: Lesson 5 - Creating a Simple Abstract Wallpaper

    Is there a way to flip the brushes?

    Haha look how much random things we can use So many epic brushes

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    Anyways Ill get back to working now!
    Last edited by The Norseman; June 01, 2012 at 05:25 AM.

  14. #14
    Kameraden's Avatar Campidoctor
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    Default Re: Lesson 5 - Creating a Simple Abstract Wallpaper

    Doing this kind of brush painting is a lot easier in GIMP 2.8 which allows you to rotate brushes, but it's possible (yet a lot more difficult) to apply rotated brushes in earlier versions of GIMP as well. However this requires that you first paint and then rotate the layer itself by using the Rotate tool.

  15. #15

    Default Re: Lesson 5 - Creating a Simple Abstract Wallpaper

    Not through any lack of skill, but just lack of...abstract, here it is:
    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 


    I suck pretty badly when it comes to abstract stuff.
    Under the Patronage of Leonidas the Lion|Patron of Imperator of Rome - Dewy - Crazyeyesreaper|American and Proud

  16. #16
    NekoGenijalan's Avatar Unruffled Equanimity
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    Default Re: Lesson 5 - Creating a Simple Abstract Wallpaper

    I suck at abstract art

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 



    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

  17. #17

    Default Re: Lesson 5 - Creating a Simple Abstract Wallpaper

    Alrighty another question. How do I combine all the brush layers? Im at step 11 - 13

  18. #18
    edse's Avatar Domesticus
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    Default Re: Lesson 5 - Creating a Simple Abstract Wallpaper

    Quote Originally Posted by The Norseman View Post
    Alrighty another question. How do I combine all the brush layers? Im at step 11 - 13
    Merge the layers. You find it in the layer menu.

  19. #19

    Default Re: Lesson 5 - Creating a Simple Abstract Wallpaper

    Is this one acceptable?


    Wallpaper

  20. #20
    Lü Bu's Avatar "Mightyest Man Alive"
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    Default Re: Lesson 5 - Creating a Simple Abstract Wallpaper

    Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 
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