How to Add a Shadow in GIMP

Shadows can give your graphics depth with an illusion of three dimensions. In the free, open-source GIMP program, these shadows may be applied to individual objects, text or selection marquees. The former two options give depth to the object or text, whereas the latter option drops a shadow around an entire section. This offers a three-dimensional effect on a two-dimension image, such as a photograph floating above the page.

Instructions

1. Open your graphic project in GIMP, or select a new one.

2. Create a new object or text, or use one of the Toolbox's selection tools to select a portion of the page. The selection tools are located on the top row of the Toolbox and include the Rectangle Select Tool, Ellipse Select Tool, Free Select Tool and Fuzzy Select Tool. If you cannot see the Toolbox, hold the "Ctrl" key and press "B."

3. Right-click anywhere in the GIMP windows to open the right-click context menu.

4. Click "Filters," "Light and Shadow" and "Drop Shadow" to open the Drop Shadow dialog window.

5. Enter the appropriate details in the Drop Shadow window. You can change the default Offset X and Offset Y fields, which dictate how far away the shadow begins. The Blur Radius controls the size of the shadow. The Color option lets you change the shadow to any color. The Opacity slider controls how dark the shadow becomes; the further to the right you bring the slider, the darker the shadow will be.

6. Click "OK" to apply the shadow.