How to Make a Meteor in Gimp

You can use GIMP to digitally create meteors, stars and other sky scenes.

If you want to make a digital graphic filled with meteors, you can use the free software GIMP to accomplish the task. GIMP comes with Light and Shadow Filters intended to help create extraterrestrial scenes. Implementing the user-friendly pre-sets, practically anyone can make meteors, supernovas and flares. You can start from scratch, creating a brand new file, or you can simply insert a light scene in front of a sky backdrop that you already have.

Instructions

1. Launch GIMP and create a new file by clicking on "File" and "New." If you already have an image that you want to use as the backdrop to your meteor, you can alternatively click "File" and "Open" to open the preexisting graphic. Otherwise, use the "Create a New File" dialog to choose a size for your workbook.

2. Select the Bucket Fill Tool located in the main toolbox, and click on the Foreground Color box. Select a dark shade from the color gradient such as HTML notation"000000" or "180000," and click "OK." Click once within the workbook and the background color will become the shade you selected.

3. Click on "Filters," "Light and Shadow" and "Lens Flare." Input the X and Y values for where you want the center of your light source to be, and click "OK." When given a motion blur, the lens flare effect looks like a shooting star with background debris.

4. Select "Filters," "Blur" and "Motion Blur." Use the blur dialog preview to guide your selection of blur settings. Try a zoom blur type with a large length, and click "OK."

5. Click on the "Filters" tab again, then "Light and Shadow" and "Lighting Effects." Use the scroll-bar to select a distance that suits your image, then click on the "Light" tab. Choose the type "Directional," and click "OK."

6. Save your finished scene by clicking on "File" and "Save As."

Tips & Warnings

• You may not know exactly where you want the center of your light source to be or what distance is optimal to give your lighting effect. Use trial and error to determine what works for you, clicking "Edit" and "Undo" whenever the results are undesirable.

References

• GIMP: Lens Flare
• GIMP: Motion Blur
• GIMP: Lighting Effects

Resources

• GIMP