How to Make a Sparkle With GIMP

GIMP has a Sparkle filter, which turns an ordinary white object into something special.

Use GIMP, a free graphics editor, to add a sparkle to a digital image. With the Paintbrush Tool, use the diagonal star brush to insert a white foundation for your twinkling light. GIMP's Sparkle filter will transform the ordinary star into a sparkle, which can be further embellished using the Supernova filter to add extra shine. You can insert the completed sparkle directly onto your digital picture, which can be saved using a file extension such as JPG or PNG.

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Instructions

- 1
  
  Launch GIMP and open the file you want to add a sparkle to by clicking "File" and "Open."
- 2
  
  Click the Paintbrush tool located in the main toolbox, and the bottom half of the toolbox will auto-show the selected tool's settings. Click on the Brush preview icon to click the Diagonal Star brush. Double-click and drag the tab of the Scale scrollbar to the right to increase the size of your diagonal star.
- 3
  
  Move your cursor to where you want your sparkle to appear and click once. Because GIMP's default foreground color is white, a white diagonal star appears. For best results with the Sparkle filter, don't change the foreground color.
- 4
  
  Select the "Filters" tab and click "Light and Shadows" and "Sparkle." A settings dialog appears, letting you adjust the filter. Click "Foreground Color" as the fill type and increase the Spike length as desired. Click "OK" when satisfied.
- 5
  
  Select the "Filters" tab again and click "Light and Shadow" and "Supernova." Click within the image preview on your sparkle to make the supernova line up with your sparkle base. Click the "Color" box and choose a shine color such as white or light gray. Click "OK" when done to exit out of the Supernova dialog and to implement the filter.