“May the Fourth Be With You”

By: Rob MacIlreith

For Use with GIMP 2.8

This Tutorial also requires

use of the Green Screen Tutorial.

Last Update: Aug 2013

Pre-Production

• Before proceeding to the photo studio, find a suitable background image as we did in the green screen project. Make sure that you choose a large file size picture.

• Figure out how the subject needs to pose to fit in the background.

• Note where the light source is before you go to the green screen so you can set up matching lighting.

My background choice.

Production

• Shoot your image in the studio using the green screen and proper lighting set up.

• Make sure the green screen is evenly illuminated with no shadows.

• Position umbrella lights to light the subject, keeping in mind where the light source was in your background photo.

• Use the provided handle or flashlight as your light sabre base. Try to position your light sabre appropriately for your background image.

My Sabre Green Screen Image

Post ProductionTime for the Magic to Happen!

Step 1) Follow the steps that you did in

the green screen project. When you

are complete your green screen image

and background are combined. Once

you have reached that point, proceed

to the next slide.

My 2 images are combined and are still a GIMP

file with 2 layers.

-Make sure this box is set to black. If not

change it first.

-Right click here

-Choose New Layer

A new dialogue box opens.

Select the Foreground color option

Click OK – When you do the entire screen is going to go black. Do not panic, this should happen!

Click the arrow beside the words Mode: Normal

Dialogue box opens.

Choose Screen from the list. – Once you do this your image will

reappear.

Image has reappeared.

Click on the black colour square and open the

Change colour dialogue box.

Select a light green color. Some people like white as a starting

point, I have found that light green works better.

Step 1 Select the brush tool

Step 2 Select brush – I like this one.

Step 3 adjust size to fit the end of the light sabre. You

may need to experiment. If you draw a spot and you

want to change it, then use CTRL Z to undo.

Hold down the Shift Key on the Keyboard.

A funny cursor appears. Use it to help you get a straight line from your light sabre handle. You do not want to have a bent blade, it will look wrong. Make sure you draw the blade long enough as well. A good rule of thumb is slightly longer than half your body height in the photo. In my example, I carried the blade right off the screen so length is not as important.

Click to draw the line. If it does not look right use CTRL Z and undo it and repeat the steps until you get it looking right.

Ok at this point we have drawn the sabre blade. Now

we need to make it glow!

Right Click on the top layer and choose duplicate layer.

Do this step 3 times.

Ok if you have done the last step right, you

have 4 new layers like this now.

You have a total of 6 layers in the picture.

Make sure you have the top layer picked.

Click Filter

Click Blur

Click Gaussian Blur

A dialogue box opens.

Use the sliders to find your light sabre in the window.

Set blur radius to 5.0 for both horizontal and vertical.

Click Ok.

You should see a building graph blink across the bottom

as the effect is built.

Choose the next layer down.

Click Filters / Blur / Gaussian Blur Again

New Dialogue box opens.

Set Blur radius to 10.0 for both this time.

Click Ok. This makes the second layer down a bit bigger glow

area then the previous layer.

Choose the third layer down.

Click Filters / Blur / Gaussian Blur Again

New Dialogue box opens.

Set Blur radius to 25.0 for both this time.

Click Ok. This makes the third layer down a bigger glow again

then the previous layer.

Choose the fourth layer down.

Click Filters / Blur / Gaussian Blur Again

New Dialogue box opens.

Set Blur radius to 40.0 for both this time.

Click Ok. This last step makes my light sabre glow now.

Now we need to combine the glow layers together.

Right click on the top layer.

Click Merge down in the dialogue box.

The screen is going to go black except for my light sabre, this should happen. Don’t panic!

Black screen except for my light sabre.

Click the arrow beside Mode: Normal Again

Click Screen and your image will reappear.

Image back. Notice I am missing a layer now as the top 2

are combined.

Click the top layer again. Right Click. Merge Down

Image disappears again

Click the normal arrow again and screen and the image

comes back again.

REPEAT THESE STEPS ONE MORE TIME PLEASE.

If you have done everything right, you now have 3

layers like I do.

Now click colors

Then click colorize.

A dialogue box opens.

Adjust the Hue slider slowly until you find the

colour you want. I made mine a similar purple to

my background character.

Next I need some shadows. You

may not need to do this.

Click the airbrush button.

Reset the color to black.

Next I am going to create a new layer to paint on so if I

make a major mistake I can just delete the paint layer.

Right click here

Choose New Layer

A dialogue box opens

Select Transparency – so we can see through the layer.

Click ok.

I picked a feather brush tip and adjusted the size of the brush and the

painted a slight shadow on the left side of the image to match the

background better. Mine is not perfect.

You will need to experiment here. CTRL Z is a good friend if you make a

mistake. If things are really bad, delete the paint layer and make another

one and start the shadows over.

Ok now we want to put one last effect in the image to make

it look more like the old Star Wars posters. We need a lens

flare. This effect will also make all the layers more blended.

Click the layer with your picture on it.

Click Filters / Lights and Shadows / Lens Flare

New Dialogue box opens.

Click the base of your light sabre handle.

Click ok. A graph appears at the bottom showing the effect

being built.

Here is my finished lens flare.

At this point save the project first as a GIMP file and then

Export it as a JPG. Don’t forget to change the filename so you

have an original and a finished project to pass in.

Make sure to save to your H Drive. If you forget how to save

and export, look it up in the black and white with a splash of

color tutorial.

Star Wars Assignment

Background Photo

Green Screen Photo

Final Photo

Name:

Class:

Rob Mac

Teacher

Here is the finished project on the pass in

template.