Lighting

Project: Lighting

Lighting Effects

The Lighting effects filter allows a user to take an image and direct light onto the image.

First load an image.

Next, go to the GIMP Menu Bar-Filters-Light Effects-Lighting Effects

From here a Lighting Effects configuration box will appear.

When the Lighting Effects configuration box appears there are five tabs that can be used to configure the lighting options. The first tab is the options tab. Here you can select from the General options. A transparent background will enable the new image that will be created to have a transparent background. Which means it will be as if there is no background. Create a new image means that when the filter is applied the new image will be created instead of working on the original that was opened. The third box is for the preview box to the left. If this box is checked you will have a higher quality preview of the applied filter.

The Light Tab is where you will create the light. Let me explain a little about this tab first.

The Light settings are very critical on what type of light is created. First, the Light 1 box is for creating several different lights. Notice on the bottom how you can save the Lighting preset. For this example just leave the light on Light 1. Next is the type of light; your choices are either point or directional. Notice in the preview box how the blue dot is on the eagle. This is point; the light originates from this point. Directional would mean the light would follow a line. The color option gives you the option to change the color of the light you are putting into the picture. And intensity allows you to pick the intensity of the light.

An example of Directional Light

Select the settings that were shown in the first example. Notice the changes that are made.

Next go to the Material Tab. This tab can change the properties of the image lighting. Set the settings one by one as shown in the picture below. Notice the changes as you do each one. Take note of what each one does.

Next, click on the Bump Map Tab. Check the box next to Enable bump mapping. Next, make sure that the correct Bumbmap image is selected. Then, click on the curves box.

Notice that I have the Logarithmic curve selected. There are several options for this selection. Play with each of these noticing the change in the preview box. Also play with the Maximum height, again noticing the changes.

Finally, click on the last tab, Environment Map. Select the Enable environment mapping checkbox.

Again, notice the change in the environment around the eagle. After you are finished viewing this change, de-select the box and click OK.

Check out the finished result.