Friday, September 3, 2010

Make Your Own Wallpaper in GIMP

Why bother searching for wallpapers elsewhere when you can make it yourself? Aren't you more proud creating your cool and marvelous work? Yes, you can do it, and it's easy! Just be sure you have a photo editing program (in this case, I use Gimp because it's free and almost have same features as Photoshop) and a PC. If you don't have Gimp yet in your computer, click here to download.

Now, if you're ready, let's get started...

1. Open Gimp.

2. Go to File menu>click New.
In the dialog box, set the template size to 1600x1200 or a little bit smaller if
you wish to. Click Ok.

3. In the Toolbox, click Gradient Tool (that small overlapping 2 square icon), then
set the Foreground (FG) color to anything dark, and your Background (BG) color
that is lighter than your FG color.

4. Still in Toolbox, grab the Gradient Tool and make a linear gradient starting from
the top left corner of your window down to the lower right corner.

5. Grab the Brush Tool (brush icon) in the Toolbox then draw a simple swirl.

6. Go to Filters>Blur>Gaugassian Blur... Set Radius to 30px, then click Ok.

7. Filters>Distorts>Pinch and Whirl... Set Whirl Amount to maximum, Pinch Amount to
0.500. Click Ok.

8. Filters>Distorts>Waves... Set Amplitude to 70, Wavelength to 50(max.).

9. Go to File menu and Save your work. Click your work where you save it, right-click
your mouse, then select Set as Wallpaper or Desktop Background. That's it!

If you wish to make some more tweaks, go to Filters again>Distorts>Lens Distortion...
Adjust the sliders one at a time and see the results on the Preview screen. Feel free to experiment. You can cancel or undo anything if you're not satisfied. If you've discovered something that marvels you, save it, then maybe you can share it too - an original work done by you!

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Isabela, Isabela...

I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in. (George Washington Carver)


Isabela. This is my beloved province here in the northeastern part of Luzon Island, the Philippines. Maybe it's not that popular yet compared to other provinces and places where tourism is well-developed and famous. It's okay. I prefer the secret beauty undisturbed, maintaining its natural beauty. And how I wished this will be preserved in the passing of time.