Preview:

In this GIMP tutorial we will transform this stock bulb photo into a switched on 2watt? light bulb :).

Getting started

Before we start this tutorial, your going to need the Light bulb stock photo i found off sxc.hu but i already cut it out so you can download it here.

Step 1

Open a new 1024x768 image. Grab the Blend tool, change your foreground color to 73aeff and background to black. then in the tools options set your Gradient to FG-BG(RGB) and shape to Radial.

Now apply the blend tool from top center to the bottom of your canvas to get a nice radial background
*tip hold down CTRL to get a straight line when applying.

Step 2

Next insertour bulb photo into our image. as you can see the bulb looks totally wrong thats because it should be transparent right?

will fix that by changing the blend mode to Multiply, and then duplicating the layer and setting the mode to Soft light giving it better detail.

Step 3

Now will need to modify the "Tungsten filament" wire (got that from wikipedia) to a switched one, will use the path tool for that. Create a new layer, grab the path tool and go over the wire by applying points along its length.

Step 4

Next change your foreground color to Yellow fcff02. then go to the brush tab and select "Circle fuzzy (19) brush. then go to your path tab or dialog and right click on your path and in the menu click on Stroke path, in the stroke path window select "Stroke with a paint tool".

You should have something like this

Step 5

Change your foreground color to white and in the Tools options change your gradient to FG to Transparent, and shape to radial.

Create a new layer make sure its transparent, and apply the blend tool from the wire to lower bottom of the bulb.

Set the layer to overlay and you should have the same out come as mine.

Step 6

Its still not bright right?. no problem, Grab the Ellipse Select tool and draw an oval shape in the top center of the bulb.

Create a new layer, go to Select>feather set it at 150, then go and grab the bucket tool and fill the selection with solid white. finally set the layer mode to Overlay

Step 7

The light still needs adjusting, will use the Free select tool, but first adjust feather edges to 100 in the tools options and then grab the Free select tool and draw around the bulb.

Create a new layer.grab the paint bucket and with your Foreground color set to white apply it over

Step 8

Now will add a little flare effect to our light, first create a new layer, fill it with black then go to Filters>Light and Shadow>Gradient Flare.
inside the Selector tab select Hidden_Planet then go to the Settings tab change the position to X:504 Y:248 and Radius:314.4.

Covert the image to Black & white by going to Color>Desatruate, and select lightness.

Step 9

Change the layer mode to Addition and opacity to 31. thats it!

You could add some more creativity into this and the possibilities are almost endless :)

XCF file is attached below as always.