Gimp: Put shadow behind objects - how it works

Shadows make an object appear three-dimensional. With GIMP it is very easy to create. In this practical tip you will learn how to do this.

GIMP: select drop shadow

In the free image editing software GIMP, a shadow can best be created using the "Schalgschatten" function:

1. Select the object you want to shadow.
2. The drop shadow is under the filters. Go to "Filters" in the top task bar.
3. Select "Light and shadow" here.
4. In the penultimate line is the "drop shadow". Click on it to open it.

GIMP: Create drop shadows

Now the drop shadow window appears. Here you can make various settings to adjust the shadow:

• "Offset X" indicates how many pixels the shadow deviates from the object in the horizontal direction.
• The "Offset Y" option sets how many pixels the shadow deviates from the object in the vertical direction.
• The blur radius indicates how long the transition (in pixels) from full opacity to total transparency is.
• Right below you can choose the desired color for the shadow.
• You can also set the visibility of the shadow under "Opacity". This goes from 0 to 100.
• Finally, you can still allow the resizing.
• Once you have adjusted everything to your liking, all you have to do is click "OK" and the shadow is ready.

In the next practical tip, you will learn how to convert photos into black and white images in GIMP.