When I first started using Gimp I would create some nice effects from following various tutorials but would always let myself down with a rushed background which would normally be a white to black gradient.
Since coming to these forums I have realised the importance of a good background, so the tutorial below is to show a fairly quick and painless way of making a fancy patterned metallic background, The image below it what we are going to create.
Open Gimp and create a new image 512px * 512px, then select the background layer, right click on this layer and select from the drop down menu "Add Alpha Channel"
Still with this layer selected Go>Filters>Render>Clouds>Plasma and run the default settings.
Go>Layer>Duplicate Layer and change the new layers mode to "Screen"
Go>Layer>New Layer and call this layer "Grid" leave layer Transparent, Make sure Black is set as your Background Colour
.
With This layer Selected Go>Filters>Distort>Erase Every Other Row and run Filter with the settings shown below
Then run the filter again but change the top setting Rows/Cols to Columns, you should have three layers and an image similar to mine below.
Go>Layer>New Layer and call this Layer "Pattern Bump Map" and fill layer with white.
Make sure your colours are still set to F/G White and B/G Black
Go Filters>Distort>Mosiac, Run using settings below.
Go Colours>Invert, Go Layer>Duplicate Layer and select this new Layer, Right Click on the Layer and select "Edit Layer Attributes" rename Layer to "Pattern".
You should be looking similar to my image below...
Select the Layer Named "Pattern Bump Map" and go Filters>Blur>Gaussians Blur, set X & Y to 15 and click ok. Then Click the eye Icon next to layer to turn the layer off.
Select the top Layer "Pattern" and Go Layer>Transparency>Colour to Alpha set colour to Black and Click O.K
Next we are going to lock the Alpha channel so any transparent parts of our image will not be affected by the following steps, to do this click on the square just above your layers, You should see it highlight when active.
Set F/G to White and B/G to Grey (808080)
Now select the Blend Tool
From your Tool box and with settings below run a gradient blend from top to bottom of image, you should find that where we locked the alpha channel only the white parts have blended.
Still with the Layer named "Pattern" selected Go Filter>Map>Bump Map, Change the Bump Map Image to the Layer "Pattern Bump Map", I've Highlighted that part below, then run with settings as shown.
Next we are going to add some more shine to our image to make it look more like Metal, Still with the Layer named "Pattern" selected Go Colours>Map>Alien Map and with settings as shown below click O.K.
Lastly we want to add a drop shadow to our Hexagons, Still with the Layer named "Pattern" selected Go Filters>Light & Shadow>Drop Shadow and run with settings below, the important setting is to make sure "Allow Resizing" is unchecked.
Thats it you should have a final layer set up and image similar to mine below,
you can try experimenting as the mosiac filter has three other option for pattern choice also if you want a more perforated look then instead of running the mosaic filter you could have a look at G'mic Polka Dots which you'll find under patterns.
Special thanks to all those who have created tutorials because I'm postive I've borrowed ideas and concepts to create this effect.