Good job, bredies!
Now tell us what are you trying to change in that image?

Well it doesn't open for me from here!

Anyway I want to increase the width of that image, but keep the height the same.
So I have that on a transparent background with a width of 800 px. The height is 400

I want to extend the green colour as a fade to the edge of the canvas so that it looks natural.

Then I need to reduce the opacity so the whole thing looks more like a watermark as I want to add a layer of text on it.

Oh and why can I not open it from here?

If that's what you need, xcf is ready for you.
If not tell me what else needs to be done or done differently.

That's exactly what I need thanks.

I'd also like to know how to do it.

Sorry K1 could I also ask you to blur the edges so that they fade as this will be going on to a white background on a webpage. The sharp edges would look strange (I think)

I suppose I could work on doing that. I do need to learn,

AARGH

but maybe the last part is still useful so i marked with italic



Ok you I want to increase the width of that image, but keep the height the same WITHOUT DISTORTING (stretching ) the image...Correct ?

1 Image /resize canvas
2 Layer/layer to image size ..if you have more layers make active that with the green BG
3 now grab this tool and click on that green
4 now get the gradient tool:blend ...chose Linear gradient FG to transparency (or to white..)
and drag a straight line from the border of the green to the top




Many way to do...as example after 4
1 Edit/copy visible
2 Edit/paste as new image
3 CTRL+L (open layer window) from there lower layer opacity




Then I need to reduce the opacity so the whole thing looks more like a watermark as I want to add a layer of text on it.

Oh and why can I not open it from here?

This is how it's gonna look on the white background


Tell me which version you like better

Hi K1
The second effect is what I am trying to get. Thanks


I seem incapable of understanding what is obviously a simple instruction.

But some things are happening so for now let me once again say a big thank you to all and I will see if I can make some headway on my own.

Really appreciate you guys!

The way I did it is I created a layer mask from selection. For that I color selected silhouette (being all black makes it easy to do).
Created transparent layer above, copied layer mask to it and filled it with radial gradient tool, picking colors with color picker from the color box.
Then made a new layer from visible, made rectangular selection along image borders, inverted the selection and blurred at 35 px.
The first image involves creating another layer mask for the top layer and applying transparent to foreground (black) gradient.
I did not merge the layers so you can take a look at what I did. Sorry, I was in a hurry (trying to do multiple task at once).
Hide/unhide top 2 layers depending on what version you like better (i named layers accordingly) and save it as png, jpeg or whatever format.

No problem, bredies.
Happy to help you out.
On a side note, I would recommend on this stage of learning GIMP follow the video tutorials on Youtube with detailed step by step instructions.
They really help a lot. There are tons of really good tutes on the net. I don't follow GIMP tutorials any more (too lazy) but someone here can recommend you a good source.

Thanks for all that K1.
I have been trying to follow the You Tube tutorials but it is so hard to remember everything as there is constant jumping around from tool to brush to layers to etc. etc.
Headache already!!

bredies: did you check out the tutorials section here on gimp chat yet? there are both text and video tutorials in there, and some of them are especially aimed at beginners. take a look here if you haven't found them already. it's often hopeless to try and follow a video tutorial on something you're not really experienced with already - and even if i have years of experience i still don't like video tutorials, i prefer text, so i love the text tutorials section here on gimp chat!

Anmal I have checked out all those tutorials a number of times! LOL still don't get how K1TesseraEna got the green colour of the image without a sharp edge defining the old image.

I can get the green background plus a heap of other stuff now but cannot get the image to blend and look natural.

I am also unable to open the file that was attached. Same old problem.

This is the best I seem to be able to do:

I've also just noticed that K1TeserraEna has even managed to extend the inner/lighter shaded circle so that it looks normal.
I'm beginning to think I am missing something with the Image to layer instruction.

bredies: maybe not the image to layer instruction, but did you get the layer mask right? the important thing if you want to paint a gradient behind or around that silhouette is to select the silhouette. like k1te says you can do that by since it's all black. after you did the colour select you can get a good looking radial gradient behind or around it in a number of different ways. for example, invert the selection on the silhouette layer and click delete, then just open a new layer and drag it down below the silhouette layer. pick the gradient tool (i'm assuming you've picked your green colours) and choose the radial gradient. drag the gradient out as far as you want it on that layer. this gives you one layer with just the black silhouette and one below it with the gradient. a simple way to do it and probably the way i would do it. k1te's method is more elegant, he makes a layer mask out of the selection so he can paint on a layer above the silhouette layer and still not paint over the silhouette. neither of us would use any part of the existing radial gradient, though, like i said the important thing is to get that silhouette selected.

light flickers on dimly….
I didn't do that part with the mask!
Let me see what I can achieve now under this flickering bulb..

bredies: we've identified the problem! always a good start. do post your image when you're ready so we can applaud your progress in gimp skills .

Well we may have identified the problem but ….
bredies has been through K1TE's instructions and watched a number of tutorials including this one:
http://gimpedtutorials.com/index.php/layer-masks-explained-lesson-5-how-to-use-gimp-for-beginners/
- which please note is for beginners - and still bredies has no idea how the silhouette was isolated on the layer mask.

Haven't even begun to try and work out the gradient.
Not asking for more help - I need to work this out myself - but just thought I would let you know I am still here and working on it.

It will be w while before you see any successful image.

bredies: if you understand the basics of layer masks you've come a long way . i totally understand that you need to work it out on your own, sometimes it's the only way to really understand something - just don't feel bad about asking for help again if you get stuck.