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I am starting with a blank canvas in GIMP. I want to create a gradient border around the entire perimeter of the image. I am not looking for fade to transparency or feathering the edges (which there are many tutorials for).

I want to create a Gradient using the gradient tool that goes from foreground color to background color. Unfortunately the gradient tool only allows you to do 1 of the 4 edges. How can I do this using the gradient tool?

Here is the bad part. I've done this before and can't remember how I did it. I attached a picture so you can see what I'm trying to do. I need to do it again because I want to change the color.

enter image description here

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  • There is a "square" shape setting in the Gradient tool options in GIMP, but it would need to be applied to a square and not a rectangle. But your example doesn't look like it was created that way. See example here
    – Billy Kerr
    Mar 4, 2020 at 1:12

2 Answers 2

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Another method:

  1. Set foreground/backgroud to the two colors
  2. Select>All
  3. Start the Blend tool, with
    • gradient: FG to BG (RGB)
    • shape: Shaped (Spherical)
  4. Click and drag on the image, this will create a shaped gradient, as well as adding a control line.
  5. Click on the middle of the line to add a control point, and slide it to adjust the color transition. You can also change the blend characteristic (used Spherical(decreasing))

enter image description here

  1. Strike [enter] or double-click when happy with the result
  2. You can apply a bit of Gaussian blur to the result:

enter image description here

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  • This answer actually does what the question asks instead of providing a workaround and this also works with arbitrary selection shapes! Saved my day. :^)
    – RuRo
    Jan 27, 2022 at 20:51
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Have 2 empty layers, both full sized and with alpha channel or at least the top layer must have alpha channel

Fill the bottom layer with the background color.

Make a rectangular selection, smaller than the layer and fill it with the foreground color in the top layer:

enter image description here

Blur the top layer:

enter image description here

Keep the layers separate as long as you are not sure if some adjustments are needed.

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  • Thanks. That works. I thought I did it the first time with the gradient tool, but this works just as well.
    – Carl
    Mar 4, 2020 at 1:00
  • Only problem is I'm not getting to blur like you are. "Make a rectangular selection, smaller than the layer and fill it with the foreground color:" Is this on the top or bottom later?
    – Carl
    Mar 4, 2020 at 1:21
  • The yellowish rectangle is in the top layer. Both layers must be as big. This doesn't work if the top layer hasn't room for the blur.
    – user82991
    Mar 4, 2020 at 6:20

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