Creating those cool collages

indiegirl

I've noticed more of us are using some sort of collage presentation to show our favorites. They're getting fancier and fancier and I almost like reading the thread to see those variations as much as I like seeing the top picks!

So, how do you do it?

Jesse

indiegirl

I use Google's free picture editing software, Picasa, for all of my photo editing. (But one time I used PS Elements to take away blemishes so I'm moving up in the PP world.)

There is a function where you can select the images you want to use in a collage. I tend to crop and adjust the pics especially for the collage so they look just right as a square.

Easy peasy.

Jesse

Nikolai

I'm a PS guy. "CS3, baby, yeah!"

peterst6906

Like Nikolai, I'm a PS guy as well (CS2 still though).

Regards,

Peter

Travis

Nikolai wrote:

I'm a PS guy. "CS3, baby, yeah!"

BistiArt

Collage Construction Details
Jesse,

In CS3, you open each image in its own window at 72 dpi and say 2 inches wide or high. Then you decide their order and the relative size of a page which will contain the Top 10.

With that 11th image open @ 72 dpi, you then click on #1 with the move tool and place it in the upper left hand corner of #11. Follow this with the remaining 9 images.

Take #11 and perform a levels, moving the black and white sliders about 20 points inward to right and left, respectively. This pops the images in #11.

Upload - either as an attachment if the small kb limit not exceeded, or as an image in a private gallery you devise. Place it, with the proper HTML hooks [See Smugmug tutorials], in your page with appropriate remarks...

Its been a while since I used Elements, so I'm rusty on its commands...

If you have access to NAPPtv.com, you can download a movie weekly which contains Photoshop user tips in the form of very informative tutorials. Cuidate: these files are 100-200 Mb long! They show best on a moderately fast PC.

Matt Kloskowski has a more advanced tutorial on blending collages using a Sax, Guitar, and piece of Sheet music with masks and brushes in the 97th episode labeled putv090307...


Attaboy Girl ... its a pleasure to see how your intuition and leadership works!

dlscott56

I use PS. I copy the images to their own directory, use a PS script to resize all of them automatically, open them all and copy/paste them into a new image sized for posting. Merge them into a single layer, add drop shadow, and put a gradient on the background. Save as jpeg and download to SmugMug with SE.

Sounds like a pain in the rear, but really only takes a few minutes.

Tentacion

I like it easyyyyyyyyyyyy.....I have a GREAT collage maker..

Travis

Tentacion wrote:

I like it easyyyyyyyyyyyy.....I have a GREAT collage maker..

What's HIS name?????

Felicia

Travis wrote:

What's HIS name?????

:lol4 :lol4

Felicia

I just figured out a method using CS3 by going to the entry thread, right clicking, select COPY, switch to CS3, create a new layer and PASTE. Each photo has it's own layer, and I resize the photo by selecting it and Transforming.

I'm sure there are much more handy ways to do it... like Donna's Great Collage Maker...

Nikolai

Felicia wrote:

I just figured out a method using CS3 by going to the entry thread, right clicking, select COPY, switch to CS3, create a new layer and PASTE. Each photo has it's own layer, and I resize the photo by selecting it and Transforming.

I'm sure there are much more handy ways to do it... like Donna's Great Collage Maker...

It's even easier than that. Simply create an original document at 300 dpi and size say 15"x15" (or 16"x20"). Then, when you copy paste 72dpi web images they will automatically become thumbs. Once you done, save it for web and resize.

HTH

Tentacion

Travis wrote:

What's HIS name?????

I never Kiss and Tell...I'm a Lady!! :ivar

Felicia

Nikolai wrote:

It's even easier than that. Simply create an original document at 300 dpi and size say 15"x15" (or 16"x20"). Then, when you copy paste 72dpi web images they will automatically become thumbs. Once you done, save it for web and resize.

HTH

Yea!!!! That sounds LOADS easier! See that, Stirfry? An easier solution!

indiegirl

Ain't life grand!

Hinson

indiegirl wrote:

I've noticed more of us are using some sort of collage presentation to show our favorites. They're getting fancier and fancier and I almost like reading the thread to see those variations as much as I like seeing the top picks!

So, how do you do it?

Jesse

One of the best programs I've found for collages is "FotoFusion." Import your photos, and with a couple of clicks you can set edges, shadows, whatever. Great for Class groups, etc.also.

Tentacion

Hinson wrote:

One of the best programs I've found for collages is "FotoFusion." Import your photos, and with a couple of clicks you can set edges, shadows, whatever. Great for Class groups, etc.also.

I love this Program, one of the few that I use.

aktse

Add me to the fotofusion list... it's quick and easy for collages.

saurora

Hinson wrote:

One of the best programs I've found for collages is "FotoFusion." Import your photos, and with a couple of clicks you can set edges, shadows, whatever. Great for Class groups, etc.also.

Which version are you using?

Hinson

saurora wrote:

Which version are you using?

I'm still using the older 3.7. It seems to do everything I need but the new 4. version does offer some nice templates that I'd like to have. Of course you can create your own templates in 3.7 so it's just a bit more work.

Hinson

davev

Well, I've had my Imac for just over a year, and this thread forced me to try something.
It's called Comic Life. It came with the Mac and is used for making comic strips.
Well, it works really well for Collages also.
Drag and drop, grab a corner to resize, there are lots of other things, I think for frames, but I haven't tried them yet.

Just 8 random shots from my computer.
After I got the jist of it, it took a couple of minutes to make this.

saurora

Sorry, what I meant was there are 3 different versions. A basic, enhanced and professional. (The pro is $299).

Hinson

saurora wrote:

Sorry, what I meant was there are 3 different versions. A basic, enhanced and professional. (The pro is $299).

Sorry, I misunderstood. I have the 3.7 Pro verson.

saurora

Thanks! I'm playing around with some of the different suggestions and doing my own 'experimentations' in CS. I threw a folder full of different shots into photomerge......of course it couldn't merge them , but then it allows you quite easily to drag and drop and arrange them on the page manually. I've been using the same method as Felicia. Not the best and it takes me forever!

dlscott56

Another really simple method in PS is to create a contact sheet. Just select the directory that has the photos, set the size you want your final page to be, number of columns and rows, and you're done. Importing photos, of any size, resizing them to fit, and arranging them on the contact sheet is all done quickly and automatically. If you un-check the flatten layers option they'll be on separate layers so you can add drop shadows, gradient backgrounds, or whatever.

NathalieRose

davev wrote:

Well, I've had my Imac for just over a year, and this thread forced me to try something.
It's called Comic Life. It came with the Mac and is used for making comic strips.
Well, it works really well for Collages also.
Drag and drop, grab a corner to resize, there are lots of other things, I think for frames, but I haven't tried them yet.

Just 8 random shots from my computer.
After I got the jist of it, it took a couple of minutes to make this.

Davey,

I was playing with Comic Book today, but how do you save it as a jpeg? I can save it but can't seem to figuer out what it's saved as.

Thanks!
N.

davev

NathalieRose wrote:

Davey,

I was playing with Comic Book today, but how do you save it as a jpeg? I can save it but can't seem to figuer out what it's saved as.

Thanks!
N.

File>export>export to image, then chose jpeg.