how to make collage with lines between photos?

H
Posted By
HK
Dec 17, 2005
Views
723
Replies
12
Status
Closed
I want to take a bunch of pics from a photo shoot and make a collage where there are vertical + horizontal lines between the pictures. Maybe a 16 x 20 background, with one big pic in the middle and lots of little rectangles all around it. I’m used to drawing programs but not used to drawing in Photoshop CS. What a pain! I’ve spent 1/2 hour and not getting anywhere. Surely there must a straightforward way to create the frame (all the lines) and then have photoshop drop each photo into the squares? Is there? All I can figure out is how to draw lines, each line creating a layer, and then I have to manually figure out the exact size of the rectangles and make the photos that exact size. I’m sure I’m just being stupid and there must be a better way to make the grid and drop the photos into each square with auto-cropping into that square size. Can someone please give me a quick step-by-step to do this? Thanks.

Master Retouching Hair

Learn how to rescue details, remove flyaways, add volume, and enhance the definition of hair in any photo. We break down every tool and technique in Photoshop to get picture-perfect hair, every time.

K
klh
Dec 17, 2005
IMHO, I’d do that in pagemaker or someother page layout program. maybe even a draw program that lets you bring in images (corel draw?) would so do.
I did exactly that for wedding pictures and used pagemaker. worked just fine for cropping and sizing as long as you leave the images linked and don’t creat a zillion mbyte file with all those images.

I too would struggle mightily in pshop.

HK wrote:

I want to take a bunch of pics from a photo shoot and make a collage where there are vertical + horizontal lines between the pictures. Maybe a 16 x 20 background, with one big pic in the middle and lots of little rectangles all around it. I’m used to drawing programs but not used to drawing in Photoshop CS. What a pain! I’ve spent 1/2 hour and not getting anywhere. Surely there must a straightforward way to create the frame (all the lines) and then have photoshop drop each photo into the squares? Is there? All I can figure out is how to draw lines, each line creating a layer, and then I have to manually figure out the exact size of the rectangles and make the photos that exact size. I’m sure I’m just being stupid and there must be a better way to make the grid and drop the photos into each square with auto-cropping into that square size. Can someone please give me a quick step-by-step to do this? Thanks.

H
HK
Dec 17, 2005
unfortunately I don’t have pagemaker, though.

"klh" wrote in message
IMHO, I’d do that in pagemaker or someother page layout program. maybe even a draw program that lets you bring in images (corel draw?) would so do.
I did exactly that for wedding pictures and used pagemaker. worked just fine for cropping and sizing as long as you leave the images linked and don’t creat a zillion mbyte file with all those images.

I too would struggle mightily in pshop.

HK wrote:

I want to take a bunch of pics from a photo shoot and make a collage
where
there are vertical + horizontal lines between the pictures. Maybe a 16 x
20
background, with one big pic in the middle and lots of little rectangles
all
around it. I’m used to drawing programs but not used to drawing in Photoshop CS. What a pain! I’ve spent 1/2 hour and not getting
anywhere.
Surely there must a straightforward way to create the frame (all the
lines)
and then have photoshop drop each photo into the squares? Is there? All
I
can figure out is how to draw lines, each line creating a layer, and then
I
have to manually figure out the exact size of the rectangles and make the photos that exact size. I’m sure I’m just being stupid and there must
be a
better way to make the grid and drop the photos into each square with auto-cropping into that square size. Can someone please give me a quick step-by-step to do this? Thanks.

K
KatWoman
Dec 17, 2005
"HK" wrote in message
I want to take a bunch of pics from a photo shoot and make a collage where there are vertical + horizontal lines between the pictures. Maybe a 16 x 20
background, with one big pic in the middle and lots of little rectangles all
around it. I’m used to drawing programs but not used to drawing in Photoshop CS. What a pain! I’ve spent 1/2 hour and not getting anywhere.
Surely there must a straightforward way to create the frame (all the lines)
and then have photoshop drop each photo into the squares? Is there? All I
can figure out is how to draw lines, each line creating a layer, and then I
have to manually figure out the exact size of the rectangles and make the photos that exact size. I’m sure I’m just being stupid and there must be a
better way to make the grid and drop the photos into each square with auto-cropping into that square size. Can someone please give me a quick step-by-step to do this? Thanks.
make the collage first

make a new document whatever final size and res u like
open all the photos you want to use
record as an action to save time
on first photo select all edit copy or cut (Ctrl+c or x) click the new doc u created edit paste or (ctrl+v)
close no save
stop the action recording
automate batch on all open docs
now you will have each photo on a separate layer
resize and position with move tool (choose select layer automatically), now when you click a pic they will move without having to select each layer first, more like an edit mode
use transform scale (click the link to keep proportion) to get the size you need, using masks is better than cropping each photo as you can recover the hidden part if needed
(use the marquee tool, select inverse, click the mask at bottom of the layers palette)

Then when you get the layout, use LAYER effects, (you can copy paste this into each layer to match)
Select stroke choose color and size and all the images will have borders between them.
You could actually add this to the action recording after the paste step.
MH
Mike Hyndman
Dec 17, 2005
This link explains how to create the "grid"
http://photoshop911.typepad.com/help/2004/07/creating_grids_ .html

and this one shows you are to make the image "spaces", it only shows one, but it isn’t rocket science to add more around, between your lines.

http://www.digitalimagecafe.com/tut_CreateTemplate.asp.

HTH
MH
TC
tony cooper
Dec 17, 2005
On Sat, 17 Dec 2005 18:58:48 GMT, "HK"
wrote:

I want to take a bunch of pics from a photo shoot and make a collage where there are vertical + horizontal lines between the pictures. Maybe a 16 x 20 background, with one big pic in the middle and lots of little rectangles all around it. I’m used to drawing programs but not used to drawing in Photoshop CS. What a pain! I’ve spent 1/2 hour and not getting anywhere. Surely there must a straightforward way to create the frame (all the lines) and then have photoshop drop each photo into the squares? Is there? All I can figure out is how to draw lines, each line creating a layer, and then I have to manually figure out the exact size of the rectangles and make the photos that exact size. I’m sure I’m just being stupid and there must be a better way to make the grid and drop the photos into each square with auto-cropping into that square size. Can someone please give me a quick step-by-step to do this? Thanks.

I’m not exactly sure what you’re trying do, but would it work to put a solid-color layer behind all of the images and arrange the images so that all that shows of the solid layer is a frame around the pix?

Alternatively, create a solid layer and delete the areas (using the marquee tool) where you want the images to show and place the images behind the solid layer.



Tony Cooper
Orlando, FL
H
HK
Dec 18, 2005
"KatWoman" wrote in message
"HK" wrote in message
I want to take a bunch of pics from a photo shoot and make a collage
where
there are vertical + horizontal lines between the pictures. Maybe a 16
x
20
background, with one big pic in the middle and lots of little rectangles all
around it. I’m used to drawing programs but not used to drawing in Photoshop CS. What a pain! I’ve spent 1/2 hour and not getting anywhere.
Surely there must a straightforward way to create the frame (all the lines)
and then have photoshop drop each photo into the squares? Is there?
All
I
can figure out is how to draw lines, each line creating a layer, and
then
I
have to manually figure out the exact size of the rectangles and make
the
photos that exact size. I’m sure I’m just being stupid and there must
be
a
better way to make the grid and drop the photos into each square with auto-cropping into that square size. Can someone please give me a quick step-by-step to do this? Thanks.
make the collage first

make a new document whatever final size and res u like
open all the photos you want to use
record as an action to save time
on first photo select all edit copy or cut (Ctrl+c or x) click the new doc u created edit paste or (ctrl+v)
close no save
stop the action recording
automate batch on all open docs
now you will have each photo on a separate layer
resize and position with move tool (choose select layer automatically),
now
when you click a pic they will move without having to select each layer first, more like an edit mode
use transform scale (click the link to keep proportion) to get the size
you
need, using masks is better than cropping each photo as you can recover
the
hidden part if needed
(use the marquee tool, select inverse, click the mask at bottom of the layers palette)

Then when you get the layout, use LAYER effects, (you can copy paste this into each layer to match)
Select stroke choose color and size and all the images will have borders between them.
You could actually add this to the action recording after the paste step.

Thanks for the detailed reply! But I’m confused by the last few lines, sorry. What do you mean by "when you get the layout"? Didn’t I create the layout/collage lines with a pen in step one of your instructions?

Then, you wrote "select stroke…" but with what tool?

Again, thanks.
N
nunya
Dec 18, 2005
Personal preference for this type of thing is to first use the Guide lines to lay out the grids, make sure ‘snap to guides’ is on and drag the images to the top-rightborders of the guidelines and then resize them to fit inside the spaces correctly. Since you hae the guidelines down, you can use the marquee tool for selections to crop off and extra trim. make sure you put everything on it’s own layer. Once you’re done, as long as you’ve let everything snap to your guides, yo can apply layer styles (stroke) to each layer, select the stroke position as "Center" and all of the stroke effects will end up creating your grid lines.

"HK" wrote in message
I want to take a bunch of pics from a photo shoot and make a collage where there are vertical + horizontal lines between the pictures. Maybe a 16 x 20
background, with one big pic in the middle and lots of little rectangles all
around it. I’m used to drawing programs but not used to drawing in Photoshop CS. What a pain! I’ve spent 1/2 hour and not getting anywhere.
Surely there must a straightforward way to create the frame (all the lines)
and then have photoshop drop each photo into the squares? Is there? All I
can figure out is how to draw lines, each line creating a layer, and then I
have to manually figure out the exact size of the rectangles and make the photos that exact size. I’m sure I’m just being stupid and there must be a
better way to make the grid and drop the photos into each square with auto-cropping into that square size. Can someone please give me a quick step-by-step to do this? Thanks.

JJ
John John
Dec 18, 2005
Checkout LumaPix FotoFusion.

HK wrote:
I want to take a bunch of pics from a photo shoot and make a collage where there are vertical + horizontal lines between the pictures. Maybe a 16 x 20 background, with one big pic in the middle and lots of little rectangles all around it. I’m used to drawing programs but not used to drawing in Photoshop CS. What a pain! I’ve spent 1/2 hour and not getting anywhere. Surely there must a straightforward way to create the frame (all the lines) and then have photoshop drop each photo into the squares? Is there? All I can figure out is how to draw lines, each line creating a layer, and then I have to manually figure out the exact size of the rectangles and make the photos that exact size. I’m sure I’m just being stupid and there must be a better way to make the grid and drop the photos into each square with auto-cropping into that square size. Can someone please give me a quick step-by-step to do this? Thanks.

K
KatWoman
Dec 18, 2005
"HK" wrote in message
"KatWoman" wrote in message
"HK" wrote in message
I want to take a bunch of pics from a photo shoot and make a collage
where
there are vertical + horizontal lines between the pictures. Maybe a 16
x
20
background, with one big pic in the middle and lots of little rectangles
all
around it. I’m used to drawing programs but not used to drawing in Photoshop CS. What a pain! I’ve spent 1/2 hour and not getting anywhere.
Surely there must a straightforward way to create the frame (all the lines)
and then have photoshop drop each photo into the squares? Is there?
All
I
can figure out is how to draw lines, each line creating a layer, and
then
I
have to manually figure out the exact size of the rectangles and make
the
photos that exact size. I’m sure I’m just being stupid and there must
be
a
better way to make the grid and drop the photos into each square with auto-cropping into that square size. Can someone please give me a quick
step-by-step to do this? Thanks.
make the collage first

make a new document whatever final size and res u like
open all the photos you want to use
record as an action to save time
on first photo select all edit copy or cut (Ctrl+c or x) click the new doc u created edit paste or (ctrl+v)
close no save
stop the action recording
automate batch on all open docs
now you will have each photo on a separate layer
resize and position with move tool (choose select layer automatically),
now
when you click a pic they will move without having to select each layer first, more like an edit mode
use transform scale (click the link to keep proportion) to get the size
you
need, using masks is better than cropping each photo as you can recover
the
hidden part if needed
(use the marquee tool, select inverse, click the mask at bottom of the layers palette)

Then when you get the layout, use LAYER effects, (you can copy paste this into each layer to match)
Select stroke choose color and size and all the images will have borders between them.
You could actually add this to the action recording after the paste step.

Thanks for the detailed reply! But I’m confused by the last few lines, sorry. What do you mean by "when you get the layout"? Didn’t I create the
layout/collage lines with a pen in step one of your instructions?
Then, you wrote "select stroke…" but with what tool?
Again, thanks.
no pen tool in my method
the tool is the layer effects choices, the little half moon at bottom of the layer palette
MH
Mike Hyndman
Dec 19, 2005
On Sat, 17 Dec 2005 18:58:48 GMT, "HK"
wrote:

HK

See the Quicktime movie at the following link
http://www.photoworkshop.com/registered/softwarecinema/bob_c oates.html Site requires free registration but well worth it.
HTH
MH

remove -bats- to reply

"Ingratitude is never having to say thankyou".
LM
L Mahoney
May 1, 2006
HK wrote:
I want to take a bunch of pics from a photo shoot and make a collage where there are vertical + horizontal lines between the pictures. Maybe a 16 x 20 background, with one big pic in the middle and lots of little rectangles all around it. I’m used to drawing programs but not used to drawing in Photoshop CS. What a pain! I’ve spent 1/2 hour and not getting anywhere. Surely there must a straightforward way to create the frame (all the lines) and then have photoshop drop each photo into the squares? Is there? All I can figure out is how to draw lines, each line creating a layer, and then I have to manually figure out the exact size of the rectangles and make the photos that exact size. I’m sure I’m just being stupid and there must be a better way to make the grid and drop the photos into each square with auto-cropping into that square size. Can someone please give me a quick step-by-step to do this? Thanks.
Im a total novice. But is there a way you can call up a grid and then make it print?
MH
Mike Hyndman
May 1, 2006
Check it out here: http://www.richardrosenman.com/photoshop.htm "L Mahoney" wrote in message
HK wrote:
I want to take a bunch of pics from a photo shoot and make a collage where
there are vertical + horizontal lines between the pictures. Maybe a 16 x 20
background, with one big pic in the middle and lots of little rectangles all
around it. I’m used to drawing programs but not used to drawing in Photoshop CS. What a pain! I’ve spent 1/2 hour and not getting anywhere.
Surely there must a straightforward way to create the frame (all the lines)
and then have photoshop drop each photo into the squares? Is there? All I
can figure out is how to draw lines, each line creating a layer, and then I
have to manually figure out the exact size of the rectangles and make the photos that exact size. I’m sure I’m just being stupid and there must be a
better way to make the grid and drop the photos into each square with auto-cropping into that square size. Can someone please give me a quick step-by-step to do this? Thanks.
Im a total novice. But is there a way you can call up a grid and then make it print?

For a "grid print" plugin (free) see
http://www.richardrosenman.com/photoshop.htm
And to speed up your "collage" creation it sounds like you need to create a template. Check out the template tutorial at the following, you may be asked to register, but as it’s free to merely view the videos….. http://www.photoworkshop.com/registered/softwarecinema/bob_c oates.html

HTH
MH

How to Master Sharpening in Photoshop

Give your photos a professional finish with sharpening in Photoshop. Learn to enhance details, create contrast, and prepare your images for print, web, and social media.

Related Discussion Topics

Nice and short text about related topics in discussion sections