Crude Start

[carrbowl]

I am jumping into the areana of collages. Wow...so many decsions...I have a couple of choices that I have started to play with. The photos stink, so please don't be critical of them!!! I am looking at a rough draft!! How's the layout, how's the colors, shading, etc. Is it too busy, not busy enough, ??? I still need to put some photos in and put the name of the team and the year. I am thinking of using this as a template for a team or an individual...not sure how that will work...still thinking.

[twomiracles]

I think you have a great start, but do have a couple of things I would do...

First, the shadows are very big. In places, the shadows are even obscuring faces (top collage, bottom right photo). I like the one with the tilted photos better, but that's just a matter of personal preference. Another rule I've been told in my scrapbooking endeavors is to not have people looking off the page. That tends to make the viewer's eyes follow theirs and fall off the page as well. For instance, the middle one on the left outside row, she's looking up and out. She'd probably be better on the right side, as would the blonde girl next to her. The blue seems a little bright, too, but then just because it looks bright on here doesn't mean it would print bright, I am definitely not an expert on printing.

Hope this helps!

[TxLerman]

You have a good start. One thing you may want to consider when arranging your collage is where you want the viewer's eyes to focus. You have one large group photo and a bunch of individuals. Symetry will help the viewer. So, why not put the team photo in the middle and then border it with the smaller pictures. Alternatively, you can put the large photo on the bottom and arrange the smaller pictures in a pyramid above it. Another point of symetry is that you have the individual pictures arranged differently. In the first one, some are straight and some are over-lapped. You should use a consistent style for all similar pictures.

Just my 2 cents worth.

David

[carrbowl]

Both of you brought up an issue I haven't figured out yet!! How can layer one photo's edge on top of the other? I thought it was done just by the order in the layer pallet, but that didn't seem to make a difference. Is that the way it is done and I just did something wrong? or what?? Thanks for the suggestions and PLEASE more!!

Kathy, Thanks for the suggestions. Yes the photos are more for a placement than anything...hopefully I'll remember to have them looking the right way on the final placement!! I also think the blue is bright. I tried it lighter, but it turned almost purple when the uniform photos got on their...I'll have to see what it looks like printed.

David, I am planning on putting the team photo in the middle of this one, with each girl around the sides for the coaches. Another option will be a large photo of the girl herself, with individual photos of her all around the sides for the parents. I had trouble overlapping the top 3 middle ones.....I liked them all overlapping...but couldn't figure that out..I'll keep playing.

[twomiracles]

Placing them in order in the layers palette should do it as far as layering them on top of each other. Which ones in particular look like they're out of order to you?

Maybe you could pick a slightly less saturated blue? You can put an adjustment layer between the background and photos and play with it and see if you can find something that fits a little better :) . That way, you'll still have the photos on there, too.

[carrbowl]

Look at the top photo...basically it is the second row of photos. I want the girl on the left, her photo's right side should be tucked behind the team photo. Then on the right side, the girl third down is being coverd up and needs to be uncovred by the photo on "above" of her. I hope that makes sense!! I will play with the layers later...thanks I thought that was the issue and messed a little last night, but the migraine was setting in, and it is in full force now!!

[twomiracles]

It probably is just that the layer is out of place. When you have that many, it's really hard to see them all. I bet when the headache is better, you'll figure that out!