montage/collage template

[lucian]

There has been some interest in the montage/collage. I thought I'd just post the tutorial I did awhile back for daughter and friends. It's really pretty simple. Hope it can be of use.


B&W photography is still very popular. I've seen this style where nine images of an infant, all in B&W, were placed on a black background.

My friend Louisa put a portrait of an infant in the center, then "body parts" around the portrait. One was a shot of momma holding hands, another of the tush (with a butterfly on top), another of toes, etc. You get the idea.

My daughter Amy did a similar shot of "Ralph" her friend's 6 month old daschusand.

As you can see there is room, top and bottom, to write a comment. "Ralph" at "six months" or "Carl" at "21 days".





I created this for Amy and saved it in .psd format keeping all the layers in tact. Numbering the layers helps to "pre-position" the images helping to reduce mistakes. So if grandma wants little Susie's toes in the lower left corner just say "in position 7".

Keeping the template in .psd format means you don't have to redesign with each use. The number of combinations is almost unlimited.

- straight line 1,2,3
- diagonal 1,5,9
- vertical 2,5,8,
- etc.

I did one with a horizonal line at the top and and 7x5 under that.

To create the template I started with an 11x14 black. I created a single 3x3 square and copy/paste into the 11x14 nine times.

Next, using the move tool and the cursor arrows I started from the middle and moved #2 up, #8 down, #4 left and #6 right. Then I did the corners and using the arrow keys positioned each 3x3 precisely to maintain the symmetry.

Simple and easy to do and the combinations possible are almost endless, especially when used in conjunction with other size pictures.

This doesn't have to be retricted to B&W. You can use color images, change the background color/gradient or replace with another photo.

Depending on what you want you can add drop shadows, stroke the edges, bevel and emboss - lots of combinations.

You can find the written tutorial at the below link. It was written in Microsoft WORKS and has a .wps file extension.

I don't have any screen shots.

http://mail.zipnet.us:7080/users/1lu...9UP-LEAVES.wps

When you make the template for your use keep the 3x3 NOT numbered as I have in the sample above. The reason for this is that you won't be able to use the MAGIC WAND effectively.

It's easy to put a photo into the 3x3:

Open the photo you want to PASTE INTO the 3x3;

SELECT>ALL; EDIT>COPY (this puts the image in the clipboard);

Select/highlight the 3x3 you want to use;

Select the MAGIC WAND and make the tolerance about 32. Since you're dealing with a solid color the tolerance can be about 10+;

Click the MAGIC WAND in the orange 3x3 and get the marching ants;

Ensure the 3x3 is selected/highlighted; EDIT>PASTE INTO and the image will be inside the 3x3.

Feedback on the tutorial is appeciated.

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[haraki74]

Thanks for the detailed post, always nice to see how these are created.