BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: New Answers

portrait collages

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April 16, 2007

Open a "new" document. Select the size of the background [final print] you want. Set the resolution for 300 pixels.

Then, using the Marquis Tool, select the entire document. Go to the Menu Bar and select Edit > Fill. Check that foreground shown on the Tool Palette is black [or any other color you choose.] Adjust the opacity to 100% and click OK.

You now have a black background sheet.

Open a photo. In the Menu Bar, select Image > Resize > Image Size. CHange the dimensions to the size you want. Make sure to set resolution to 300 ppi [I'm sure you're planning to print the final result.] Let's assume you chose to add a 2X3 image.

The image should have assume the new size on your screen [in my test case I started with an 8X12 and resized to 2X3. Using the Marquis Tool select the entire image.

Press Ctrl C to put the image on your clipboard. Then switch to your black background. Press Ctrl V and the image will appear on a new Layer above the background. Select the Move Tool and position the image where you want it.

Repeat the process with as many images as you want in your collage. You can make different sized images, but keep the 300 ppi resolution for all of them. Each will appear on its own layer.

When the collage is complete, go to the Menu Bar and select Layer > Flatten Layers. This will eliminate all the many layers and, in so doing, make the file smaller - important if your working with TIFF files. But, the collage remains.

Now, you're ready to save the file. Then print it.

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April 18, 2007

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April 18, 2007