For Yohl - Birthday Photo Collage Instructions

[Diana]

http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com...mg.php?id=6305
I’ve had a request for step-by-step instructions how I created my “Hayden’s First Birthday” photo montage (linked above), so here goes. I have PSE3 for Windows so these are Windows instructions.

Create Image Background

From the Menu: File > New > Blank File [or use shortcut Control-N]
Width 10 in Height 8 in Resolution 300 Color Mode RGB Color
Background Contents White (for now—you may change it later if desired)
OK

Save Your Image

The Initial Save
From the Menu: File > Save As
From the Save As dialog box, at Filename, click on Untitled and type in a name for your image.
Click on the MyDocuments or Desktop icon at the left or another folder location in the Save In box at the top (depending on where you want to save it)
Make sure the format selected is Photoshop (*.PSD,*.PDD)
Click Save
A good practice to follow is to save your image immediately at the beginning and then save again after every few steps as you go along. After the initial save, you can easily save as you go with the shortcut Control-S

Open Six Photos

They will show up in the photo bin at the bottom of the editor screen
Click on a photo in the photo bin to select it


Follow the following process for each photo


Check Resolution of Photo

From Menu: Image > Resize > Image Size
Look at the Resolution
If it is not 300 ppi, change it to 300, then click OK
Double-click on the Hand tool to restore full image view
Note: If you are going to print your image, the higher resolution is necessary. If you are creating it for posting in your gallery only, then the 72 ppi is preferable.

Crop Photo

Select the Crop tool from the toolbar
Drag a box around the portion of the photo you wish to use.
For this project, each photo should be close to square (just eyeball it, no need to be exact)
Press Enter to apply the crop

Resize Photo

From Menu: Image > Resize > Image Size
Under document size, change either the width or height to about 3 in, then click OK
Double-click the Hand tool to restore full image view

Add White (or other color) Border to Photo

From Menu: Select > All [or use shortcut Control-A]
From Menu: Edit > Stroke (outline) Selection
Stroke width 15 pixels
Click on the Color box
From the color picker, choose a color (I used white #FFFFF)
Location inside
OK

Copy Photo to your Image Background

Control-A to select photo
From Menu: Edit > Copy [or use shortcut Control-C]
From photo bin, select the Image Background you created in Step 1
From Menu: Edit > Paste [or use shortcut Control-V]

Add Drop Shadow to Photo Copied to Image

Select the Move tool
Click on the photo you copied to your image
From the Styles & Effects Palette at the right of the editing screen, choose Layer Styles in the left dropdown box. In the right dropdown box, scroll all the way up to the top and choose Drop Shadows
Click on the drop shadows to try them out and select the one you like best. My preference is usually the Low or Soft.

Follow the above process for each of your six photos. Each photo you add to your image will show up on a separate layer in the Layers Palette.

Once you get all your photos copied to your image, you can close the source photos.

Arrange Photos on the Image Background

Select the Move tool and click on a photo. Place cursor in center of photo and drag to move the photo to desired position. Repeat for each photo.

Rotate Photos

Click on the photo with the Move tool. Note: Make sure Auto Select Layer and Show Bounding Box both are checked.
Point cursor at one corner of the photo until the cursor becomes a curved arrow
Press the mouse button and drag the corner of the photo left or right to rotate the photo to the desired angle, overlapping photos a little, if desired.
Press Enter to apply.
Note: If you want the photos overlapped in a different order, from the Layers Palette, drag the photo layers up or down to the desired order. Leave the background layer at the bottom.


To be continued---

[Diana]

Birthday Photo Collage Instructions (Continued)



Add Text

Select the Text tool
From the Text option bar at the top, choose a font and a size (36 pt is good to start)
Click on the Color box
When the color picker comes up, use the eyedropper to choose a color from one of your photos, if desired. Or choose a color from the spectrum in the color picker box.
Click on the Image Background approximately where you want your text and type your heading
The text will automatically be put on its own layer
Select the Move tool & select the text and drag it to the position you desire

Resize the Text

If you want the text larger or smaller, while text is selected with the Move tool, hold down the Shift key and drag the corner handles of the text box [in for smaller….out for larger]
Press Enter to apply
Note: The Shift key keeps the line of text proportionate. If you don’t want it proportionate, say you want it taller or wider, drag the text handles without the Shift key.

Apply Bevel to Text

Select the Text with the Move tool
From the Styles & Effects Palette at the right of the editing screen, choose Layer Styles in the left dropdown box.
In the right dropdown box, scroll all the way up to the top and choose Bevels
Click on the bevels to try them out and select the one you like best

Apply Drop Shadow to Text

Select the Text with the Move tool
From the Styles & Effects Palette at the right of the editing screen, choose Layer Styles in the left dropdown box.
In the right dropdown box, scroll all the way up to the top and choose Drop Shadows
Click on the drop shadows to try them out and select the one you like best. My preference is usually the Low or Soft.

Note: Rather than apply Bevels and Drop Shadows to your Text, you may want to try out some of the Layer Styles. With your Text selected with the Move tool and while in the Layer Styles dropdown, scroll down through the layer styles and click on some of them to see the effect they have on your text. To undo the try-outs, just use the Blue Left-Pointing Undo Button at the top of the screen.

To Change Image Background Color

In the Layers Palette, click on the Background layer (at the bottom of the stack) to select it.
From the Menu: Edit > Fill Layer
In the Fill Layer box, under Use, click the dropdown arrow and then click on Color
When the color picker comes up, use the eyedropper to choose a color from one of your photos, if desired. Or choose a color from the spectrum in the color picker box.
Click OK to apply the new color

Simple Stroke Border

The border I used on my montage was an add-on I purchased (The Missing Styles by Jodi).
For this example, I’ll give instructions for a simple Stroke Border.
In the Layers Palette, select the Background Layer (should be the bottom layer)
Click on the Create a New Layer icon at the top just above the eyeball column
Select this new layer, this is where you’ll create your Stroke Border
Click on the Rectangular Marquee tool and on your image, drag starting from the upper left corner down to the lower right, drawing a selection a small distance from the edge of the image.
If you don’t get it where you want it the first time, press Control-D to deselect and start again until you get your selection made where you want a narrow border.
From the Menu: Edit > Stroke (outline) Selection
Stroke Width 10 pixels or so
Click on the Color box
From the color picker, choose a color or use the eyedropper to pick a color from one of your photos
Location inside
OK
Control-D to deselect

Note: You may do a second stroke at a different distance from the edge in a different color, different width, etc., if you wish to experiement. There are a few frames available for download from the subscriber’s area and Jodi’s Missing Layer Styles CD has many frame styles on it. Contact Jodi with a PM for details to order.
If you have any questions or any steps are unclear, just contact me or post a question here and someone will be sure to respond.

Diana

[kayser]

I'm sure Yohl, and many others, will appreciate these step-by-step instructions for a collage. It's one of the most oft-asked things for PSE. I skimmed through it and was glad to see it's similar to the technique I use for creating collages, so I feel like I'm on the right track.

Once again, the people here are amazing- so willing to share!

[Georgette Grossman]

Cannot wait to play with your directions this weekend with photos from our beach vacation!!
Georgette

[Georgette Grossman]

How did you get Hayden's arm to reach out from one photo and point at the photo next to it??

TIA,
gg

[Wendy]

Hi Georgette ...

If you go to the Subscriber area ... Video section then scroll down you will see one called Border Breakout (26th August 2005). That should help you with the effect

Wendy

[Laura ross]

Hi diane

I did your tut and did great until I got to the last part putting a stroke around the orginal photo. I went to the first picture a created a new layer above. drew with the marque and did the edit stroke. It isn't appearing in the picture nor on the layer. What did I do wrong?

[Wendy]

Hi Laura ...

Just check and make sure that their isn't a layer above your stroke layer that is stopping you seeing the stroke .. another thought is did you do the selection a little way in from the edges or did you do the selection the full size of the image ?

Do let us know if either of those things help

Wendy

[Diana]

Hi Georgette and Laura,

I've been busy and haven't had a chance to check the forum in the last couple days. Glad to see you've both been able to get some use from my tutorial.

Thanks, Wendy, for stepping in with answers.

Here's another good breakout tutorial for making part of a photo extend from the border:

http://www.myjanee.com/tuts/breakout/breakout.htm

Regarding the stroke, Wendy is right, it could be another layer above your stroke layer blocking it if your images are close to the edge, or your selection may be too close to the edge, or perhaps the color or width of the stroke prevent it from being viewed.

Please post your final results, we'd love to see them.

Diana

[nursebillie]

Diana,
Thanks for this very complete step by step instruction! I will be trying this out this week! This will help me more than you'll ever know

Billie