How to Make a Digital Collage

I’ve always enjoyed making collages, where you cut out pictures from magazines and paste them together, to create a new picture. You can also create a collage without scissors and glue, using digital images and a graphics program. The program I like to use is Photoshop, which allows me to work in layers. Each image I add to the collage is placed on its own layer. Using the “Move tool” in the left side menu, allows me to reposition any of the images, on any of the layers.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Computer
• Photoshop

1. Open a new image file in Photoshop. Click on FILE, then NEW. In the menu that pops up, name your image, set the size, and RGB color mode and set background content as transparent.

2. 
    

   Choose an image as your background. Open the file and change its size to match the new file you created. Then select the image, copy and paste it onto the new image file.

3. 
    

   Open a second image to paste onto your digital collage. It may need to be resized. Select, copy and paste it to the file you created. Notice that it was pasted onto a new layer. Check the layer pallet in the lower right hand corner of the screen.

4. 
    

   Combine two images. For example, I added the angel, and then a globe for the angel to hold.

5. 
    

   Select another image to add to your collage. After you add an image, use the eraser tool, located on the right hand side, to remove any unwanted border around the image you are pasting to the collage. This is similar to cutting out an image in a magazine. Be careful not to erase the wrong layer.

6. 
    

   Use the magic eraser tool in the left hand menu to erase all the background of an image you add to the collage. Images taken from the internet are typically under copyright protection, so don’t use these images if you plan to display your work online or sell it.

7. 
    

   Find another image to add to your collage. You can find images online, and copy and paste them into Photoshop. This is similar to cutting out images from magazine.

8. 
    

   Duplicate the background image, and change its order in the layers menu. Then erase most of the image. This will allow you to have part of the image in front, and in back, of an image you’ve added.

Resources

• Craft Classics

[silverymoonart]

on 5/6/2009 I've wanted to try making a digital collage, but wasn't sure how. Thanks for the info! :-)

[helen11]

on 4/28/2009 Great! You are teaching us how to use Photoshop. I have learnt it several years ago, it is cool!