How to Make a Photo Mosaic in Adobe Photoshop
The photo mosaic is a popular photo effect, consisting of a larger image made up of hundreds of smaller images. It is possible to achieve a digital photo mosaic effect using Adobe's Photoshop software. Photoshop will cut down on the time you spend on this project and accomplish the same outcome.
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Instructions
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Open up the Adobe Photoshop software on your computer.
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In Photoshop, open the images you wish to include in the mosaic: Left-click "File" and select "Open" from the drop-down menu. The Open dialog box opens. Navigate to the images on your computer and highlight them. Left-click the "Open" button.
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Separate mentally how you would like to use your images (In this example, three images are used.). Choose one for the main image that will be the mosaic. "Image 1" and "Image 2" are the images that will make up the main image.
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Crop your main image so that it is a close-up of the person or object in the photo ( shaping the image as a perfect square works best): Left-click the Rectangular Marquee Tool to select it. Hold down the "Shift" key, left-click, and hold and drag a square around the main area of your main image. Left-click "Image" in the top toolbar and select "Crop" from the drop-down menu. Photoshop crops your main image.
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Left-click on your Image 1 in Photoshop. Crop Image 1 by left-clicking the Crop Tool in the Tools Palette. Type 50 in both the width and height fields in the Options toolbar just above the work area; this will make the crop applied to Image 1 a perfect square. Left-click, and hold and drag a square around the main subject of Image 1. When you are happy with the crop, press "Enter". Photoshop crops the image.
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Repeat Step 5 to crop Image 2 into a square.
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Open a new document by left-clicking "File" and selecting "Open" from the drop-down menu. The Open dialog box opens.Type 100 in the width and height for the new document. Set the resolution to 72 pixels/inch. Left-click "Open".
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Left-click the Move Tool in the Tools Palette to select it.
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Left-click inside Image 1, and hold and drag Image 1 to the top left corner of the new document. Image 1 will snap to the left corner position.
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Hold down the Alt key and left-click Image 1 inside the new document. Hold and drag Image 1 to the bottom right of the new document. Photoshop creates a copy of Image 1, and there are now two in the new document positioned diagonally from one another.
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Left-click, and hold and drag Image 2 into the new document in the top right corner.
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Hold down the Alt key and left-click Image 2 inside the new document. Hold and drag Image 2 to the bottom left of the new document. Photoshop creates a copy of Image 2, and there are now two in the new document diagonal from one another.
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Flatten the image by left-clicking "Layer" in the top toolbar and selecting "Flatten Image" from the drop-down menu. Photoshop creates a single layer from the background (main image) and 4 images in the new document.
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Desaturate, or discolor, the image by left-clicking "Image" and selecting "Desaturate" from the drop-down menu. Photoshop desaturates the image and you are left with a black-and-white image.
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Make the image into a pattern by left-clicking "Edit" in the top toolbar and selecting "Define Pattern" from the drop-down menu. The Pattern Name dialog box appears. Type the desired name for the new pattern and left-click "OK".
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Close the image by left-clicking the red "X" in the top right corner. Close the Image 1 and Image 2 windows as well in the same manner. You only need your main image now.
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Create a new layer in your main image by left-clicking "Layer", holding your cursor over "New" and selecting "Layer" from the fly-out menu. A new layer is created, automatically selected and appears in the Layers Palette.
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Fill the new layer with the pattern you created by left-clicking "Edit" and selecting "Fill" from the drop-down menu. The Fill dialog box appears. Left-click the black arrow next to "Custom Pattern" and select your Image 1 and Image 2 pattern from the thumbnails.
Make sure the blending mode is Normal and the Opacity is at 100%. Left-click "OK". Photoshop will fill the layer with the pattern. -
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Left-click the pattern-filled layer in the Layers Palette to select it. Left-click the black arrow at the very top of the Layers Palette and select "Overlay" from the drop-down menu. Photoshop blends the two layers together into a photo mosaic effect.
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Save your photo mosaic to your computer by left-clicking "File" and selecting "Save As" from the drop-down menu. Type the name of the file, select the file type and left-click "Save" in the Save As dialog box.
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Tips & Warnings
Ensure all the images you are working with have a resolution of 72 pixels per inch.
To move the crop area as you are dragging, press the spacebar.
To undo a mistaken crop, press Ctrl + Z.
If the pattern layer is too vivid, try different blending modes and opacity settings.
Experiment with using more images for a more intricate mosaic.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Ciaran Griffin/Lifesize/Getty Images
